A blade-type chain tensioner comprising: a bracket comprising a main wall and a ramp projecting from said main wall; a tensioner blade assembly operatively connected to said bracket, said tensioner blade assembly comprising a polymeric shoe and a spring connected to the shoe, said shoe comprising a free end supported on said ramp, a pivot end pivotally connected to said bracket, and a central body that extends between said free end and said pivot end; said bracket comprising a pivot pocket including an internal concave pivot surface; said pivot end of said shoe comprising a pivot barrel including an external convex pivot surface, wherein said pivot barrel is engaged with said pivot pocket to pivotally connect said pivot end of said shoe to said bracket, wherein said external pivot surface of said pivot barrel is slidably abutted with said internal pivot surface of said pivot pocket such that said pivot barrel is reciprocally angularly movable in said pivot pocket; said internal pivot surface of said pivot pocket and said external pivot surface of said pivot barrel comprising respective cylindrical arc segment surfaces; said internal pivot surface of said pivot pocket extending a maximum circumferential extent that is less than 360 degrees between first and second opposite ends (PS1,PS2) of said internal pivot surface such that an open mouth of width "d" is defined between said first and second opposite ends of said internal pivot surface; said external pivot surface of said shoe comprising an outside diameter "D" and wherein said width "d" of said open mouth is less than said outside diameter "D" of said external pivot surface; a portion of the second end of said internal pivot surface of said pivot pocket being removed to define an install notch, and said pivot end of said shoe further comprising an external strengthening rib that projects outwardly from said pivot barrel, wherein at least a portion of said external strengthening rib is located in said install notch. a bracket comprising a main wall and a ramp projecting from said main wall; a tensioner blade assembly operatively connected to said bracket, said tensioner blade assembly comprising a polymeric shoe and a spring connected to the shoe, said shoe comprising a free end supported on said ramp, a pivot end pivotally connected to said bracket, and a central body that extends between said free end and said pivot end; said bracket comprising a pivot pocket including an internal concave pivot surface; said pivot end of said shoe comprising a pivot barrel including an external convex pivot surface, wherein said pivot barrel is engaged with said pivot pocket to pivotally connect said pivot end of said shoe to said bracket, wherein said external pivot surface of said pivot barrel is slidably abutted with said internal pivot surface of said pivot pocket such that said pivot barrel is reciprocally angularly movable in said pivot pocket; said internal pivot surface of said pivot pocket and said external pivot surface of said pivot barrel comprising respective cylindrical arc segment surfaces; said internal pivot surface of said pivot pocket extending a maximum circumferential extent that is less than 360 degrees between first and second opposite ends (PS1,PS2) of said internal pivot surface such that an open mouth of width "d" is defined between said first and second opposite ends of said internal pivot surface; said external pivot surface of said shoe comprising an outside diameter "D" and wherein said width "d" of said open mouth is less than said outside diameter "D" of said external pivot surface; a portion of the second end of said internal pivot surface of said pivot pocket being removed to define an install notch, and said pivot end of said shoe further comprising an external strengthening rib that projects outwardly from said pivot barrel, wherein at least a portion of said external strengthening rib is located in said install notch.