Mistral DH Reg (~1959) and modern tanks

[Scuba Lawyer]

My DW Mistral arrived the other day. It came with the mouth piece and the wagon wheels. I ordered the flanges for the wagon wheels and hoses, along with a new filter and retainer. I took the cover off the can and the duck bill and the diaphragm both look to be in good condition. and I did some test breaths off a tank and it felt good. I decided not to do a complete breakdown of the assembly unless people think that is critical. I did skip the Band clamp, $25 seemed pricey for something I might get in a hardware store. I am not sure it came with the correct yoke screw because it was too short for my vintage German twin 50s.

Ok, this is just me, and I'm sure many folks have a different opinion, so with that caveat here goes. Any used reg I obtain and intend to dive with, including Mistrals, I tear down completely and replace all soft parts. For a Mistral, that includes replacing the single o-ring, replacing the main diaphragm with a new single stage silcone diaphragm, replacing the body to can gasket, and replacing the duckbill with a DBE. I (again this is just me) simply do not trust 50+ year old soft parts. I also run all hard parts through an ultrasonic cleaner to remove years of verdigris. If I only intended to use it in a pool I could see not doing much to a Mistral, but to fix it up right and maintain it creates an awsome breathing and safe reg. My 2psi.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Ok, this is just me, and I'm sure many folks have a different opinion, so with that caveat here goes. Any used reg I obtain and intend to dive with, including Mistrals, I tear down completely and replace all soft parts. For a Mistral, that includes replacing the single o-ring, replacing the main diaphragm with a new single stage silcone diaphragm, replacing the body to can gasket, and replacing the duckbill with a DBE. I (again this is just me) simply do not trust 50+ year old soft parts. I also run all hard parts through an ultrasonic cleaner to remove years of verdigris. If I only intended to use it in a pool I could see not doing much to a Mistral, but to fix it up right and maintain it creates an awsome breathing and safe reg. My 2psi.

What do you do for a Dacor R-4 regulator? That's a trick question, as there are no new soft parts (at least that I know of) for that regulator.

I think it's a great idea to do that. But I dive some of the old parts, and especially with my Mistral, have had no problems. What I've found is that these old regulators were built pretty tough. I agree though, they will most likely function better with new soft parts.

SeaRat

 

[GJC]

My DW Mistral arrived the other day. It came with the mouth piece and the wagon wheels. I ordered the flanges for the wagon wheels and hoses, along with a new filter and retainer. I took the cover off the can and the duck bill and the diaphragm both look to be in good condition. and I did some test breaths off a tank and it felt good. I decided not to do a complete breakdown of the assembly unless people think that is critical. I did skip the Band clamp, $25 seemed pricey for something I might get in a hardware store. I am not sure it came with the correct yoke screw because it was too short for my vintage German twin 50s.

I have had o rings crumble into small hard bits when I have taken regs apart, so I do a full tear down, cleaning and servicing for any reg I buy that is not brand new. Some rubber parts last a long time, but some don't after only a few years depending on how they were cleaned and stored in the past. I may or may not replace some parts, like the seat or diaphragm, depending on availability and condition of the old part. But I have at least seen everything and know what it looks like. All o rings do get replaced.

I also would thoroughly clean the hoses before breathing them. There is no telling what dust, mold, bacteria or flaky rubber may be inside them.

If you are concerned about not being able to get parts and want to just dive it until it stops working, stay shallow or dive with a pony.

 

[captain]

Be assured there are no band clamps in a hardware store or any where else other than VDH.

 

[captain]

Be assured there are no band clamps in a hardware store or any where else other than VDH.

 

[CT-Rich]

Be assured there are no band clamps in a hardware store or any where else other than VDH.

This was more of a “do I want to be a purist?“ question. I am going to be dropping a couple of hundred bucks on something I may only dive a couple of times a year. Mostly it is going to sit with other vintage items and artifacts in my diving shrine. What I am looking for is vintage that looks vintage. I am not putting together a modern regulator that looks vintage, so re-using the clips was always my intention.

 

[Scuba Lawyer]

This was more of a “do I want to be a purist?“ question. I am going to be dropping a couple of hundred bucks on something I may only dive a couple of times a year. Mostly it is going to sit with other vintage items and artifacts in my diving shrine. What I am looking for is vintage that looks vintage. I am not putting together a modern regulator that looks vintage, so re-using the clips was always my intention.

Nothing wrong with keeping regs vintage looking. Can clips certainly do that. For me, I always take the hoses off and cans apart for washing and cleaning after every day (or week, etc...) of continuous diving. That's the only reason I prefer the band-clamp (although at some point US Divers began selling Mistrals with a band-clamp). Anyone know what year that was? The only "pure-ish" vintage reg I have is a Voit VR-2 Mariner (which breaths "ok" given that is has no venturi). On that one I rebuilt it stock and left the can clips on. I say "pure-ish" because I had to add silicone hoses and mouthpiece, a silicone duckbill, as well as use a new silicone single-stage diaphragm and attach an old-style tabbed plate to it with a pop-rivet. Otherwise, at quick glance it looks fairly vintage.

 

[herman]

The first appearance of a band clamp is in the 1956 catalog so they def go back to the early days.
Nothing wrong with the C clips, they are just a pain to install and remove......and I have special tool to do it.

 

[CT-Rich]

I am keeping my desire to fully “experience” vintage diving to a modest level. I was certified in 1980, and have no desire “experience” the joys a vintage wetsuit or full foot fins (not that I would be likely to find size 15 fins anyway). I do like the idea of “living history” where gear is kept functional.

As much as anything this is a “while in captivity” project, like scrimshaw or carving a gun out of soap....

 

[JamesBon92007]

I am keeping my desire to fully “experience” vintage diving to a modest level. I was certified in 1980, and have no desire “experience” the joys a vintage wetsuit or full foot fins (not that I would be likely to find size 15 fins anyway). I do like the idea of “living history” where gear is kept functional.

As much as anything this is a “while in captivity” project, like scrimshaw or carving a gun out of soap....

Aside from the "captivity" project I'm trying to discover why, if they are so wonderful, the double-hose regs went to the garage sales so quickly back in the late 60s and early 70s. I need to fashion a temporary duckbill for the exhaust hose and see if that helps, plus it is not immediately apparent just where to connect an IP gauge. On the hookah port, perhaps? My new DAAM breathes well when I'm completely vertical and it free-flows when I take it out of my mouth and hold it up, plus I succeeded in removing and replacing the reg while in the water and didn't need to lean to the left or make a CETA in my pool I love the idea of having the air exhaust behind me and having a mouthpiece that does not want to pull to one side or the other. I'd often thought of trying to modify a single-hose reg so it had hoses like a double-hose for these reasons. I have two manuals that you wonderful people have sent me which I will look at right after I clean my pool filter, mow the lawn, and fix the leak in my spa pump. Oh, and install two new sprinkler timers and plant my hibiscus plants so I can make jamaica since I can't go to Mexico and get some there.

Meanwhile, I love my new $9 mask from China!