How did J and K valves get their name?

[Sam Miller III]

Divedaughter

I am ecstatic that you posted on behalf of your late father!

The story has been repeated many times over how Cousteau & Gagnon "invented self contained" diving in 1943, by modifying the 90 year old Rouquayrol - Denayrouze Aerophore self contained diving apparatus. However little has ever been mentioned or written about the contributions of your father's reserve valve aka "J valve."

When the first Aqua Lungs arrived in New York City in 1948 Spaco published the first US diver training manual in February 1949, "Aqua Lung for Underwater swimming" which illustrated and described the use of a reserve system (aka Reserve J valve) which was in the original configuration which required the pull rod to be removed prior to attaching the regulator.

Almost concurrently a Frenchmen, who was a shirt tail relation to the Cousteau's established Rene's Sporting Goods down in in Westwood California which was changed US Divers several years later , now known as Aqua Lung. A few years later the J valve was again to undergo changes to a much operator friendly configuration.

Rene's shop had originally been a men's clothing store for UCLA students, but changed rapidly to a sporting goods store with the arrival and SoCal popularity of watersports created an immediate fascination with the bubble machine. He utilized the storage bens formally used for shirts, ties and other men's accessories as makeshift storage.

His most popular product was the Aqua Lung ( called Lungs by SoCal divers) so section of bins was devoted to regulators which were designated as the "D" area --DA, DX, DY.

The valves were stored I'm the J & K bins and we SoCal divers began referring to them as J or K valves which became the popular and accepted name for the valves as bubble machine diving migrated to the hinter lands of America

My contact with South Africa is limited to many years ago when met a South African who was an avid spear fisherman, but I did see the movie "Zulu" numerous times and attempted to read and comprehend the book "The washing of the spears." That is about the sum total of my South African knowledge.

I, and I suspect others would appreciate a little more about your father and when and how he designed the reserve valve and how it migrated from South Africa to France and finally the US

I apologize for to you and all the modern late model tube sucking bubble blowing experts for such a lengthy post but history, especially the short history of recreational diving should be at this juncture be based only on facts and certainly not be based on I think, I suppose, I heard, I believe,



SDM 111

Divedaughter ,Should you need verification of my historical credentials may I suggest you google my name plus SCUBA or Diver ( or something similar.) Please bear in mind there are two with the same name, I am Sam 111, my son is Sam IV who is a long term diver, NAUI (Life) & PADI instructor, SSI Pro 5000, a hyperbaric doctor and an ER department chairman) >

 

[kelemvor]

http://www.duc.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/HISTORY-OF-DUC.pdf He's listed here as a 1951 founding member of the Durban Undersea Club in South Africa.

Maybe one of the other founders is still alive and could provide you some information.

Bon Levitt
Bob Johnston
Bob de Lacy Smith
Ron Wright
Geoff Aiken-Smith
Eric Davis
Peter Wilson
Julian Snyman
Harold Hepplethwaite
Ted Henley
Harold Peskin
Johnny Wormser
Gene Franken
Talbot Goodlad

 

[Sam Miller III]

Kelemvor
Thank you for your efforts in locating and posting about the South African dive club. I did not see any reference of a member developing the J valve.

I suspect that it was possible some sort of modification was made to an existing product that supplied a reserve capibility to an existing valve or regulator....but what ? and when? certainly had to be pre 1948.

In my many years as a friend, dive companion, company counsultant to most of the SoCal manufactures (See Orange County did you know- Legends of diving} we had occasional discussions about equipment or components. One item that was always clouded in mystery was the J valve--where did it come from ? who? what ? when ? and why?

There was never an answer

We who were privileged to be a participant as well as an observer of the development of recreational diving had many philosophies about early equipment --If it cost over a dollar we made it ! If it could be improved on we improved on it.....one item was the horrible (now expensive collectors item) Sea Net mask -- so Charlie Sturgil made about 40 or so masks for his friends and diving companions= I was fortunate to be both



Subject: STURGIL MASK

'The Mask,

One of the great pioneer divers of all times was the late Charlie Sturgil. "The Old Walrus," as he was affectionately known, started his diving career in 1929 in the frigid waters off Northern California where he hunted for abalone by a method he described as "feeling for abalone." He would dive on a reef, feel until he found an abalone and pry it off, without the use of mask, fins, snorkel or thermal protection.

Charlie began diving with a mask using a Japanese mask in the late 1930s which was loaned to him by his good friend Bill O'Conner. A few years later after the end of WW 11, Charlie, a master tool and die maker and an inventor of sorts, developed the necessary tooling to produce masks on a semi-custom basis for himself and a few close friends. I consider myself very fortunate to have been included in the latter category.

In early years during the genesis of recreational diving the masks were either too large, too small, too stiff or after a few dives, would rapidly deteriorate into a gummy, sticky mess. This did not make for comfortable diving! After using a number of the masks of that era,the Japanese imports, and the American made Sea Net, I decided it was time to contact Charlie to ask him if he could make one of his custom masks for me.

After checking my meager finances, found I could possibly afford one of Charlie's masks, so I gave him a call. "Sure, Sammy, I'd be happy to make a mask for you, come on over", Charlie replied to my request. Within moments I was off to the temple of Southern California diving, Charlie Sturgil's garage.

