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Thread: Nylon Washer vs Metal washers

  1. #1

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    Default Nylon Washer vs Metal washers

    What are your opinions on the two?

    When swapping out my hoops today I debated greatly upon changing out the metal washers on the tension rods to nylon.
    I haven't yet but what are your thoughts on the two?

  2. #2

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    I haven't had any issues w/nylon washers.

  3. #3

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    I keep a zip loc bag full of nylon washers in my supply drawer. I usually swap out any metal washers for nylon ones when I change heads or buy a new drum. Not sure if they make any difference, but they seem to make it easier and smoother to tune. They don't "grab" the hoop or stick as much.
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  4. #4

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    Know what? I've never given a moments thought to it. I had to check. Mine are all metal washers.

    all the best...

  5. #5

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    I've heard people talk about how Nylon washers are suppose to help with vibration absorption too

  6. #6

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    i change all mine to metal 2 per rod once the nylon ones break or are too smashed for any good.
    RDM/Damage Poets
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  7. #7

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    The nylon ones on my Ludwig snare got sandwiched and pancaked. They all got ruined from the tension.
    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    There is intelligent life out there. The problem is that there isn't any here.

    -Mike

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by kay-gee View Post
    I had to check. Mine are all metal washers.
    Gretsch USA......................metal.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  9. #9

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    Default Re: Nylon Washer vs Metal washers

    Metal ...

  10. #10

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    I have no idea which ones are better but because I just love the feel of them when I'm tuning, I use the nylon washers.

  11. #11

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    My DW kit came with both nylon and metal washers for the rack toms but only nylon washers for the bass drum so I'm in the process of swapping out the nylon ones that got pancaked. My Gretsch and vintage Ludwig kits use metal washers so I'll leave them as is.

  12. #12
    scottyp is offline Senior Member (Respected Chatter)

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    I've never gave it much thought.. Nylon have less chance of scratching, and are cheap... Then again metal washers are cheap too.. I usually use what came with the drum. I think I am mostly nylon.

  13. #13

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    See the more I think about it I could never run Nylon on my snares because I love a tight snare and I'd just crush them.

  14. #14

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    I really have had no issue with either. If the chrome comes off the steel ones, they can rust....lol.

    I have seen the nylon ones smashed to the point they were split but not on my drums. They were on drums I've purchased to refurbish.
    Obviously the steel is stronger.
    Last edited by Olimpass; 01-22-2018 at 06:55 PM.

  15. #15

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    I seriously doubt anyone is crushing solid nylon washers with the amount of tension used on any drum. You may conceivably wear them out through the friction of turning against rough rim machining if you're constantly changing heads and or tuning. If they do fail it is most likely due to inferior resin quality. Nylon is cheaper than steel and cheap nylon is cheaper than high quality nylon which is infused with hardeners and lubricants and other performance enhancing additives. There are also many variations possible in the actual process of formulating the base nylon resin itself.

    Spaz...I run my edge cranked up pretty tight and have no issues with nylon washers.
    Last edited by noreastbob; 01-23-2018 at 10:22 AM.

  16. #16

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    I bought a bag of 100 Hendrix nylon sleeved washers that are supposed to be used in conjunction with metal washers to help with tuning at lower tensions and deter detuning. I will let ya know how they work.
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  17. #17

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    I checked my MCX and they all have Nylon washers so does my Pearl Sensitone Alloy snare. The only steel washers that I have are on my 70's Vintage Steel Slingerland snare.
    Last edited by Pearl MCX Man; 01-23-2018 at 12:46 PM.

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    I checked my MCX and they all have Nylon washers so does my Pearl Sensitone Alloy snare. The only steel washers that I have are on my 70's Vintage Steel Slingerland snare.
    All of my Pearl kits had nylon washers too!

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by noreastbob View Post
    If they do fail it is most likely due to inferior resin quality. Nylon is cheaper than steel and cheap nylon is cheaper than high quality nylon which is infused with hardeners and lubricants and other performance enhancing additives. There are also many variations possible in the actual process of formulating the base nylon resin itself.
    Yeah, they're Nylon 6 stamped on a punch press. You can bet they're made with a low grade resin - most likely high % of regrind, i.e. scrap from production put back into the process. A little doesn't do much to quality but a lot degrades the finished product. Makes the part a lot cheaper too. Nylon can smash if you crank down on it and it readily absorbs moisture and gets juicy/squishy in humid conditions. Don't know if either is a huge deal on a drum since we're generally not pushing the limits of the material (unless you like an uber-tight snare head). There shouldn't be much of a performance difference.

    Steel works and its been used forever. Nylon is a bit cheaper. I'm a traditionalist - I like acoustic drums and wood baseball bats so I use steel washers. That and and all my drums have come with steel washers.

    How's that for an over-analysis of a relatively insignificant piece of drum gear? Engineering class is dismissed.

  20. #20

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    I agree. A good quality nylon washer should hold up to a good tension tightening.
    It is also though I see a product that would need replacing down the road vs metal washers.

    I looked at my snares and kits and some have nylon too

  21. #21

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    It's kinda funny... I've been detailing my Exotic Collectors at my leisure the last week or so. Disassemble, clean with Drum Detailer, Metal polish if/where needed, than Carnauba Wax over everything. I came across a tension rod on my 12" tom with a metal washer but missing the nylon one. I knew it didn't fall off during disassembly due to the fact the washers are "captured" slightly by the thread OD.
    I called dw CS and they are sending me some washers. Free of course. It will be interesting, to me anyway, to see if the new ones slide easily over the threads, thus indicating the old ones have indeed crushed causing the ID to contract.

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