Are bit guards any good on a single-jointed bit with fixed cheeks?

Hi! Bit guards can certainly be useful, but they are often a little unnecessary on a bit with fixed cheeks. They do no harm, they just do not add much. Their main job is to stop the corners of the mouth from being pinched, for example on a loose ring bit, because the rings move. With fixed cheeks, which do not move, they are therefore not needed.

Bit guards can also add stability to the bit, or stop it sliding through the mouth. If a bit slides a lot in the mouth, though, there is usually another reason behind it. A common one is a bit that is too long, which happens very often. Fitting bit guards can be a temporary way to pad out a bit that is too big and stop it sliding, but it should not become a permanent fix.

So make sure the bit is the right size in the first place, and you will probably not need the bit guards at all. I hope that answers your question 😀