Push or Pull – the debate rages on!

 

At Van Mark our goal is to build quality tools that can not only last a lifetime but are also easy to live with. Typical bending brakes on the market use either a push-to-lock or a pull-to-lock system. The unique cam-lock design that we incorporate into most of our brakes utilizes a push-to-lock design. We do this for a couple of very important reasons.

First, to allow for more space to work. When the locking handle is pushed into place, it is now up and away from the user revealing more space for the legs of your material that you are bending without it bumping into the lock handles. This allows you to bend larger pieces in the brake by flipping the material over and having the longer section pointing up toward the lock handle. When a brake uses a pull-to-lock design, the handle is pulled toward you while bending which can lead to the possibility of the handle scratching or denting your material accidentally.

Second, the cam-lock design self-adjusts to the material thickness when you lock it, and just like locking any siding brake properly, it takes some muscle. And as we all learned in elementary school science class, pushing a heavy object is easier than pulling one. So, we designed our brakes to use a push-to-lock design to reduce the effort required by the user. This can really help when you have a big project with a lot of material that needs to be formed.

Because there are both styles of locking mechanisms on bending brakes in the market, we often find that new users to a Van Mark brake might need to take extra time breaking their old pull-to-lock habits. But the analogy we use when discussing this with people is that it’s similar to driving a rental car when you are on vacation. When you first hop into the car, you will surely reach for controls that are in a different location than the car you drive every day. But by the end of your vacation, your body has adapted to where the controls are, and you are no longer making that mistake. Using a metal brake is very similar. Changing to a push-to-lock motion can feel different at first if you aren’t used to it, but the clumsiness quickly fades as you use the Van Mark brake.

But, for those who have tried to adapt to the push-to-lock method and just can’t seem to make it happen, Van Mark does offer the ability to change your brake to a pull-to-lock design. But to be honest, you end up losing both benefits mentioned above, which to us seems to negate the engineering effort we put into the brake’s design. (read: we don’t recommend it) It can be done, but it isn’t for the faint of heart, as you need to allocate some time to the project if you choose to make the switch. But why limit yourself like that when the brake is capable of so much more when configured as a push-to-lock brake?

No matter which method you prefer, Van Mark cam-lock brakes can suit your preference, even though from where we sit, there really is no debate. Push-to-lock is the clear winner, and you can be too!