SS tank cam band buckles?

[dmaziuk]

Hold the hook part against the tank at the strap and just yank the other part over it.

RIght. Need room for the over part, I think the handrail or something was in the way.

 

[lowviz]

Oh. Yes, I can see that.

Highland is no longer in business. You can still get bands and hardware from two different companies, but the finish isn't up to the old standards. You can get back to it with a buffing wheel and green chrome buffing (cutting) compound. Look up "metal-finishing cut and color" if you are really into this.

Highland was known for over-engineering their parts. They ruined a truly great idea on the QR's by making the lip on that bend waaaay too long. They just can't help themselves. It should have been what Akimbo did and then mill out the middle so you are left with a reasonably sized hook at either end. That way, you could catch one hook and use the cam action to get everything in line before putting the loop in the second hook.

 

[eelnoraa]

...
There was a comment already posted about these and the Highland ones being dependent on Velcro. Yes, the Highland ones definitely are. And it's Velcro that, if/when the Velcro doesn't hold the strap, the strap tail could get loose and then easily pull the buckle open. With these DGX QR straps, there is Velcro, but you adjust it once, to the size of your tanks, and then leave it alone. And it's sandwiched between the strap and tank when you're using it, so there's no way for it to get weak and have anything come loose and accidentally pop your buckle open.

I will say that, when the Velcro is good on the Highland strap, it does potentially add some security to the buckle by acting to hold the buckle closed. In contrast, the DGX QR buckle is not held closed by anything other than the force of the cam action "pulling" it to the closed position once you get it closed past a certain point. But, the way the end of the buckle "lever" is shaped, it's not like something could really accidentally get under it and flip it up. So, I think it's pretty unlikely the DGX buckle would ever get opened accidentally.

I like the DGX QR straps so much and disliked the Highland straps so much that I gave the Highland straps away, to another SB'er, and even paid the shipping out of my own pocket just to send them away.

While I have to agree Highland's QR implementation is a PITA to use in practice, but HL camband does NOT depend on Velcro. HL band is exactly the same as the traditional non QR camband except there is an opening on the buckle side. Non-QR camband definitely dooesn't depend on velrco. The fact that the buckle latchs in place is all because of the geometry of the buckle. the Velcro does add security to it, and more important to keep the free end of the strap in place. I am using a pair of non-QR bands where Velcro almost wore out completely. I just tug the free end under a piece of inner tube. I haven't lost a tank.

There is only one brand of camband I have seen that totally depend on the Velcro's reliability. It is Aqualung Griplock. I highly recommend against this one especially when your BC has only one camband

 

[jimbeeler]

I wondered if anyone besides me was willing to take a hack-saw to their Highland bands. I am glad it worked for you.

Actually, I found the hacksaw inconvenient so out came the Dremel cutting disk. I drew a line with a marker, held it in a vice and got to cutting. I figured what the heck, they were not working well the way they were. About 5 minutes later it was cut and a little polishing with a grinding attachment and I was good to go. They work very well now, thanks to your suggestion. I was very frustrated with them prior to reading your post and performing the surgery.

Jim

 

[stuartv]

HL camband does NOT depend on Velcro. HL band is exactly the same as the traditional non QR camband except there is an opening on the buckle side. Non-QR camband definitely dooesn't depend on velrco. The fact that the buckle latchs in place is all because of the geometry of the buckle. the Velcro does add security to it, and more important to keep the free end of the strap in place.

That's exactly what this meant:

if/when the Velcro doesn't hold the strap, the strap tail could get loose and then easily pull the buckle open

It depends on Velcro (or you adding your own homemade solution) to keep the strap tail from being loose where it could pull the buckle open.