Do you REALLY need stainless steel hardware?

[Newbie 0]

If you don't live near the coast?

Thoughts?

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[Zoter 0]

Yeah !
I need to be able to adjust my hair and I dont see no stiinkin mirrors on the aircraft !!
I would look into the sunglasses of those sitting opposite me....but damn you ugly and I dont want to give you the wrong impression....aiight !

[Newbie 0]

I knew there had to be a valid reason, thanks mate

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[councilman24 36]

Since the introduction of stainless hardware there have been several modifications and versions needed to solve problems we never had with cadmium plated hardware. The original stuff held too tightly and with the newer lines and zp caused problems. The cadmium hardware was expected to slip a little. The they were made less aggressive and slipped too much. Then several variations, two part etc. showed up. Also many active PIA members believe there is a difference in the webbing finish that may be changing the dynamics of the hardware fabric interactions.

For the most part I believe these problems have been figured out. We jumped for decades with out stainless. No you don't need it. And might have better results without it.

But Bling, Bling is always good.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[skydiverek 58]

Eleven THREADS about stainless hardware here: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=search_results&search_forum=all&search_string=stainless+-re%3A&search_type=AND&search_fields=s&search_time=&search_user_username=&sb=score&mh=25

[riggerrob 561]

In another few years, you will not have any choice.
It will be stainless or stainless.
The problem is that cadmium-plating hardware creates a lot of heavy-metal toxic waste that is expensive to dispose of safely.
European tree-huggers have already driven the cost of cadmium-plating through the roof. North American tree-huggers will follow in the next few years.
In another few years, cadmium-plated hardware will simply not be available.
Nickle-plated hardware will disappear a few years later.

[FrogNog 1]

Quote

In another few years, you will not have any choice.
It will be stainless or stainless.
The problem is that cadmium-plating hardware creates a lot of heavy-metal toxic waste that is expensive to dispose of safely.
European tree-huggers have already driven the cost of cadmium-plating through the roof. North American tree-huggers will follow in the next few years.
In another few years, cadmium-plated hardware will simply not be available.
Nickle-plated hardware will disappear a few years later.

To be fair to the tree-huggers, isn't cadmium toxic to people, who could absorb it directly through the skin, mucus membranes, and digestion, and indirectly by eating plants, animal flesh, and animal milk in which it can accumulate?

Species extinction I may or may not care about. Me and my friends getting sick I do care about.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[mattjw916 2]

I vote for titanium hardware personally... I know it has been discussed here before, but hopefully it will become available in the next ten years, at least as an option.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[RMURRAY 1]

Quote

If you don't live near the coast?

Thoughts?

SS is a waste of cash - I'd get nickel plated...rm

[sundevil777 94]

Given the toxicity issue, it is amazing that the cad plated hardware is still cheaper.

Maybe there is such a stockpile of cad hardware that there is no impact yet, until the already existing stock runs out?

By the way, it is corrosion resistant steel, not stainless.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[flyangel2 2]

Yup, and it makes the rig look nicer.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[IanHarrop 37]

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By the way, it is corrosion resistant steel, not stainless.

Are you suggesting that all those manufacturers of container/harnesses are not using "truth in advertising" when all of their brochures say we have the choice of having Stainless Steel hardware?

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[sundevil777 94]

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Quote

By the way, it is corrosion resistant steel, not stainless.

Are you suggesting that all those manufacturers of container/harnesses are not using "truth in advertising" when all of their brochures say we have the choice of having Stainless Steel hardware?

No, I just know that it can corrode. CRES is a std abbreviation for corrosion resistant.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

Quote

In another few years, you will not have any choice.
It will be stainless or stainless.
The problem is that cadmium-plating hardware creates a lot of heavy-metal toxic waste that is expensive to dispose of safely.
European tree-huggers have already driven the cost of cadmium-plating through the roof. North American tree-huggers will follow in the next few years.
In another few years, cadmium-plated hardware will simply not be available.
Nickle-plated hardware will disappear a few years later.

