49 8 RINGS AND SWIVELS. 



Great complaints have been made as to split rings 

 (similar to miniature key-rings) occasionally proving 

 unreliable and breaking; and should the ring after 

 being put on appear at all stretched beyond its powers, 

 it should of course be rejected as defective. Mr. 

 Thomas however disapproves of these rings altogether, 

 and advises the substitution of brass wire of a little 

 less thickness than the hook, which goes through the 

 eye of the spoon and that of the treble hook or swivel, 

 and is then given three neat turns with the pliers as 

 close to the spoon as possible; by this means rings 

 may be dispensed with. * Or else he suggests that 

 if rings are preferred the spoons should be sent out 

 from the maker mounted with solid soldered rings. 

 This would however merely remove the difficulty one 

 step. If proper care is taken in the selection of these 

 rings however, by testing a few of them when pur- 

 chasing, there is seldom much danger. They are very 

 convenient for making up tackle quickly, and the 

 author cannot himself say that he ever remembers 

 sustaining losses by the breakage of rings. 



Swivels are apt to get jammed by rust if made of 

 steel, and for damp hot climates it is better, as we 

 have said, to have them always of brass; indeed on 

 the whole the brass swivel is every way much the 

 best suited for fishing of all kinds, and a good supply 

 should always be taken, as it is impossible to use 

 spoons etc. without them. 



Double swivels, which are an improvement on the 

 old kind, are now made of all sizes up to two or 

 three inches in length. 



A. supply of tying silks, wax, etc., must not be 



* The Rod in India, by H. S. Thomas, 1873, pp. 2234. 