I was met by this jovial hunk of a man with his infectious, ever-present smile. "Hey ya, Sammy" was always his cordial greeting. Alter a few moments of catching up on the diving scene it, was time to get to work. "Sammy, I'm now making two masks; the original for $6.00 and a new oval model for $8.00", Charlie explained. After considerable soul searching and penny counting, I opted for what I felt I could afford, the original round mask for $6.00.

Now, Charlie's garage was something to behold. It appeared to be in total disarray, and the best way to describe it would be the day after a big sale in a bargain basement. Diving equipment in various stages of repairs, pieces of metal, lengths of stainless rods scattered about... Omnipresent was the huge metal turret lathe and miscellaneous metal working machines. But to Charlie, it was his arena, it was where he excelled in turning these seemingly scrap pieces of metal into custom spear points, spear shafts, yes, even masks.

Charlie knew the location, size, shape and type of everything in his garage. His storage system was logical and certainly workable, but it still defies the imagination how he managed to find anything, let alone make anything, but he did.

Charlie went to work with the speed and skill of a emergency room surgeon. He immediately uncovered a length of 5 inch O.D. soft rubber World War 11, surplus firehose, from which he cut a 4 inch piece. He placed the piece of rubber hose in the wooden mold and proceeded to his trusty bench grinder where he slowly cut a 1/8 inch wide, 3/32 deep groove all around the edge for the glass. This was followed by the rough contouring for the forehead, cheeks, and upper lip. He then went to his metal rack and withdrew a piece of 3/4 x 16 inch 22 gauge stainless steel, which he placed in his specially constructed mold and carefully, yet skillfully, forced the stainless steel around the mold forming it into a familiar round mask shape. His next step was to form the band evenly and smoothly around the mold creating the lip for the compression hand with light rapid laps of a hammer. Using silver solder, the welding process of the era, he soldered the tabs for the strap and the compression screw tabs to complete the band. A piece of pre-cut 1/3 inch glass, the same kind used for window glass, was taken from the shelf and fit into the groove; the compression band placed around the mask and the compression screw tightened.

At last, the mask was assembled. My own custom Sturgil mask! Charlie proceeded to take some cursory measurements of my then youthful face, and returned to the grinding wheel, skillfully grinding a little here, a little there, another trial fit, a little more grinding. Finally, a perfect fit. A final hand finish with fine sandpaper, attaching of the strap, cut from a truck inner tube, and I was the proud possessor of a real genuine Charlie Sturgil Original Style Diving Mask.

This occurred many years ago when diving as well as life was much simpler, a time when pride in workmanship and ownership were at a premium. Charlie made almost 40 of these one of a kind custom dive masks, however only three are known to have survived the rigors of our disposable society, mine, Alex Pierce's of Toronto, Canada and Charlie's widow's Laura's mask which now on loan and rests in a Southern California museum. And indeed they are museum pieces... the three remaining masks are all almost seventy years old and represent an era which was experienced by only a precious few which will never be experienced again upon this earth.

Charlie has reverend position in the fraternity of diving pioneers; he won the world's second Spearfishing contest in 1950 with a pole spear, was a LA County Underwater Instructor and serendipity developed much of the spearfishing and SCUBA equipment which has become mainstream in todays diving.

I will never forget Charlie, nor will anyone who ever knew him.... nor will there ever be another mask like a Sturgil Mask.

Dr Samuel Miller,111

(Copyright Dr. Samuel Miller,111, &Dr. Samuel Miller, IV and Lee/CCnews/TPR; may not be used with out permission of author and Lee/CCnews)


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post script;

Charlie passed on November 15 1984, 32 years ago- long before many of you were born or were engaged in this noble activity. His devoted wife Laura passed on a few years ago at the age of 90. If Charlie knew you and liked you he always addressed you in the familiar; Ie Sammy, Bobbie, Jimmie,--Those he didn't have great admiration or didn't know well it was formal Sam, Bob or Jim. A little about Charlie Sturgil...

Charlie along with team mates the late Bud Abernathy and Freddie Kittles of the SoCal Skin Divers team won the 1951 International Spearfishing meet. Bud and Freddie used a Sturgil modified Champion Arabletes with Sturgil points. Charlie used his trusty legendary pole spear. Charlie Sturgil was the only person in the history of spearfishing competition to win an international meet with a pole spear.

The Fathomiers spearfishing club has been presenting the "Charlie Sturgil Pole Spear Spearfishing meet" for about 30 years...It came full circle when Charlie's grand daughter, Laura Lee Gonta won the meet several years ago using one of grandfather Charlie's legendary pole spears.

Charlie passed on November 15 1984, long before many of you were born or were engaged in this noble activity. His devoted wife Laura passed on a few years ago at the age of 90. If Charlie knew you and liked you he always addressed you in the familar; Ie Sammy, Bobbie, Jimmie,--Those he didn't have great admiration or didn't know well it was formal Sam, Bob or Jim.

The name Sturgil and Charlie's reputation is alive and well with the establishment of Sturgil Underwater products located in the south bay area and still manufacturing the no nonsense very functional and extremely rugged equipment that Charlie was known for over 50 years

His daughter Laura Lee was married to Billy Meistral, one of the twin brothers who founded "Dive n Surf" and the very successful "Body glove." Billy also passed on several years ago. Brother Bobbie also passed away just a few years ago