At any point in time I have 4-6 of these in rotation. I use them in my business to secure items to one wall or another in my work van daily. Soooo why only 2 stars? Well... The ratchet itself holds up, it's the bar with notches that ends up giving up the ghost. The holes wear out from daily use or the small piece of metal between each hole bends ever so slightly and the trouble starts. It will begin to be VERY hard to unlock. Once they wear a bit more it will start skipping gears. Why do I keep buying them? I'm stuck... This allows for minor adjustments in pressure unlike others I've tried. I'll keep buying them but only because I haven't found better.