Damn Tree-Huggers!!!

They should all go Kiss a Cactus!!!

[slug 1]

Quote

Quote

In another few years, you will not have any choice.
It will be stainless or stainless.
The problem is that cadmium-plating hardware creates a lot of heavy-metal toxic waste that is expensive to dispose of safely.
European tree-huggers have already driven the cost of cadmium-plating through the roof. North American tree-huggers will follow in the next few years.
In another few years, cadmium-plated hardware will simply not be available.
Nickle-plated hardware will disappear a few years later.

Damn Tree-Huggers!!!

They should all go Kiss a Cactus!!!

Think rice
Check out the country of origion of galvanized chain link fencing.
MSDS whats that.
PPE whats that
Hazardous waste, ditto

Para gear might already have a big stockpile of Hardware

R.I.P.

[RMURRAY 1]

Quote

Quote

By the way, it is corrosion resistant steel, not stainless.

Are you suggesting that all those manufacturers of container/harnesses are not using "truth in advertising" when all of their brochures say we have the choice of having Stainless Steel hardware?

no, the are using stainless steel. he is saying stainless steel does corrosde. ie it is "stain-less". by definition stainless steel is > 10.5% chromium. Invented Sheffield England in 1913 while trying to solve a problem of errosion (due to rapid heating and cooling) of rifle barrels. they found it did not stain like regular steel. most popular grade is 18% chromium and 8% nickel - not sure what they use for harness hardware.

[JohnRich 4]

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SS is a waste of cash - I'd get nickel plated...

Nickel plating sometimes starts flaking off. Especially where the three-rings overlap and rub against each other.

[RMURRAY 1]

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Quote

SS is a waste of cash - I'd get nickel plated...

Nickel plating sometimes starts flaking off. Especially where the three-rings overlap and rub against each other.

I will try to get a couple of manufactures to dispell this myth. ie if you have witnessed flaking it was an isolated quality control issue. from the relative workshop site...

"Stainless steel hardware:
This is recommended in areas that have a highly corrosive environment. Our standard hardware is electroless nickel."

[JohnRich 4]

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Nickel plating sometimes starts flaking off. Especially where the three-rings overlap and rub against each other.

if you have witnessed flaking it was an isolated quality control issue.

I think my "sometimes" agrees with your "isolated".

I've seen it on parachute hardware, and on nickle-plated handguns.

[Kris 0]

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I will try to get a couple of manufactures to dispell this myth. ie if you have witnessed flaking it was an isolated quality control issue.

Try again. I have nickle on my Mirage and a very hard opening was all it took to have the nickle plating starting to chip off on one of my risers.

Thankfully, it's not chipping on any of the hardware on the rig itself, but I'll be getting stainless next time.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[RMURRAY 1]

Quote

Quote

I will try to get a couple of manufactures to dispell this myth. ie if you have witnessed flaking it was an isolated quality control issue.

Try again. I have nickle on my Mirage and a very hard opening was all it took to have the nickle plating starting to chip off on one of my risers.

Thankfully, it's not chipping on any of the hardware on the rig itself, but I'll be getting stainless next time.

just because it happened does not mean it will happen in the future. that would be like me saying do not buy stainless steel hardware because it slips - this was true but they have made changes and should not be the case today.

[RMURRAY 1]

OK, learned something today. here is one response from JumpShack....

"True. Can and has happened due to bad plating. We have stopped using Nickel for this reason, as have some other manufacturers. Stainless is the best, though a bit pricey. Cadmium is still OK."

I will post one more if I get a response.

[Tonto 1]

Even if you do live at the coast... what's your reserve pilot chute spring made of? What's your reserve pin made of? Do you think these items are more corrosion critical than your hip rings?

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[freakyrat 1]

I was told that the manufacturing process for the stainless hardware is better for the environment.

[Newbie 0]

True, but i was thinking purely in terms of what is exposed to the salty sea air. My spring and pin are both fully covered which offers some form of anti corrosion protection, whereas rings are completely exposed.

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts