I must be doing something different with my Hegner because I really don't have a complaint about the bottom clamp. The only time I deal with reclamping a blade into the bottom clamp is when I install a new blade. When I am only changing to a new entry hole in a piece I pop the blade and holder out of the bottom (through the slot in the table), bring it out where I can see the bottom of the piece I am working on and feed the blade through without having to be a contortionist. Then I just pop it back in place, again using the slot in the table, and reattach the blade into the top clamp. So the only time I care what tool I use to change the clamp is when the clamp is in it's little holder on the table and I am completely replacing the blade. I love this saw, largely for this reason. I, in essence, get to have the advantage of feeding the blade from the top where I can see the hole, but it's really from the bottom because I take the whole thing off the table to feed the blade through the visible bottom holes. Actually replacing the blade does require the key, but it's as easy to use and anything else would be. Am I missing something?
Cathy