Beware of pointing sticks

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stepfen

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Can anybody see the connection between these three images?

1637392342951.jpeg
1637392359048.jpeg
1637392434195.jpeg


A couple of weeks ago as I was preparing for a dive I noticed that my primary reg (a scubapro G250 that I bought a couple of years ago from @buddhasummer ) was not working properly. Upon inspection I saw that the diaphragm was broken. I have dived it a week before that with no issues, so whatever happened, happened during that week.
I contacted @buddhasummer asking where I can find replacement. Instead he became worried that maybe the reg he sold me was not 100% in good shape. After I sent him the picture of the torn diaphragm he noticed that the damage can't be due to aging of the material. Instead it looks like the diaphragm had been pierced by something pointing/sharp.
It was then that I started wondering what could have pierced the diaphragm as it is protected inside the reg cover.
Then I remembered. Usually after I dry my diving stuff, I store them in a soft bag. First I put the fins at the bottom of the bag, then the BPW and finally the regs with the (neoprene) boots on top.
The time before the incident, for no particular reason I put first the fins, then the regs and then the BPW on top of the regs.
The only possible explanation I have is this: did you notice a pointing stick that I have attached on my left hand d-ring? I use it as a ruler to measure tiny creatures I am photographing. Well, probably, as I placed the BPW on top of the reg set, it managed to go trough the cover holes and pierced the diaphragm when the weight of the BPW fall on it!
As such, I managed to destroy this beautiful blue diaphragm (they are not produced any more). It cost me 30 euros to get a not as nice replacement, which is also a bit higher than the original hence it is not sitting perfectly inside the reg. Reg seems to be working - but still.
Lesson learnt: Be very careful with storing you equipment. If things can go wrong - they will.
Once more I would like to thank @buddhasummer for all the support.
All the best
 
Lucky the spike didn’t pierce the wing or other soft stuff.

Would a plastic or wooden ruler be better?
 
I bet some nice SB member out there has a spare original blue G250 diaphragm or at least a black one they'd be willing to sell....
 
The photography's pointing stick's target focus is amazing, great shot !! 😫

Nice BP&W rig setup !!
 
I bet some nice SB member out there has a spare original blue G250 diaphragm or at least a black one they'd be willing to sell....
If you hadn’t taken the world’s last surviving blue ones from me, I woulda been able to help. 😒
 
Take that sharp stick off your BP/W when storing your gear. Keep it separate.
 
Thirty Euros! I'm amazed. I have 5 or 6 new original SP diaphragms in a couple of colors sitting in my parts bin, the result of my neurotic tendency in the past to buy spare parts for everything I own whenever possible. I have two or three unused new as manufactured SP109 second stages with several complete parts kits, and two or three 250 SP Graphites and a 250 V, also with complete parts kits up to and including new housings, etc. I dive these days with D series SP regs, using one 250 Graphite as a safety second, so they are mostly unused. I'm not interested in selling anything, so please don't ask. I have an inexplicable emotional attachment to these things. I still have my far from new original Mk5/109 combo that I bought more than 50 years ago. The barely readable serial number indicates a 1969 manufacturing date. I just hope my GF will not throw all these things out when I die. I'm a few months from my 80th birthday, so who knows? They are all so pretty, especially the shiny new 109s. Had I know of the original posters predicament and the fact that these things are now unavailable, I'd probably have sent one off gratis. People on this board have done things like this for me, so it's only fair.
 
I showed up for a cave class a number of years ago with a small hole inside the bladder of my Evolve wing, never could figure out from where. Luckily, a piece of duct tape kept things together until I could get home and replace it.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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