Brass / Stainless Buckles vs Ali Carabiner

[scubafanatic]

...stay away from brass ! While you can get away with brass clips in fresh water, they absolutely won't hold up against sea water.....they will rapidly corrode away and freeze up...brass clips are more cheaply priced for a reason !

 

[Bob DBF]

I haven't had any problems with brass, but make sure it is solid brass not brass plated steel which is true crap. Actually I had one problem; I started out using the spring clip which is like a small caribener, with all it's faults, but I saw the error of my ways and stick with snap clips. The older brass gets a nice patina and is impervious to darn near everything.

Marine Stainless is stronger but my wife has me on a budget and I don't need to snap on to a truck and drag it to the surface, yet.

 

[bhalah]

I have been using a solid brass clip for the past 4 years, and have used it on 90-95 salt water dives. I find that it tends to stiffen up after 10 or 12 dives, but a drop of 3 in 1 oil frees it up. A quick rinse in dish soapy dishwater and its good to go again. A file will clean up any sharp burrs that develop.

I will buy a marine grade stainless steel bolt clip next time.

 

[Hatul]

...stay away from brass ! While you can get away with brass clips in fresh water, they absolutely won't hold up against sea water.....they will rapidly corrode away and freeze up...brass clips are more cheaply priced for a reason !

Then why does this not happen on brass regulators?

 

[RJP]

Then why does this not happen on brass regulators?

Aren't they usually chrome plated? Don't recall ever seeing a "naked" brass regulator.

 

[ba_hiker]

Then why does this not happen on brass regulators?

brass/bronze..

brass is copper and zinc

bronze is copper and tin

Brass, in all grades is unsuitable for seawater -- the zinc leaches right out. may take a bit. but the material deteriorates. you are left with (mostly) pure copper, which is soft.

Bronze, well it depends. some bronze is only a bit better than brass. bronze alloyed with phosphorus has great corrosion resistance, and strength. It is also self lubricating, and not to likely gall.

Stainless, again depends on the alloy. some alloys have great corrosion resistance others less so.

Regulator bodies are often made of quality bronze, but i have not seen brass ones (doesn't mean they don't exist).

 

[Dr Wu]

Brass clips will last 200 years.

Stainless clips will last 500 years.

Therefore it is imperative you buy Stainless.

 

[snowflake4727]

I have used brass, and marine grade stainless.
I ditched the brass in favor of marine grade stainless when it corroded to badly to use after 50 dives. The clip stiffened to a point where it was to hard to open and close.

A carabiner has been the death of at least one diver on the Andrea Doria. After his death they fell into disuse and I am unaware of any other deaths.

 

[scubafanatic]

Brass clips will last 200 years.

Stainless clips will last 500 years.

Therefore it is imperative you buy Stainless.

...umm, brass is not even remotely in the same league as SS on suitability in seawater. I've noticed substantial deterioration with brass clips on something as short as a one week long trip on a liveaboard......and while a brass clip will survive overall for a fair amount of time (not counting the ugly GREEN color that will soon coat the clip) the critical little spring area where the clip opens and closes will deteriorate quite rapidly and the mechanism will get very 'sticky' and tend to jam open or closed and get very frustrating to deal with...but that's OK, it's a traditional part of being a new diver to buy (and waste) $ on gear that seems like a good idea while shopping in the dive shop but will not work out in the 'real world'......

 

[RJP]

A carabiner has been the death of at least one diver on the Andrea Doria.