Brass vs. Stainless Bolt snaps

[Green_Manelishi]

A general rule of thumb is that if the SS snap #1 costs a few bucks more than SS snap #2 it's probably a higher grade stainless. With the exception of some 4.5inch monsters, I've bought most of my SS snaps from "Ace" or "Home Depot" and they are still rocking several years later. You simply need to spend a few minutes shopping; most hardware stores carry the high-grade stainless but you have to be a discerning shopper.

 

[padiscubapro]

The top of the slide slot tends to be sharper in brass bolt snaps than in stainless. This tends to cause cuts on the thumb if you're opening the snaps a lot without a glove, especially if you've been underwater for awhile.
For that reason I've replaced all my snaps that see a lot of underwater use (stage bottles, for example) with stainless.
For those rarely used snaps (backup lights etc) brass is fine. (Or, if you have more time than money, you can file the sharp edges of the slide slot on the brass snaps)
S

I'll second that.... On bare fingers you get cuts on dry gloves you get leaks!

 

[MSilvia]

I've had brass a brass double ender I used on a catch bag seize up on me. It wasn't anything a little lubrication couldn't fix, but I'm glad it was a double ender or I wouldn't have been able to detach it from my gear until after the dive.

 

[OWSI176288]

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.

Thanks for the good info and saving my gloves!!! I just switched from 5mm neoprene gloves to drygloves.....so it looks like Iam gonna be spending the weekend changing my brass clips to S.S. ones.

 

[Jim Baldwin]

I have to agree with you completely. I use brass snaps from 3/4 to 1 1/2 in on all my equipment. I have them on stage and deco bottles and on my homemade camera strap.
I use a brass strap to clip off my long hose when I'm not using it.

The best price I found for Brass and Stainless Steel was on Ebay. There is a guy in Mississippi that sells good quality and I have bought from him several times. I think the company is Nix Dog Collars. He sells a lot of dog collars, leads, etc.

I just can't spend $7.95 for a SS bolt snap at my local hardware store when a $2 brass one will do the same job. When they wear out as a few have I sew on a new one.

Jim