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To answer my own question, I checked Atomic's website and found that, according to this brochure, their T2x regulator first stage is made of 6AL-4V titanium alloy, AKA Grade 5. Interesting choice that...much stronger than CP grades, though not necessarily an advantage in 1st stage regulator...

After perusing the NASA study, (very interesting BTW) I learned that the principal concern of NASA that spurred the study was the reactivity of thin walled (.01 to .063 of an inch) titanium pressure vessels to gaseous and liquid oxygen after impacts (sparking events). The samples they tested of...

It's my favourite dive knife as well. The beta alloy titanium is corrosion proof and keeps a good edge. I haven't had any issues with it staying put in its sheath, but a short length of bungie cord threaded through the handle and over the sheath might allay your concerns. Sadamune

I've read that sharpening a titanium alloy blade requires a diamond hone. Conventional stones won't work well. I own several beta alloy titanium knives and have never had to sharpen them, though they see light duty in my diving. I suspect your blade was never terribly sharp to begin with. A...

While carbonitriding is primarily used to increase the surface hardness of a ferrous substrate, it also has the added benefit of conferring corrosion resisitance, though to various degrees depending on the process and specific alloy. GLOCK's carbonitriding process, which they call 'Tenifer'...

Thanks for the photo Nick! The backplate looks great. I'm looking forward to seeing it and other Hollis gear in person. Cheers! Sadamune

Inflammatory nonsense. Stick to the thread's topic, Japanese whaling and the potential slaughter of the white humpback. Sadamune

Thanks for the explanation Nick! Are these backplates available now, or are they still "in the pipeline"? Uh, no. I think you misunderstood me Tobin. I wrote, "less than ideal". While I hold 316 alloy in higher esteem than 304, I do not regard 304 to be substandard, nor did I infer as much. I...

Thanks for the weight info. As for whether alloy type matters, I certainly think it does. Many backplates are made from 304 SS, which is a grade I consider less than ideal. 316 SS, generally called "marine grade", is more corrosion resistant than 304 and is also used by some manufacturers, such...

Hi Nick, By "bends", I wasn't referring to any specific feature, but the overall geometry of the backplate. While backplate designs in the industry are very similar, there are subtle differences between them, most of which are the result of some kind of reasoning, e.g. conformance to the...

I wanted to ask few questions about the new Hollis backplate. 1. What is the reasoning for the particular geometry of the backplate's bends? 2. What alloy of stainless steel is it fabricated from? 3. How much does it weigh? Oh, and I also wanted to ask: why is it that the 2" webbing...

I concur, a backplate/wing system is the best travel rig. It is inherently modular and very easy to pack, as the backplate is already very flat and the wing can be rolled up. Weight shouldn't be an issue, but an aluminium backplate can be substituted for a stainless one. Simple, versatile...

Short answer: Because most people are right handed. Long answer: As most of the human population is right handed (>75%), humans have since antiquity traveled, whether on foot, horseback, or whatever, on the left side of a path. Doing so places passersby to the right of the traveller, which...

I recently received the new Valve Knob Retainer Tool from Deep Sea Supply and I am pleased to report that it is a very useful tool that nearly every diver ought to possess. (Thanks Tobin!) A robust little piece of inox, it has a wide, easy to grip handle that terminates in a pair of 'teeth' that...

In theory the titanium version might last longer due to its imperviousness to corrosion, but the stainless steel version, especially if well maintained, would probably last for centuries, so the lifespan issue is practically irrelevant. The real issue is weight. For those who travel to distant...

青い海 飛び込んじゃった 泡の音

Check out this link --> http://www-marine.stanford.edu/careers.htm And this one is good for a laugh --> http://www.lovelab.id.ucsb.edu/biologist.html As someone who has had studied marine biology, I cannot stress enough the importance of being near an ocean when going through a marine...

Alas, FOREVER BLUE/Endless Ocean seems less of a SCUBA sim and more of a 'SCUBA arcade' game. From IGN's article "...with hardly any limits on air supply and no actual sea-based dangers...much of your time will be spent by simply swimming around and taking in the sights." Hardly a rigorous...

At last, a video game that attempts to accurately simulate the experience of SCUBA diving (replete with flailing reef cudgels, uh...I mean dangling console and SPG). http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/rfbj/ Set within the South Pacific, players can explore dive sites and molest, err, I mean...

You might also consider the resale value when researching a regulator. Some regulators hold their value better than others, so if you wished to leave the sport (heaven forbid), you could recoup much of your initial investment. I personally favour Atomic Aquatics regulators, which are widely...