Got Shimano XT levers (single pinch bolt) which a a bugger to get onto my Sunline carbon bars, I run levers far inboard & pushing them on started badly scraping the lacquer and I didn’t like that at all, tried grease but didnt really help.
Put a screwdriver in to open the gap up but didn’t really help, so used bigger screwdriver then the pinch bit snapped off- whoops !

Got new lever on the way, I was thinking about a greased up coke can shim to stop the damage to the bars ?

I use the screwdriver in the open gap method like you did, but keep the screwdriver in the gap with constant twist pressure applied as you slide it down the bars.

Bit of wet & dry on the inside of the levers to make sure there are no burrs, fairy liquid before fitting then a bit of t-cut on the lacquer afterwards. It's not structural so you're not weakening them.

sputnick thats what I did, still wasnt enough as it just seems to open the gap up rather than make the diameter bigger, hence trying a bigger screwdriver, then it went pear shaped….

John, filed the edges of the clampy bits so there werent any sharp edges. Not bothered about the lacquer itself just didnt want to chance catching the black stuff. Dont have fairy liquid, only eco-soap 😐

There's your problem, right there.

How are you going to fit tubeless tyres with lesbian washing up liquid?

"How are you going to fit tubeless tyres with lesbian washing up liquid?"
Easy, with a split-clamp UST tyre 😉

How big is the gap in the clamp?
You could try sliding something like a penny into the gap, then screwing the pinch bolt in (from the other side) and that'll push open the gap as you screw the bolt through.
Just need to be careful not to snap it again.

And some kind of slidy lube sounds like a good idea.

Brake levers and UST tyres are one thing but I wont have Fairy Polar Bear deaths on my conscience.

Stumpy, sounds logical, could work.

Penny idea works, used it a few times

Not if you can't get a bolt through from the threaded side.

I'd prob try new bars myself!

yup – bars designed to fit … otherwise id get the clamps machined rather than crimp the bars with an underdiameter hole

next post from scruff "my bars snapped where my lever sits"