Wooh!! Finally managed to get some levers Im happy with:
The below pic shows the angle I have added. Originally, the lever would have been straight down but I have pushed it back about 15 degrees.
This pic shows how not to do it..!! I did the first lever using two spanners with no protection:
This is my second attemd, with only minimal damage. Again, I could have done better than this with a little hindsight.
Ohers have mentioned using a blow torch, but I dont have one. Also, not sure how much paint damage this would do..
Now I just need to decide if I want to put my old school Dia Compes back on the bike, after a little bending. Eitherway, ill replace the trashed lever with a new one (my local store has them on offer for sub-£10)
My tips for safe bending:- remove the lever from the brake housing
- put something metal inbetween the levers two arms that the bolt goes through. I did not do this for the first lever and the vice colapsed the arms slightly. I then had the task of getting them back straight again..
- Use a vice and protect any metal on metal contact
- Have the lever poking out of the vice with the bend point on the edge of the vice
- Putting a bit of wood between the lever and your hammer, hit the wood frickin hard. Then it it even frickin harder!!
- Start off by practicing with a lever you dont mind spoiling. With practice, you can bend with little/no paint damage.
ta,
Paul