Brass boltsnaps in salt water?

[jellycatsdad]

I have a el cheapo zinc plated bolt snap on my SPG and dive lights and a brass one on my SMB. The SMB one is working fine despite no rinsing. The zinc ones, well the cheap Home Depot one has saw better days. The other one from Grainger feels a bit rough. Time to start rinsing my bolt snaps and giving the springs a spritz of Fluid Film or Kroil.

 

[LFMarm]

Lifespan can be extended by rinsing after every dive and using WD40 or your preferred lubricant regularly. Once the spring starts corroding, it’s time to replace. I only use SS from reputable sources and have not had a single one with corrosion problems.

 

[Jai Bar]

Maybe there are different brass alloys, the ones that I have been using for the last 20-30 years have no problem of flaking, spring fails or anything. I do not rinse anything between dives, normally only after the week's diving.

Same for stainless steel ones, so I am indifferent to which I am using, just grab from the pile whatever comes first and go diving.

 

[Canajan]

I pack the spring cavity with coconut oil, on my bolt snaps, seems to help, as the spring is what will fail before anything else on it.

 

[MRadke]

Yes - I have had a couple of brass bolt snaps over the years in salt water. The material started to flake and so by the end of the dive week I would often have grooved and bleeding scratches on my right thumb from where I would operate the bolt snap. not fun. I only dive with stainless now

If the brass was flaking, it must have been brass plated, not solid brass. Solid brass will last as long as stainless, just not be as pretty.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

As to the thumb cutting problem that so many attest to with brass bolt snaps, I do not understand that? I have many brass snaps that I've been using for decades and have never seen a sharp edge. I suppose if it's in the thumb tab slot then take a utility knife and shave a little off tje edges to bevel it a bit and any sharp edge should be gone permanently. Brass bolt snaps have stainless springs so they should be fine.
As far as stainless bolt snaps, I've found 4-1/2" double enders at home depot but they are around $14. They do hold up very well. Make sure you read the package, it needs to read "stainless" not zinc steel.
I bought a cheap stainless double ender from one of the discount online dive suppliers and it's beginning to go bad. I checked it with a magnet and it's more magnetic than other stainless snaps I have so that leads me to believe it's probably cheap Chinese crap stainless. You get what you pay for.