Sampo vs Barrel Swivel

[Alan]

David,

Why is the Sampo swivel installed upside down on the grouse deflector? I was taught to always have the spinning shaft DOWN. This allows any dirt/dust/water to fall out during use. Having it up allows dirt/water/ice to remain in the swivel & wear on the ball bearings and/or freeze up the swivel.

I have seen many falconers use their Sampos upside down & never understood why.

I've also noted that the place to watch for wear on Sampos is where the rings go thru the posts. Hard to explain but the holes eventually get bigger and the posts get thinner until they eventually crack.

Alan

[weathervaneman]

I've got a Sampo swivel that craped out in the course of one season. I fix bicycles and I have seen many ball bearings that have broke in half.
I can't believe which end is up would matter. I understand these swivels are made for deep salt water fishing.
Morris

[Dirthawking]

it does not matter when it comes to water. It does however when it comes stuff like bird poo and dirt.

[Ken S.]

Thanks for sharing that David! Very interesting.

[weathervaneman]

I just ran right out and woke my bird up to check the swivel. It's on up right so it ought to last forever. My first one must have been up side down.
Morris

[Lowachi]

I just ran right out and woke my bird up to check the swivel. It's on up right so it ought to last forever. My first one must have been up side down.
Morris

now that's funny!!

[bobpayne]

Thanks for sharing that David! Very interesting.

Started using the barrel swivels last season, picking up some new sampos from you to use in the future, thanks for explaining how they are made.

[awahl]

Great info. Thanks everyone. I was under the impression that the SPRO swivels were stainless steel. I am guessing that the brass is the weak link in the barrel swivel. Looking at the following page, it says that the swivels are stainless. That being said, I do know of at least one that popped apart on a falconry bird. I use them, and do inspect the seam regularly. I toss them when there is enough play in the seam that they rock a little from side to side. Actually, I just use them for something else at that point.
http://www.cabelas.com/swivels-snaps...:referralID=NA

[davidfrank]

Yes, I've seen this advert at Cabella's for stainless steel barrel swivels. However, when the swivel is made there is a male part (rivet shaped piece) and a female part. The female part is cast much wider so it can go over the male part and then it is stamped with a machine down over the male rivet part right the way around the circumference so the sides are then lined up parallel. Stainless steel is far too hard to do this with. If they are making them now out of stainless steel it probably has some other metals in it so it can be smushed (not a proper word but better than smashed) down over the male part forming the final cylindrical barrel swivel. Saying that, it would probably be much stronger than the nickel plated brass swivel. However, I have not seen one yet. Maybe I will order one from Cabella's and grind on it to see if this is indeed a new version.

David Frank
Western Sporting

[davidfrank]

I did finally order some of the swivels from Cabella's by clicking on the link supplied by "awal" above. I ground on them and they are indeed brass. To the guy who markets, stainless obviously means will not rust and I guess brass does not actually rust.

David
Western Sporting

[rkumetz]

I've got a Sampo swivel that craped out in the course of one season. I fix bicycles and I have seen many ball bearings that have broke in half.
I can't believe which end is up would matter. I understand these swivels are made for deep salt water fishing.
Morris

Because if you have the open rotating end down debris falls out rather
than staying in the bearings as it would if it is used with the open side
facing up. Get some sand or other abrasive stuff in there and they will
just grind themselves to death or jam up and stop rotating. The latter is
probably going to happen first when the clog with mutes.

[davidfrank]

Hi Alan,

Yes, he put the Sampo upside down on the grouse deflector. You are correct that there is an up and down. The body of the Sampo will start to get loose just about the time the top ring is wearing through the brass housing. Nothing lasts forever.

David Frank

[bluejack]

Great thread David,
Thanks for posting ringing this to our attention.

[Chris L.]

Great thread David. Thank you for the information.

[Lowachi]

thanks David. calling in the am ta order stuff

[oldguy]

Interesting information David.

There's something about barrel swivels that I don't care for. Just me.
If I had a need for less costly swivels, I would use Sampo, and lets applaud the guy who cares enough to try this. A great example of someone who sees a problem and takes measures to help a species.