Sample of Ballhook swivels through years

[Speedbag]

I made these pictures of a few comparisons of my collection of Ballhook swivels, Not all of them but the ones I could easily locate. I put them in various arrangments Just shows some of the changes in ball sizes, designs and details. The first thing I noticed is the change in base holes from three in the vintage (older) swivels to the more common four holes used today.

[ebozyn]

Cool Pics.

It's interesting to see how the look has changed, but that basic, beautiful idea stays the same. Something so simple works so well.

Ball Hook Swivels Forever!

[Speedbag]

Cool Pics.

It's interesting to see how the look has changed, but that basic, beautiful idea stays the same. Something so simple works so well.

Ball Hook Swivels Forever!

You're right, the basic design of it is the same, just a bit of tinkering with the different parts, ball size and shape, hollow or full, metal, brass or plastic (could have shown one of those I guess..), the flange and eye socket the connects to the ball and "S" hook, and the S hook itself. Some had two pieces, a base connection to the board and housing connection to base, and later models have the base and ballhousing as one. For my money, the biggest problem has always been the "S" hook fitting for the bag. Second would be the threading of swivel housing to base, which always seemed to get cross threaded and jammed.

I should round up all my swivels and take some pics, but I'd need a wide angle lens. lots of dead parts laying around.

[paranday]

Second would be the threading of swivel housing to base, which always seemed to get cross threaded and jammed.

This was solved back in the day with a push into place design, with a little spring loaded latch that kept the swivel housing securely attached to the base. More complicated than the threaded designs, which might be why they didn't do as well in the market.

The one piece base/housing as in the Powermill and the Deville designs don't bother me at all. Keep it simple.

[Speedbag]

This was solved back in the day with a push into place design, with a little spring loaded latch that kept the swivel housing securely attached to the base. More complicated than the threaded designs, which might be why they didn't do as well in the market.

The one piece base/housing as in the Powermill and the Deville designs don't bother me at all. Keep it simple.

One single piece is clearly the way to go for a one man band or limited use location. But it was probably easier to change busted ballhooks (shank coming out of the ball), or change from ballhook to chainlink, depending on the trainers desire with the two piece construction. I imagine Everlast had to have a good reason for that design. Going back to the boxing roots of the equipment, I suspect boxing gyms found it easier to change bag attachments with the threaded base and removable bag housings. Especially with chainlinks, which probably stayed attached to the same bag, and if one boxer wanted to use a larger or smaller bag, he or his trainer could keep their bag on their own chainlink. I haven't been in a lot of boxing gyms, but in the four or five I have visited, (yesteryear) many had chainlinks versus ballhooks (not as loud), and today the ones I've been in have U-bolts.

[Zaza]

Cool Pics.

It's interesting to see how the look has changed, but that basic, beautiful idea stays the same. Something so simple works so well.

Ball Hook Swivels Forever!

If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Love the Nichols....so pretty.

[Dutchman]

It's interesting to note that apparently when the current style two piece swivels came into being that all most all the manufacturers used the same size and thread configurations. Smart move, as it allowed them to sell swivels that could interchanged in virtually any gym.

[paranday]

That's a good point you and Alan make, which might explain why the threadless snap into place swivel never caught on. I think it's a better idea but it's not interchangeable with anything else.

[paranday]

Found this tonight. The two piece idea is old. Attached is a Spalding ad from 1895, telling the advantages of the two piece design. Other things caught my eye.

Ball and Socket Action !

Ball Bearing Swivel for an additional buck; nothing new under the sun !

Zaza, note the rotating eyebolt swivel on the right ! Early !

Here's the source page,

http://books.google.com/books?id=c05VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA58#v=onepage&q&f=false

Oh my heart!

[Speedbag]

Found this tonight. The two piece idea is old. Attached is a Spalding ad from 1895, telling the advantages of the two piece design. Other things caught my eye.

Ball and Socket Action !

Ball Bearing Swivel for an additional buck; nothing new under the sun !

Zaza, note the rotating eyebolt swivel on the right ! Early !

Here's the source page,

http://books.google.com/books?id=c05VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA58#v=onepage&q&f=false

Oh my heart!

You can download the book in PDF at the open source library.

[Marlon]

Somewhere out there is a ticked off librarian. 1994?

[Speedbag]

Somewhere out there is a ticked off librarian. 1994?

Yep. They've pretty much been replace with a mouse.

[paranday]

You can download the book in PDF at the open source library.

Yes sir. But I want a Spalding swivel. No downloads for that. Are you excited by the ad? Two piece design at least 5 years before the Nicols. There may be earlier ads out there, will keep searching.

[Speedbag]

Yes sir. But I want a Spalding swivel. No downloads for that. Are you excited by the ad? Two piece design at least 5 years before the Nicols. There may be earlier ads out there, will keep searching.

I imagine there is still a treasure trove of information to be re-discovered about early equipment that has so far been lost to the ages.

I'm waiting to see some bags from they days before they developed rubber manufacturing well enough to use if for bladders in bags. I gotta believe they had a version of speed bags before that point. Even if not, I'd love to see some of the very first bags used and swivels they were attached to (if they were...)