bolt snap question

[lerpy]

I will second Nix. The problem with some of the hardware store snaps is that the spring may not be stainless.

Your absolutely right, I have had some where they are SS but not the spring.

 

[Jax]

I buy bolt snaps no where other than Cave Adventurers. Never had a problem.

 

[kensuf]

Two weekends ago I had a cavern student who had bought his bolt snaps from a hardware store. They were rusted and unusable.

The problem was they were simply plated, not real stainless, and the spring was just regular steel. He took them in the ocean once or twice and they were rust city. The stainless steel bolt snaps he bought to replace them were all of $3.75 a piece at Cave Country Dive Shop.

Unfortunately, buying cheap frequently = buying twice.

 

[WarrenZ]

I made that mistake also home depot boltsanps seem to be very hit and miss the silver plated ones rust/lockup however I ended up with a couple of brass ones that seem to keep going. I only use the hardware snaps on keys and not critical dive gear these days.

 

[kensuf]

The problem with brass snaps is because brass is a very soft material, they can develop sharp edges and cut the heck out of your fingers.

Don't get me wrong, you won't die if you use brass snaps, and I have a couple of brass snaps that I've been using for a long time that are fine, but not all brass snaps are the same. In my book, stage bottles and any clip that will see the ocean never gets a brass snap.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I don't know that it's case of brass bolt snaps developing sharp edges, it's more an artifact of the some brass bolt snaps more often being more cheaply made and having sharper edges in the first place.

I've had (and still have) several brass bolt snaps that have functioned flawlessly for years, and I've had a few stainless steel bolt snaps that had sharp edges as well as rust prone springs.

You want a bolt snap that is well made, with smooth edges, a spring that won't rust, and enough clearance in the bolt portion that it can shrug off some sand or silt without binding.

Your best bet will be with decent quality SS bolt snaps, but that doesn't mean there are not some decent brass bolt snaps out there.

 

[tursiops]

The problem with brass snaps is because brass is a very soft material, they can develop sharp edges and cut the heck out of your fingers.

I keep hearing this, but I have never seen it. One of my brass trigger-snaps on a light is probably 30 years old, and smooth as silk.

 

[undrwater]

There was, once, a long contentious post about brass vs stainless. It got pretty ugly. I was laughing at my monitor.

 

[PfcAJ]

The best brass ones are better than the worst stainless ones, but in general stainless lasts longer.

I've been sliced open by stainless ones. A little time with the file fixes that.