: . . . For those
: that are in salt environments, what would the problem with steel staples
: be? What would happen if they rust away from water that gets in between
: the gunwale & the skin joint? The staples by then have long completed
: their job. Unless you are using clear vinyl skin, no one could see some
: rust spots there, could they?

Unfortunately when the staples rust enough they break off, leaving short, but sharp and jaged points which will weaken or cut through strong canvas, andcertai ly damage softer vinyl. About the time one staple rusts out its neighbors do the same, leaving a gunwale that resembles a serrated knifeblade.

When you want to reskin a SOF which was originally skinned with ordinary staples it is hard to get a grip on the old staple to pull it out. If it is still intact then it will break if you try to use a staple puller. That leaves two stubs to *try* and yank with long-nosed pliers. If this actually works for you, you'll see that the staple has corroded under the surface of the wood. This rust is not only tenacious, but it seems to make the staple fit tighter to the wood! Easiest route may be to use a power sander to remove any bits of staples which stand above the surface of the wood, and then bury the problem by sealing the wood with two coats of epoxy resin. This is going to add a few days to the reskinning as you'll need to wait for the resin to set.

Overall, you are better using solid copper or bronze upholstery tacks if you can't find stainless steel or monel staples. Doing it right the first time us worth it.

PGJ