On Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at 6:54:52 AM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
http://www.tost.de/PDF/Arbeitskatalog_engl.pdf

Page 19.

Welded rings are long obsolete (or possibly counterfeit).

The right rings to use are easily identified.

It's pretty important to be using the right rings.

best,
Evan / T8

That is true for the small ring! They are seamlessly rolled or forged but the large ring has to get through it somehow, so it starts its life as a piece or 'wire' which gets formed and its ends are then joined by electric resistance welding (look up 'chain making' on YouTube).
Today, I inspected all the large rings of the double ring pairs I have with our winch and all of them show the tell-tale signs of a weld opposite of the stamped name 'Tost'. At least a close visual did not show any cracks. Maybe a simple 'dye-pen test is in order.

Uli
'AS'