Posted by Chris on September 01, 1998 at 15:01:17:
In Reply to: Steel Rings posted by Big Stretch on August 24, 1998 at 09:11:51:
Here is what I do:
I've tried leather ball stretchers, metal rings, hinged metal shaft collars, plastic shaft collars and rubber rings. The only ones I still use are the plastic shaft collars and the rubber rings. The rubber rings I use are black, 2" ID (but I think you can get 1 1/2" and 1 1/4") and about 1/2" thick. They are pliable and fairly comfortable and if your nuts won't come out you can just cut the rings off. The plastic (Delrin) shaft collars are in two pieces that you join with two cap screws. They come in a variety of inside diameters up to 2" and are 11/16" thick. You will need a 1/4" Allen wrench to turn the screws. Both the rubber rings and plastic collars are non-metallic so they won't rust, and I think the cap screws on the plastic ones are rust-proof. The drawback of the plastic shaft collars is that they are white, not sexy black or silver. I got the rubber rings at the Pleasure Chest in West Hollywood. The shaft collars came from Grainger (www.grainger.com). McMaster Carr also sells metallic shaft collars.
Right now I am up to 5" of stretchers :-)