No I'm not trolling, but I find what you're describing very improbable.

If thread core diameter = main shank diameter, then I'd be right with you. That would let the nipples be threaded onto the spokes like beads on a string. But IME that isn't the case.

It'd be a real engineering tightrope walk to have thread damage to the point of thread ID = main shank diameter and still having the barrel of the nipple snapping instead of the threads stripping.

But I guess it's possible if the parts that you are seeing are sufficiently different in measurements and tolerances than mine....

And spoke/nipples are of course renowned for the huge bending stresses they're exposed to while JRA...

*sigh*

You are not even reading my posts...

I have read your posts, just went back and did it again. Are you reading mine?

If you are, why aren't you responding to the specific objection instead of accusing me of trolling and sighing over my lack of understanding?

I think I understand what you're saying is happening - and I'm finding it improbable.

Having a nipple snap and leaving the barrel on the spoke - fine, no trouble there.

Having a nipple snap and sliding up/down the spoke - as I interpret it - like a bead on a string, past the threaded part - seems improbable due to the ID/OD interference that the bits I build with would give me.

Yes, I know you keep going on about "damaged threads" - but that just leads to the balancing act of damaged enough to overcome the ID/OD dilemma, while being intact enough to carry enough strain to snap the barrel. Not impossible, but improbable IMO.
If you're insisting that it's what's happening - well, fine, just say so outright.

Or bring out the vernier caliper, say that those crappy wheels you mention have spokes that are just a tad thinner than the stock gauge would have it and that would explain it.
Or maybe those nipples have a bigger ID than what the standard prescribes, that would also explain it.

OK, I did some experimenting. Nothing out of my build or from my scrap pile would let me slide a nipple down a spoke. But, if I ran a 2.0 mm drill bit through the nipple first it would fit over some of the spokes with a bit of gentle coaxing.
And, much to my surprise, the drilled out nipples actually allowed for a decent amount of tension w/o stripping.
I really didn't think they would, considering it only leaves something like 0.1 mm of thread overlap - but I was wrong about that
So, assuming that there are nipples out there that actually are bad enough to be comparable to a deliberately drilled out nipple, then the described scenario is entirely possible.