See you later alligator

I've been cutting a bunch of Willow Creek rough. It was taking too long some days. Yesterday the first slab after dressing might take 1 1/2 hours and the second cut much longer. I adjusted the clutch, dressed the blade, demucked the oil and called Covington support multiple times. The last conversation was about the alligator clip that attaches to the threaded rod that moves the vise into the blade. He thought it might have got weak over the years. The new clip arrived today (two days after ordering). It didn't seem a lot stronger than the original but it looked heavier duty. I completed the first cut using the new clip and then timed the second cut which was 25 minutes.
The bad news that I am about done cutting the Willow Creek and the good news is that the problem has been solved and the saw cuts fast.
The slab saw is not used on a regular basis and I know what to expect next time.