Help Identifying Reg

[lionfish-eater]

Tres soles amigo.

 

[herman]

If you are not going to use the second stage I may be interested. If I recall correctly, they are an oddball size which I need for a project. If it is the size I think it is and you are interested in working a deal, we can take it off the board

 

[Sam Miller III]

@lionfish-eater --FYI - I sincerely hope this helps you comprehend a little history behind your mystery regulator

@northernone
Now in the heck did you ever locate this thread? I some how recall in my dusty memory giving that advice

Perhaps worth reposting ?

My long forgotten post of 2003-15 years ago - on another almost forgotten Board

Nov 14, 2003

Sam Lecocq was the founder and chief engineer of Sportsways. Sportsways was the first in so many product innovations and Sam Lecocq was the innovator. In 1958 Sportsways was the first manufacturer to introduce the single hose regulator to American divers. In 1959 they introduced the “Sea-Vue “ submersible pressure gauge. They offered the first octopus rig offered in the United States in 1971. The W-600, introduced in 1977, was the last Sportsways-Waterlung regulator that the "original" group built. After the death of the company’s principle investor in the late 1970’s, Sam purchased all the inventory and continued to produce the products for several years until most of the parts were consumed. Not wanting to become a manufacturer, he sold the name and all the assets to Australian investors. They continued to produce the Sportsways line in Australia for an additional 14 years before the brand faded into the sunset and was no more.


The X2-1200 was the last of two regulators produced by Sportsways as a US company in 1984. The company's tooling, name etc was sold to an Australian company who continued to prodce the Sportsways line for a number of years

The remaining stock of Sportsways parts and supplies was sold to Sam Lecocq who by that time had a series of SoCal dive shops. In his Seal Beach (south of Long Beach) shop he continued to assemble the regulators and associated components. He developed a market for them through the Seal Beach shop and the other shops he owned in addition to selected former Sportsways shops throughout the US and the world.

When the supplies were depleted Sam Lecocq sold his shops and left the retail diving industry to produce a hull scrubber for a commercial application.

The catalog description for the X2 #1200 is as follows:

"Waterlung does it again 20% more air than the industry standard. This fully balanced "proven design" first stage joins with Waterlung #932 second stage to provide the discriminating diver with a reliable, easy breathing regulator.

The X2 features two high pressure ports and five low pressure ports. Covered by the Water Lung life time warranty.

Details of the 932 are on page3

+see inside back cover for full warranty

(bottom of page)
Introduced in the summer of 82.... the X2 has already been accepted by the diving industry"

This is the sum total of the catalog description, save for two pictures on the same page.

The X 3 #1300 is a less expensive first stage joined to the 932 second stage.

I cannot verify it at this time but I believe that T.D. Preece of NSW in Australia purchased the Sportsways tooling and name.

It is interesting to note that "Bunns Diving Equipment" of Hong Kong was one of the largest Sportsways dealers, serving most of the far east. (for information on Bunns see my post on the Bunns regulator of about two months ago.

SDM
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@herman stated:
This is an educated guess but the reg is not vintage. With 2 HP ports (I am assuming they are 7/16-20 and not the older 3/8-24) and the 4000 psi yoke the reg is late 80's to early 90's. OEM parts are not available but odds are the first stage has common sized orings which make it easily serviceable by a DIYer, not likely a dive shop will touch it. I am unaware of any serious single hose collectors to run the value up so my guess is it's not worth much. If it were mine and I did not display regs, I would either sell it on ebay (and expect less than $20) or dive it until it starts to act up then tear it apart to determine the size of the oring.
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Herman your educated guess is just that = a guess..

.Sportsways was in trouble from the start and on its last legs in the late 1970s. The company ceased operations and totally disappeared from the radar in 1984--35 years ago. When you so generously provide historical advise please no more I think I believe I suppose- back up your repost with research and state facts- you will receive more respect

The first stage is a unique Sportsways product. I have reviewed the 1982, 1983 catalogs and the last catalog published in 1984. The regulator first stage does not appear in any of the catalogs, therefore it is a bastardized unit.
it maybe appropriate to review the 1984 Waterlung catalog (note name change) page one the X-2 regulator, page three the X- 3 regulator and page four for the technical aspects of the Waterlung regulators,

Yours is an interesting unit ! As mentored it is unique in the American Market place. The second stage is definitely a Sportsways- Waterlung unit , the first stage is the mystery. There are three perhaps more possible answers as to it origin:
1 It was one of the last regulator pieced together by Le cocq at his Seal Beach dive shop. Therefore the second stag is from an unknown source
2) It is and Aussie unit produced after 1984 and some how slipped into the US
3) And of course some SCUBA tec change the first stage - highly unlikely

It is a mystery to me

I do not study the configuration of regulators - perhaps @herman who is very knowledgeable can add some insight as to the origin of the first stage
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The Regulator ? It is like a stray puppy dog the shows upon you door step -- a mutt or a pure breed dog? Your regulator could be either a mutt or a pure breed dog

Do no dive it--- Do not break it up -- It represents some unknown history to be unraveled some time in the future and it just might be the key to unraveling the history.

Amd that is all I have to say about your unique regulator...(unless you want to give it away - think of me)

Cheers from a hill top overlooking the blue Pacific Ocean in California where diving began

Sam Miller, III
CC @Trace Malinowski @Akimbo @John C. Ratliff

 

[herman]

No offense Sam but it's pretty obvious that the first stage is later than the mid 80's , I never said it was a Waterlung but based on your post it could be an Aussie import made in the later 80s.... No one was using the 7/16 HP ports until the mid 80s nor were 2 HP ports in common use so it can't be any earlier than that.

 

[lionfish-eater]

Wow @Sam Miller III Thanks for that history.
I will take your advise and put it on a shelf so more can be learned.
While I was inspired by JYC as a youth, he was known to be an antisemite.
I like the reg even more knowing Le Cocq was a "bad ass OG representin' da' hood with an in yo' face atttude towards JYC".

 

[george_austin]

no, far too pretty to dive. I see design and construction similarities from the second stage to the top of the saddle that harken to Sportsways / ScubaPro and then the yoke to me looks like USD.

Very nice looking piece of equipment - lucky you.

 

[lionfish-eater]

Hi @Sam Miller III , I really enjoyed your insight into the reg.
I have not used it other than to test it at home.
It breaths smoothly.
It sure is pretty.
I could drop some weight if I used it.
I appreciate the value of a piece of dive history.
I think you would appreciate the reg.
I would be willing to trade it to you specifically if you have a reg of similar condition to trade.
Thanks, David