Pay careful heed to the inside elbows of T-balls and edges of stemballs, the metal around holes, the lower portions of swaging barrels, and any areas of twisting or uneven wear. Metal Compatibility Wind Shadow 's near-antique Merriman silicone bronze rigging hardware has withstood the test of time. Bronze is a malleable metal that is slow to work-harden, which causes crystallization of the metal and the fatigue failure so commonly seen in stainless steel fittings after prolonged use. Unfortunately, bronze is not as strong pound for pound as stainless steel. Consequently, many modern hardware manufacturers have opted for lighter, less bulky stainless hardware.
Alloys vary, and the rigging hardware they compose ranges from superb to suspect.
High-quality equipment from reputable manufacturers has had a good record for longevity. On the other hand, many riggers spin tales of hardware made in the Orient by obscure manufacturers that has failed prematurely and caused rigs to go overboard. I use an 8x magnifier to get a close look at terminals, turnbuckles and toggles. You must constantly keep the characteristics of the material in mind. For example, a stainless steel clevis pin in a bronze toggle may look like new, but a close look at the hole in the toggle where the pin normally resides may reveal an egg-shaped distortion that's on the border of disaster.