Why Stainless Bolt Clips In DIR?

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ElectricZombie

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The DIR book says to use stainless steel bolt clips for everything. Why stainless steel and not brass? I havn't been able to find an explanation for this. Anyone know why?
 
They continue to operate smoothly over time (the patina that forms on brass tends to make them "sticky") and for whatever reason when your hands get soft with long exposure to water, brass has a tendency to cut your thumbs unlike SS.

Roak
 
For the main body, being brass is probably not a problem, the spring is the main concern. Are the springs in brass bolt snaps salt water resistant?

I've heard brass has some oxidisation problems in salt water, but don't know that for a fact.
 
Originally posted by bengiddins
For the main body, being brass is probably not a problem, the spring is the main concern. Are the springs in brass bolt snaps salt water resistant?

I've heard brass has some oxidisation problems in salt water, but don't know that for a fact.

Brass hardware often has carbon steel springs. Stainless hardware usually has SST springs. Nothing is 100% unless specified, but that rule of thumb seems to hold pretty well in the US.

I use brass snap swivels on my spear fishing riding rig. They work fine, but it does require a dip in hot vinegar and penetrating oil whenever re-rigging a new cable or shaft to keep things working smoothly. BTW once the spring is corroded to failure, it's time to replace the entire thing. IMNSHO The disassembly effort necessary to replace just the spring in a snap swivel or bolt snap isn't worth the effort.


FT
 
Thanks Fred, that makes sense. I'll be getting in touch with you early August about purchasing a BP and Harness.
 
I used to use brass until I had one lock up on me. Then I dumped them all and got SS. I get them very cheap through a local machine shop/ hardware supply store. After about 40 dives, with 10 or so of those in salt water, they still operate as smooth as the day I bought them.
 
I think the SS thing really got started with stage tanks, which are pretty heavy, and mainly because the SS clips are a lot stronger. Also, there was some talk long ago when this first came up, that the SS clips tended to cut fingers, because they were so much harder that they weren't usually finished as well and required a little cleaning up before using.

I tend to use brass for most purposes where strength is not an issue for backup lights and reels, and SS for big stuff like stages or scooters where it is.

McMaster Carr has SS ones at a decent price. I get my brass ones from the hardware store and some are 6 years old, used about equally salt and fresh so I am not going to worry too much about brass.
 
I believe brass has been used in a number of marine applications for centuries, and still is, due to its excellent resistance to saltwater corrosion.

I've been using brass swivel clips and double-enders for only dozens of dives in seawater and have had no problems. Like all my equipment, I rinse the clips thoroughly in freshwater at the end of every dive day, paying special attention to the springs to make sure I've cleaned out any grit that may have accumulated in that area. They still work as well as the day I got them.
 
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