A couple of regulators...

[simonbeans]

A quick look at the catalogs for Healthways shows that the Scuba Star in the configuration that yours has was available from 1964-1966. Prior to 1964 the "necklace" was a cord with an alligator clip. In later 1966, the regulator became the Scuba Star TD. As noted above, the 1st stage was an unbalanced piston with the second stage an upstream tilt valve which necessitated an overpressure release valve on the 1st stage. It cost originally $34-$37.50. In the collector market it has little value, in the $15-20 range, unless as BT Barnum stated. Current thoughts are that it was not a good performer. Parts for it are most likely not existent. Healthways did make a decent double hose. With the reproduction of the low pressure diaphragm by thescubamuseum.com, Healthways "Gold Label" double hose, combined with reproduction U.S. Divers or Voit style hoses and mouthpiece makes a nice diving system.

 

[captain]

I have a Healthways Scubair Sonic, same 2nd stage different 1st stage with an audio reserve. It starts making a clicking noise when the tank pressure gets to about 300 psi. It was a rather good reminder of a low tank. Best way to describe how it breathes is like breathing through a reed while hiding underwater as depicted in old movies.

 

[herman]

While the second stages are fairly poor, the first stage makes a very nice small reg when paired with a down stream second. I use the SS first with a Voit/AMF Titan II or early MR 12 second. Makes a very small but good performing reg.....for a single hose that is.

 

[USdiver1]

I started diving with a 1963 vintage Healthways ScubaAir-J. As stated above, they weren't great breathers, but they were indestructible. These Healthways really make you appreciate the Voit MR-12, US Divers Conshelf series and the Scubapro R109.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Concerning the neck straps, we used them in the USAF for a number of reasons. Here is one on a Calypso regulator that we used:

The reason for using them was that we were making parascuba jumps with the twin tank/regulator setup. If you'll look at the tanks Samo has on, you can see it has a manifold guard. This is because a parachute harness was worn over the tanks. The neck strap was very useful in keeping the second stage near our mouths when we jumped from a plane (usually an HC-130, which had quite a prop blast).

I also have a number of the Healthways regulators, including both styles of the Scuba Star. It actually was not a bad breathing regulator in its day, but if you try today with its original second stage diaphragm it won't seem that way. I have taken a newer Healthways second stage, and put the newer-style, flexible diaphragm into the tilt-valve Scuba Star and it breathed quite nicely. This was my second regulator. My first was a first generation Healthways SCUBA double hose regulator, then I got the Scuba Star as my second regulator:

John in Hood Canal, Washington in 1964 or so.

I think that the neck strap lost favor when the instructional agencies such as NAUI started discouraging their use. They inhibited the buddy breathing techniques, and therefore were considered a safety hazard rather than a convenience. Obviously, when parascuba jumping, the potential for buddy breathing was almost non-existent.

SeaRat

 

[ams511]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That was the one..black poly pro. The clip was a covered electrical alligator clip. I guess I should have asked some one a SCUBA Pro about it. Too late now!

For some unknown reason poly pro in black was impossible to find but yellow was and is still very plentiful.

Think I have one of those. The clip is not quite an alligator clip but more for grasping something round or cylindrical attached to a black cord.

 

[scubadada]

Are you referring to the one with the metal clip that you were supposed to attach to your harness or something?
I had one on my Mk-5/ 109 that I just wrapped around the hose for many years.

I had that line and clip on my MK5/109 also and never figured out what to do with it. Eventually I just cut it off as superfluous. How was it supposed to be used, anyone?

Good diving, Craig

 

[dead dog]

Now it's refered to as a necklace, and it is used on the secondary by tech divers. I still use one on my primary, as I found the long hose thing not usefull in my diving.



Bob
------------------------------------
I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.

Another thing the " necklace " was used for in the early 60's was to attach it to your face mask when entering the surf while beach diving in SoCal. If it got ripped off in heavy surf you could retrieve it quickly. Yes, some of us wore our face mask on our head, hence the need for the " necklace ".

Bill