how to maybe reduce lug damage from twist o flex bracelets

When I first came across twist o flex's in Hodinkee's Value Proposition articles, I was pretty excited. I own a FOIS and wanted it on a bracelet. When it arrived, I put it on and just loved the comfort. I was satisfied that I have a great bracelet solution for the FOIS and at a very very affordable price. Fast forward three months and I come across a thread on OF where they show damage to the inside of the lugs cause by twist o flex bracelets. Horrified I took it off my FOIS (where I did notice the beginning of circular scratches on the inside of the lugs. I have been considering other options including ordering a 1125 Omega bracelet from an AD but have been having a lot of trouble with my local Omega AD (that's another story). So alas, I took the twist o flex to work and grinded down the telescopic endlinks to make them 19mm. I hope by reducing the pressure exerted on the lugs by the telescopic arms that it will reduce the damage to a reasonable level. on the left is the grinded down bracelet vs a brand new one on the right.



here you can see how much the endlink has to retract to fit between the lugs. this loads the spring in the middle and exerts a force on the inside of the lugs.


the adjusted twist of flex with a passive fit between the lugs.