vintage BENLEE swivel - eBay

[Zaza]

Can't wait to see....

[Marlon]

Ok, probably a stupid rookie/newby question, but here goes: Do you guys actually USE these old school/vintage swivels & bags I see posted here? Or do you just like em because of the history, value & how cool they look?

I know from your posts & pics that you guys/gals have access to Deville/Powermill swivels & other high end equipment, so I'm wondering if the old stuff has anything to offer performance-wise or is it a nostalgia thing?

I was thinking about this while I shot half a can of WD-40 into the Everlast 4444 swivel that came stock with my i-box.

[Zaza]

I use my 1917 platform everyday....repeatedly! I also like to just hit with a eye-bolt & shoestring (retro).

http://www.speedbagforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4709

[Speedbag]

Ok, probably a stupid rookie/newby question, but here goes: Do you guys actually USE these old school/vintage swivels & bags I see posted here? Or do you just like em because of the history, value & how cool they look?

I know from your posts & pics that you guys/gals have access to Deville/Powermill swivels & other high end equipment, so I'm wondering if the old stuff has anything to offer performance-wise or is it a nostalgia thing?

I was thinking about this while I shot half a can of WD-40 into the Everlast 4444 swivel that came stock with my i-box.

For me it's history more than functionality. I might "try" the swivels lightly to experience their action (havent' done it yet..) but I wouldn't want to damage the article. No doubt some of the equipment of yesteryear was far better built than todays light weight, high profit gear.... remembering that routine turn over generates repeat sales. These swivels are far more ornate with attention to detail in all parts than is not seen in later equipment, but it is hard to determine if design changes were always made for a "faster, cheaper" motive or if the equipment really had a design flaw that just didn't work well.

Anyway, I might hang one or two and see how they hit, lightly of course.

[Speedbag]

Benlee swivel

Here are a few pics of the recently acquired benlee swivel.

The Benlee ballhook has a smaller "bell" (hollow ball) than the Nichols and a smaller "S" Hook. Both the "S" hooks are offset.
Both have a bolt-nut construction with a nut being attached inside the bell to tighten and adjust the length of shank exposed. Both also have a three hole base which attaches to the board, unlike todays 4 hole bases. The nichols is clearly a slightly larger swivel.

Both the Benlee and Nichols ball hooks were clearly used for their are wear marks and thinning of metal within the eye shanks indicating friction wear.

[Zaza]

That Nichols cord swivel is sweet & looks to be in great shape.

[Speedbag]

That Nichols cord swivel is sweet & looks to be in great shape.

The metal has survived well, but the cord is tucked away somewhere in a mummy's tomb. It came without the cord.

However, I did notice that the Ballhook model will NOT fit in the box that the cord swivel came in. The ballhook model was not in a Nichols box.

the nichols box top for the cord model is shown below, and clearly mentions the CORD on the front of the box. I suspect it would be laid flat inside. but the ballhook model will NOT fit in this box no matter how I tried.

[Zaza]

The metal has survived well, but the cord is tucked away somewhere in a mummy's tomb. It came without the cord.

However, I did notice that the Ballhook model will NOT fit in the box that the cord swivel came in. The ballhook model was not in a Nichols box.

the nichols box top for the cord model is shown below, and clearly mentions the CORD on the front of the box. I suspect it would be laid flat inside. but the ballhook model will NOT fit in this box no matter how I tried.

Really nice find & piece of history. I can't help but to think about what happened to all of these swivels? I mean, there had to be 1000's of them out in the world at one time... same goes for all platforms...

[Speedbag]

Really nice find & piece of history. I can't help but to think about what happened to all of these swivels? I mean, there had to be 1000's of them out in the world at one time... same goes for all platforms...

I know this will sound weird, but.. There ARE some pretty serious speed baggers that are also in the UFO crowd, you know, ...got beamed up and experimented on .... well, they've told me that they have either seen or had visions of speed bag equipment being "in the ship" with them, and some of it was pretty old.

You never know, One of my UK buddies from long ago said they found part of a ancient ballhook at Stonehenge and at the Mayan temple Chichen_Itza. Of course none of this appears in the official findings or history books. Sounds like a job for a Speed Bag Archeologist.


(cue twilight zone music...)

[Zaza]

... so the aliens not only come for our balls...but our ball-hooks too!

[Speedbag]

... so the aliens not only come for our balls...but our ball-hooks too!

Hide the woman and children.

I suspect BigFoot is also involved, but can't prove it.