Dimpling/crimping 853 chainstays
I had new chainstays fitted to my Salsa El Mariachi - the original driveside stay was heavily gouged by chainsuck (I fitted my BB with the spacer on the wrong side!) and it snapped.
They fitted two new 853 stays and I ended up with far less tyre clearance. So I took it back (after I painted it) and they said they couldn't crimp them, but they could make them narrower by using heat. They did this, but it's still less clearance than the original stays had. Ok so they snapped, but I'd have assumed with 853 instead of the original 4130 I could have had at least some crimping and still ended up with more useful strength than the original.
So a few questions:
1) Should he have done this? Reynolds website, linked to from here, says that only a small amount of working is possible and any ovalising or dimpling should not be attempted. I don't know how hot he got it, but he paint was only stripped off about 15cm of chainstay, so I can't imagine he got it particularly hot otherwise more paint would have burned off.
2) How much is 'a small amount' ? Can I add a further dimple myself without wrecking the tensile strength? Is it already compromised?