Basic gear from mid-twentieth-century Spain: Nemrod

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, Angelo and Luis. And for the posts, Pete and Iowwall.

Let us move on to Nemrod breathing tubes, starting today with the early models. The following from 1948:

The illustration above shows four snorkels in all. Let us examine them one by one, starting with the model on the far right:

Caption: "Respirador metálico con boya". So a snorkel with a metal barrel (probably aluminium alloy for the sake of lightness). The top terminates in a downwards curve with a ball valve to float upwards and seal the barrel opening when the tip of the snorkel dips below the surface. The bottom of the barrel connects to a tube with a lugged flange mouthpiece on one end and what looks like a drain valve on the other.

In 1955, this snorkel received the stock number PS-2019:

Here it is again in 1960:

So now we see the breathing tube in colour. The rubber parts are likely those in red, namely the mouthpiece and the ball valve "cage", which may have originally been a metal construction. Note the presence of the snorkel keeper on the barrel, reading for the mask strap to be threaded through.

 

[David Wilson]

The second snorkel to be reviewed today is the model on the far left above.

Caption: "Respirador mixto de aluminio y goma, especial para cuevas". So this snorkel is a mixture of rubber and aluminium, which confirms the identity of the barrel metal. The rubber parts are the drain valve, the mouthpiece and the upper section attached to the metal barrel. The latter is designed to be helpful to underwater hunters who explore caves and would prefer the snorkel top to be flexible enough to bend if it ever came into contact with a cave ceiling.

In 1955, the stock number PS 2020 applied to the item.

Note the arrival of the snorkel keeper. And here is the breathing tube in 1960:

"Sin boya" tells us that the snorkel is valveless. The drain valve below the mouthpiece removing water residue is now absent.

Incidentally, the idea of a long flexible rubber upper section topping a hard-barrelled snorkel is not unique to the PS/2020. The Healthways Cressi Delfino launched in Italy during the 1950s for the American market came with the same feature:

Sufficient for the day. Returning midweek to look at the two remaining Nemrod snorkels from the late-1940s quartet. Stay safe and keep well.

 

[lowwall]

Snorkeling "under rocks, reefs, in caverns". I guess fighting a world war recalibrates your definition of acceptable risk.

Of course I'm talking about the advertiser's willingness to face civil suits. "No danger of snagging anywhere."

"Your Honor, I would like to introduce the photograph marked Exhibit 1..."

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, Angelo and Luis and for the post, Iowwall.

More early Nemrod breathing tubes today. A reminder of the 1948 quartet.

Let us start with the model second from the left above.

The caption reads "Respirador económico", which I am sure you will already have guessed means something along the lines of "budget snorkel". Note that the aluminium metalwork has been reduced to a basic three-way joint, one pipe leading to the mouthpiece, another to duckbill drain valve and a third leading to the air inlet at the top. The barrel this time is an all-rubber construction, which would provide the flexibility to avoid nasty shocks if the top collided with a cave ceiling or became entangled with kelp.

In 1955, this snorkel was given the stock number PS 2021:

Thereafter, the production of the PS 2021 seems to have been discontinued.

 

[David Wilson]

Let us focus this time on the breathing tube second from the right above:

The caption "respirador metálico sin boya" translates to "metal snorkel without float valve", contrasting with the "respirador metálico con boya" (metal snorkel with float valve) below.

The "respirador metálico sin boya" also differs in shape ("J" instead of "C"), but is again fitted with a drain valve below the mouthpiece. The design appears to have been dropped before the mid-1950s.

At the weekend we shall move on to PS 2022 and PS 2023 snorkels, which date from 1955. Keep safe and stay well until then.

 

[JMBL]

Oh my gosh ! Such contraptions ! All seemed to have been designed by a real life Wallace or some mad scientist !

 

[Popgun Pete]

I wonder how many alloy tube snorkels survived being scrapped as once rubber parts perish and their spares cease being stocked they would most likely be thrown out. No snorkel keeper on this last lot as well.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, Angelo, JMBL and Luis. And for the contributions, JMBL and Pete.

Today we review Nemrod's PS 2022 and PS 2023 snorkels, which date from 1955. First the PS 2022, here in 1955:

The caption "Respirador plástico con boya" translates to "Plastic snorkel with (ball float) valve". A C-shaped breathing tube, therefore, with a frain balve below the mouthpiece of the sort we have already observed.

1960

This image is a little clearer than the last as well as revealing the device's colour. Note the replacement of the mask attachment strap with a head band and bracket of the type used in modern frontal snorkels used by competitive finswimmers:

1961

Spanish: "PS/2022. - PLASTICO CON BOYA. - Construido con tubo de plástico inalterable al agua de mar. Provisto de turbante-brida de sujección a la cabeza y boquilla articulada".
Rough translation: "PS/2022. - PLASTIC WITH (FLOAT) VALVE. - Constructed with plastic tube unalterable by sea water. Supplied with a head fastening bracket and an articulated mouthpiece".

So more colours were available and the caption confirms the use of the headband and the presence of a swivelable mouthpiece to convert the snorkel from a lateral to a frontal position if so desired.

​

 

[David Wilson]

Here is the PS 2023 in 1955:

The caption "Respirador plástico mixto sin boya" translates to "Mixed-material plastic snorkel without (float) valve". The Spanish adjective "mixto" suggests that the barrel has both rubber and plastic sections, which would cause the tube to bend harmlessly if it came into contact with a cave ceiling.

1960

Same caption and the picture shows the red rubber parts more clearly, namely the mouthpiece, the drain valve, the head bracket and the upper section of the barrel.

1961

Spanish: "PS/2023. - PLASTICO MIXTO SIN BOYA. - De características similares al PS/2020. Con tubo plástico y caucho. Va provisto con turbante-brida".
Rough translation: "PS/2023. - MIXED PLASTIC WITHOUT (FLOAT) VALVE. - Characteristics similar to PS/2020. Plastic and rubber tube. Supplied with head bracket".

Here is the 1961 image of the PS/2020:

Spanish: "PS/2020. - METÁLICO MIXTO SIN BOYA. - Con tubo de caucho flexible acoplado, la cual permite al buceador penetrar en cuevas de dificil acceso. Puede desmontarse quedando reducida su longitud a la mitad".
Rough translation: "SP/2020. - MIXED METALLIC WITHOUT (FLOAT) VALVE. - Flexible rubber tube attachment enabling the diver to enter caves that are difficult to access. It can be disassembled, reducing its length by half".

PS/2045 and PS/2083 are the Nemrod snorkels to be reviewed midweek. Until then, stay well and keep safe.

 

[Luis H]

It is interesting that in Spanish, in the Caribbean (and I even in most of Latin America) we just called them snorkel, even back then. I never heard them called “respirador”, but I can see using that name for them.

Today, with the internet and international travel, I would guess that the word snorkel is more widely used.



Those duckbill valves are kind of goofy…