"Steve" wrote in message
...
I was removing some hose clamps from the hoses to my head. (minor leak).

The hose clamps were bleeding rust where the seeping sea water was running
over the them. These clamps had only been exposed to the marine enviorment
(in the head) for one year..

I checked the markings on the screw housing and it said IDEAL All
Stainless.. I grabbed a magnet and sure enough, the screw is magnetic.
Looks
like stainless, not zinc or cad. plated, but it is some grade of stainless
that is not only magnetic, but rusts.

Since I purchase such hardware by the box, I was able to locate the
remainder of these clamps in my spares and traced the purchase back to a
reputable (not WM) marine supplier.

I just found one IDEAL "All Stainless" hose clamp in my shop that claims
to
be 'Made in USA' (not that that means to much) but it also has Mil Spec
number on it. (MS 35842-11)

Guess what, the screw is also magnetic.

If I find this problem with all the rest of my hose clamps, I think I
should
complain and find replacements.

I wonder just how a fellow is suppose to find and trust in the marine
hardware he purchases. Maybe sampling and lab test... Oh wait! the
military
dose that and assigns a Mil Spec. number.. Hmm! did Uncle Sam get screwed
also??

Frustrated With rusting hose clamps.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions


By far the biggest customers for such things is the boat builders..
They need as cheap as possable.. and last long enough for the warrenty to
expirire on the boat.
The customer wants the boat as cheap as possable with all the latest
gizzmo's and "standard"
Hardly surprising that the "minor" stuff is cheap and nasty... (by minor i
mean stuff you dont look at too hard when you place your order for a new
boat)
there is insufficient demand for good quality "minor" stuff to make
manufactuing em economicly viable.
Humanity is becoming obsessed with cheap... worldwide