Brass vs. Stainless Bolt snaps

[bcsean]

Or worse yet, brass can cut my drygloves. My thumb will heal, my drygloves if cut will make a crappy dive. I only use SS.

 

[mossym]

i'll gotten some of the snaps that sphyrna mentioned, can highly recommend them too

 

[Rick Murchison]

Here's another source with good prices (I think the owner's a member here, too!)
S

 

[Tom Smedley]

You can also get SS snaps in the rope, chain, and fasteners section of Lowes or other Building Materials suppliers for much less than at marine supply stores.

 

[Lil' Irish Temper]

You can also get SS snaps in the rope, chain, and fasteners section of Lowes or other Building Materials suppliers for much less than at marine supply stores.

Are they Marine grade, not to sound stupid, but I'm scared of watching my $125.00 back-up light going down and disappering.

You know that's kind of an oxymoron - I'll spend a 125 bucks on a back-up light, but I don't want to pay 3 bucks extra on some snaps :bonk:

 

[redacted]

I have given blood and run into brass snaps that did not have SS springs. You can change the springs but it is a PITA. I have also had the snaps stick with brass. I now only use them in applications where I shouldn't lose anything too expensive when it fails and I don't catch it.

 

[OWSI176288]

FWIW.....I've tried both brass and S.S. and found little difference. I think it's more important what the little spring that holds the clip shut is made of. I've found that most of springs in brass clips are just regular carbon steel and rust out quickly. I also found that a lot of the S.S. clips from local "big box" hardware stores also have carbon steel springs. I believe, but am not sure, that marine grade S.S. clips have S.S. springs.

 

[Boogie711]

Trust me on this one - if you're diving in cold water, get stainless steel.

Brass snaps will rip the crap out of your gloves in no time. The edges are too sharp. And if you're wearing drygloves, you won't be anymore.

 

[Lil' Irish Temper]

Cold water - Yep, Lake Erie, sounds like Stainless is the way to go,

What's a good size to go with ? - I'm going to be using it for Back-up light, Octo, and SPG other odds & ends.

 

[radinator]

I also found that a lot of the S.S. clips from local "big box" hardware stores also have carbon steel springs. I believe, but am not sure, that marine grade S.S. clips have S.S. springs.

I just found that out after buying some clips from Home Depot. I took a magnet to make sure the clip was the right type of stainless, but the spring, being small, didn't really have an effect on the magnet. They're already clipped to my gear, so I'll use them until my order from Nix shows up...