Stainless steel parts not good for liveaboards

[tomfcrist]

I am currently considering whether I should go through the shop I bought this from or go directly to the manufacturer. I’m leaning towards going directly to the manufacturer.

The manufacturer will make it “rite”. They have some of the best customer service I’ve encountered in this industry.

 

[Dan]

I guess I should consider myself lucky. Here’s mine after 5 years, 300 logged dives, 7 of 1-2 week long liveaboard trips. The only metal parts of the cam band is the ring.

 

[scubafanatic]

I have bought LOTS of SS hardware for all my scuba gear over the years, and I always shop for '316' "marine grade" hardware, nothing less. On live aboards I never bother washing gear off until the last day of diving when everyone is doing that last fresh water soak of everything in the rinse tanks in preparation of hang-drying/packing all their gear for the drive/flight home. I've NEVER experienced any rusting, and I chalk it up to buying "Marine grade 316 SS" hardware from reputable sources. I go out of my way to totally avoid ANYTHING Chinese, or even suspected, Chinese-made.

Chinese crap is infecting all the manufacturing supply chains, resulting in outcomes like yours, faulty, substandard components cropping up everywhere.

 

[Lorenzoid]

@scubafanatic , that's great IF the manufacturer advertises the type of stainless steel. And even if it's advertised that "these cambands feature a 316 SS buckle," there's no guarantee that ALL metal parts are 316.

 

[scubafanatic]

@scubafanatic , that's great IF the manufacturer advertises the type of stainless steel. And even if it's advertised that "these cambands feature a 316 SS buckle," there's no guarantee that ALL metal parts are 316.

Many suppliers/manufacturers DO 'advertise' the type of stainless steel, the consumer just has to understand there are different grades of stainless steel, and that the grade to buy for salt water/marine/scuba applications is '316' grade, nothing less. IF you know what to be shopping for, and buy from reputable sources, you can greatly reduce the chances of buying inferior goods.

 

[RayfromTX]

Once again scubaboard takes us to a level of understanding that doesn't happen by reading product reviews.

There are several grades of stainless. In general if it is magnetic then there is too much carbon in it for salt water use. My microwave doesn't need to be low carbon and I'm glad it's not because it will hold a refrigerator magnet. Horses for courses.

 

[scubadada]

In general, I would not think Dive Rite would purposefully use inferior components. They have a good reputation, I would imagine they would like to preserve it. Looking at the Dive Rite Forum, I'm not sure if they monitor, respond to SB

 

[Lorenzoid]

Many suppliers/manufacturers DO 'advertise' the type of stainless steel, the consumer just has to understand there are different grades of stainless steel, and that the grade to buy for salt water/marine/scuba applications is '316' grade, nothing less. IF you know what to be shopping for, and buy from reputable sources, you can greatly reduce the chances of buying inferior goods.

Yes, "many" do. What I was trying to point out is that the likelihood of a manufacturer specifying the grade of stainless steel might depend on how much of the item is stainless steel. For an entire jacket-style BC, for instance, the manufacturer may include a lot of specs but not the grade of the D-rings. For a single D-ring, buckle, bolt snap, etc., the grade is almost always specified--or if you're buying it from a source like Dive Gear Express it's implicitly 316/marine grade. For something like a set of cambands, however, the manufacturer may specify the grade of the buckle but perhaps not the bail (or whatever is the proper name for the wire part in the OP's picture). Apologies in advance for beating a dead horse.

 

[Zef]

Once again scubaboard takes us to a level of understanding that doesn't happen by reading product reviews.

There are several grades of stainless. In general if it is magnetic then there is too much carbon in it for salt water use. My microwave doesn't need to be low carbon and I'm glad it's not because it will hold a refrigerator magnet. Horses for courses.

I was under the impression that it was the proportion of metals such as chromium, magnesium and nickel to the amount of iron that affected how stainless the steel is, and the amount of carbon affected the hardness of the alloy. Also, since when did carbon start exhibiting magnetic properties of ferrous materials? I am pretty certain it is the amount of iron in the steel alloy that determines if it is magnetic or not (ferritic vs austenitic).

-Z

 

[Rred]

Even stainless steel rusts. I have a 440C dive knife which is very rust resistant--but still will stain at the handle unless rinsed. When you are dealing with stainless that has been machined, bent, rolled? Usually the machine tools are carbon steel, and as they work the stainless part, grains of the carbon steel get embedded in the surface of the softer stainless steel. Those embedded grains WILL rust in fast order, unless the manufacturer spends extra money to "passivate" the stainless parts. That chemically etches out the carbon steel grains, usually with caustic acid that makes for EPA hazmat expenses.

So your buckles rusted, probably because the manufacturer cut some corners in order to keep the price down.

Stainless, incidentally, doesn't do well in stagnant "damp and salty" conditions. So a fresh water rinse and releasing the buckles could, yes, help deal with that.

If you look online, you can find passivating pastes and "cure" that rust yourself. Or find a local motorcycle shop, where they often deal with a local metal plating shop, who can also do the job. If you give them just the metal parts, and an easy schedule so they can throw it in a batch.

"Stain LESS" not "Won't Stain". AKA, bronze or titanium.(G)