Should we torque bolts to their max spec'd torque when greased

[Butcher]

If you wrench for a living and used a torque wrench daily, it's certainly possible that you will learn that feel and not use it. It would be foolish to recommend to someone NOT to use a torque wrench.

Torque is a poor way of measuring clamping pressure because you never know how bad the threads are changing your reading. Angle torque is better but I have not seen it used on bikes.

Anyway, a torque wrench is the best/safest way to measure the clamping pressure but in the hands of a pro, a regular ratch will be fine.

[DaveS]

My actual recommendation is to use as short hex key for bolts that require 5-7Nm. You'd have to try awfully hard to over-do it. If you become totally dependant on a torque wrench, how do you manage to fix or change something out on the road?

[Butcher]

Agree but if you met some of the professional ham fisted mechanics I've seen and you were the Shop Foreman, you would insist on everyone using a torque wrench.

Not everyone has common sense and if you're someone that does not, a torque wrench is your friend.

[bm0p700f]

I'll be honest I do it by feel often but i tend to hold the key by the elbow so cant over do it. i have been a torque wrench slave and it has lead to bar/stem/seatpost slippage. Sometimes you have to go a tight as you dare which only works with good threads.

A torquewrench is a tool. It still possible to mess up with it.

The problem here is the hamfisted.