On Sep 13, 2022, at 6:47 AM, Bill Kinney <cruisingconsulting@...> wrote:

Chip,

I have never seen a finish that bad on a swage. I would agree with the cause, the dies in the swaging press were in TERRIBLE condition. Even if they are strong enough, the pits, scratches, hooks, and such will all act as foci for corrosion. It is indicative of sloppy workmanship, and rigging is not a place this can be tolerated. Dies DO wear out, and if they are not replaced when they should be they do not properly compress the swage fitting down into the wire. I would place money that a die set with a surface finish this terrible is worn out of spec.

The other thing I see (and it might be a photo artifact) is the swage looks a bit "wasp-waisted," thinner about 30% of the way up than it is the rest of the way. I see this, and I worry that the wire is not fully bottomed out before compressing the swage. IMO, this is poorly done.  I would check the swage fitting manufacturer's specifications for the final final diameter of the swage to make sure these are in spec. If not they should be rejected, no matter what the surface finish looks like.

Bill Kinney
SM160, Harmonie
Port Louis, Grenada
http://www.cruisingconsulting.com