BP/W Harness - Keeper or No Keeper?

[TN Traveler]

I am in the process of assembling a new SS BP/W.

I have seen instructions on setting up the harness that indicate that you should put a SS weight keeper behind the plate where the harness transitions from the shoulders to the waist to prevent movement and wear - and I have seen others that do not show the keeper.

Dive Rite supplies a sleeve that they indicate you should thread through the slots with the webbing inside to prevent harness wear. Use of the Keeper would be difficult/impossible with the sleeve.

So what do you BP/W experts recommend -

KEEPER or NO KEEPER???? - Sleeve or No Sleeve??

PS - I know that with the DSS insert system this is much less an issue - but my plate is all SS (currently working hard with my Dremel to remove all sharp edges) - the price you pay for "cheap".

 

[SkiDiver]

I don't have an answer to your question, TN, but I'm curious about which BP you have. Is it the Hammerhead? Are the edges that rough?

 

[cool_hardware52]

I am in the process of assembling a new SS BP/W.

I have seen instructions on setting up the harness that indicate that you should put a SS weight keeper behind the plate where the harness transitions from the shoulders to the waist to prevent movement and wear - and I have seen others that do not show the keeper.

Dive Rite supplies a sleeve that they indicate you should thread through the slots with the webbing inside to prevent harness wear. Use of the Keeper would be difficult/impossible with the sleeve.

So what do you BP/W experts recommend -

KEEPER or NO KEEPER???? - Sleeve or No Sleeve??

PS - I know that with the DSS insert system this is much less an issue - but my plate is all SS (currently working hard with my Dremel to remove all sharp edges) - the price you pay for "cheap".

I'd set it up with the "sleeve" and see if it slips. If it stays put your good, if it "self adjusts" I'd replace the sleeve with a keeper.


Tobin

 

[countryboy]

My first plate was a Dive Rite... I did not use the sleeve, but I did use the weight belt keeper. (I thought the sleeve was a PITA!)

The edges were a *bit* sharp, and the webbing started to wear early.. I just used a file and rounded the edges, no problems..

 

[ctp]

The keeper also helps your adjustment from getting out of wack, you dont want to be taking this off and on and having to make an adjustment every time. once you set it up and have the keepers and all in place you will be good to go. you will have to play with for the first couple of dives and then you wont have to touch it. I have mine set up and it toook about 3 dives now it does not matter weather its a 7 mil suit or a skin its all made through the crotch strap. Just my .02 and by no means am I an expert. Hope this helps.

 

[TN Traveler]

I don't have an answer to your question, TN, but I'm curious about which BP you have. Is it the Hammerhead? Are the edges that rough?

Actually the BP is "homemade" - my wife runs a CAD design firm and we designed our own, based upon what we saw as the best concepts of several BPs. I have a friend that has a machine/fabrication shop and happened to have a couple of pieces of 1/4" Inconel left over from a job they had done, that were perfect for making a couple of BPs and STAs. Although we bead blasted them, there were still some edges that were sharper than I wanted - so I am hand finishing them, to reduce the possibility of harness wear. If we actually costed them out for materials and labor - they might be the most expensive BPs ever made ...

 

[cool_hardware52]

Actually the BP is "homemade" - my wife runs a CAD design firm and we designed our own, based upon what we saw as the best concepts of several BPs. I have a friend that has a machine/fabrication shop and happened to have a couple of pieces of 1/4" Inconel left over from a job they had done, that were perfect for making a couple of BPs and STAs. Although we bead blasted them, there were still some edges that were sharper than I wanted - so I am hand finishing them, to reduce the possibility of harness wear. If we actually costed them out for materials and labor - they might be the most expensive BPs ever made ...

Nothing like some super alloy remnants lying around looking for a job...

Tobin

 

[Sideband]

I used the sleeves when I first got my DR plate but every 5 or so dives I had to pull webbing back into the arms from the belt. After I switched to the keepers I have not had to make any changes and have not seen any additional wear on the webbing.

Joe

 

[TN Traveler]

Nothing like some super alloy remnants lying around looking for a job...

Tobin

Next set we make will probably be Titanium - for light weight travel.

We figured that it was better use of scrap than tossing it into the dumpster or scrap barrel.

We have some other pieces of super alloys laying around, just not sure how to cut them without it costing us a mint for the tools we wear out. :11doh:

This will give us something to do during these cold months when we can't go diving locally.

 

[Ron Brandt]

The weight keeper is a good idea. Sometimes I see the odd plate that the slots are too wide and I use a short piece of inner tube on the webbing where it threads through the rear slots..

Ron