Critical Swivel Failure

[SideWinder]

Over 40+ years of fishing and have never had a swivel fail like this, not one, but 3.

The 1st one broke after we let out a 3lb cigar weight and a 1lb. Wahoo lure, was out a minute and rod relaxed, I asked Kevin who was tending the pit, did something hit the cigar?, he looked and said you got to see this. Broken swivel right at the bottom as it turns to make the bend. Thought it was freak happening, speculated that maybe it got pinched somehow or crimped. Ok back to fishing.

Later we get a chicken dolphin on another rod, and it goes slack, pull in line and bingo another broken swivel in the same spot. Something is definitely wrong here.

Not being sure of the brand, but either one of the two most popular likely. I do not buy off brand. These are 130-135lb swivels which I put on several of my rods July 7.

We looked at the others in the spread and they looked, act fine.

Back at the dock later I grab another and open it and then close it and it breaks in the same place. I did not over extend it. Wires is extremely hard. Clue??

Have some of our popular brands switched to a different wire? Have they out-sourced to some inferior manufacturer? Is it a banana curse?

I hope I that I only got a bad pack, but this does have me worried, like getting a bad spool of line.

[clt_capt]

I think WAHOONBOX got this one covered back in April...

HOW DOES YOUR SWIVEL HANG? PICS

I'm sorry you got bit by it

[SideWinder]

Nope I think different problem, I broke one off by slight pressure with my fingers.

[WahooKing]

Over 40+ years of fishing and have never had a swivel fail like this, not one, but 3.

The 1st one broke after we let out a 3lb cigar weight and a 1lb. Wahoo lure, was out a minute and rod relaxed, I asked Kevin who was tending the pit, did something hit the cigar?, he looked and said you got to see this. Broken swivel right at the bottom as it turns to make the bend. Thought it was freak happening, speculated that maybe it got pinched somehow or crimped. Ok back to fishing.

Later we get a chicken dolphin on another rod, and it goes slack, pull in line and bingo another broken swivel in the same spot. Something is definitely wrong here.

Not being sure of the brand, but either one of the two most popular likely. I do not buy off brand. These are 130-135lb swivels which I put on several of my rods July 7.

Could be a bad batch....However, your swivel is a bit on the light side for a 3lb trolling weight...

I use and suggest 350lb double ring ball bearing snaps...Also, all eye connections with mono and/or cable always have s.s chafing thimbles.

[HOLWACHAGOT]

I am not a Metallurgist by any means...I am going to try and urge one of our resident metallurgist to take this topic and elaborate if possible...

If the swivels are stored with other types of metal...i.e. hooks, crimps, other brands of swivels...Can and do the dissimilar metals in the same container (plano box) cause corrosion, pitting, rust, embrittlement, etc?


Holwachagot

[gottaflylee]

We have had this happen twice on the Predator this year, once on a small billfish and another on a nice "Gaffer". The one on the bill fish came back so hard that that it cut Warrens arm pertty good! First time we have had it happen and both were new out of the pack for that trip. I hate equip. failuer!

[SideWinder]

Good points for thoughts ,

Holwachagot, good idea for research,
as far as these are concerned, right out of the package on to the rods in July, not stored with any other metals,

After each trip I pull these to the reel lugs and let them hook up there without a lot of line pressure. And we are talking about 12 trips just since July using them. Marty had a great piece on the pressure that the swivel can take with a 1 ring swivel, I looked at his piece and he did not mention where the swivel would break if it got caught up in that configuration. Maybe that is it, but still one broke in my hand, all in the exact same location.

[WAHOONBOX]

THIS IS MY SPECULATION...AND ONLY SPECULATION

OPOSSIBLY A SWIVEL COULD BE "STORED" IN THE OPEN POSITON AND SOMETIMES "HOOKED TO THE EYE ON THEB REEL AND NOT CLOSED


IF ONE BENDS A SWIVEL BACKWARDS JUST THE SLIGHTEST BIT....THIS WILL OCCUR


I AIN'T SAYING THIS IS THE CASE HERE.....BUT I HAVE DONE IT MYSELF


A SWIVEL IS LIKE A RUBBERBAND....IF YOU STRETCH IT....IT LOSES IT'S "POWER"


GREAT THREAD BY THE WAY.....NOW THATS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!

[SideWinder]

Since I had re-rigged those rods at the house I searched to see if I had any similar swivels still here. I found one (SAMPO)style 1 and a new SPRO style 2. I also noticed something with the close-up camera lens my old eyes could not see. Noticed the quality of the ring welds. And the SAMPO's only have a 1 turn and half on the shaft, while the Spros have 2 1/2. This alone would now have me not purchasing style 1. Interesting. The SAMPO's have a matt black finish while the SPROS have a gloss metallic finish.

This does not solve the original question, but I'm leaning towards WAHOONBOX's thought about being bent on the reel. Although I have done this for years without a problem.

[WahooKing]

SW

Check out these snap swivels...

http://www.riteangler.com/swivel.html

Notice the # of twist on the custom snaps...I've been using these swivels religiously and never had a problem...And I pull my tackle at extreme high speeds.