I've used an Arca Swiss B1 ball head for a few years of weekend shooting, much of the time near the ocean. The B1 has a recurring lock-up problem. (NOTE: this is unrelated to the well-known B1 user-induced freeze-up -- my minimum tension is set completely off.)

The problem is that the ball movement has become increasingly stiff over time, to the point where the ball is now difficult to move. It frees up after being jerked around, but locks up again after the next tighten.

The problem first exhibited itself when the B1 was a couple of years old. Arca Swiss fixed it then under warranty. They didn't say what the problem was, but I assumed it was related to a production problem that affected a few B1's from the early 2000's. But my problem has returned.

Q1: Has anyone else had this recurring problem with the B1?

Q2: Assuming that the problem is corrosion-related, are other ball heads more resistant to ocean air? I'm particularly interested in the Really Right Stuff BH-55.

Thanks.