Need Information on "White Stag" Regulator

[PotomacRiverRat]

Hi All,
I've done some resort diving, and allways wanted to become more involved in the sport. I stumbled across some gear at an estate sale & picked it up cheap. I really could use some help with my "find". What I bought (for $30) as follows:

*Blue Tank, most probably Aluminum, Only Hydro 1996,
*Sherwood 5000 Valve
*Sea Lung "White Stag Deep 1" 1st stage,
*Unmarked 2nd stage (missing sticker, looks like "White Stag Deep 3" I saw on e-bay),
*Preassure Gauge and backpack.
I hope someone can tell me more about the regulator, i.e. who manufactured it, parts avalibility, year, history, etc. Advice on wether or not to use it as a primary or spare/buddy regulator is helpful too.
Thanks guys/gals,
Thomas

 

[plumbcrazy]

I can't tell you anything about it, but congrats on the find!
Cool stuff

 

[herman]

Welcome to the board.
Are these the first and second stage(one with orange mouthpiece) you are wanting to know about?? If so, they are early 60 vintage. The first stage appears to be a piston stage and IS RATED TO 2250PSI DO NOT PLACE IT ON A 3000 PSI TANK!!! Note the small 3/8 diameter yoke screw. If the second stage is similar to the one with the orange mouthpiece in the eaby photo it is also an early 60s vintage reg. It has a tilt valve instead of the more common poppet type valve. Tilt valve seconds REQUIRE a first stage that has a safety relief valve (or at least a modern type second installed AT THE SAME TIME) to be used safely. From the photos I have, I don't see a relief on the Deep 1..may be there and I can't see it. These valves are finiky to get working correctly and are no where near close in preformance to later regs much less todays regs. Parts are almost impossible to come by and if you can find them they are nos (new old stock) and are likely not in good condition. I personally would not trust any dive shop who is willing to work on these, they are patching them from parts gathered from who knows where. That said, I have several similar regs and am in the process of restoring the to limited dive status....shallow quarry and the like. I am making, modifying and otherwise creating make do parts. This is not the safest endever and should not be done lightly. I would highly encourage you to not dive them or take the time to learn about them, restore them and dive them as the vintage equipment they are. Restoring old regs like these can be interesting but should not be taken lightly...they can kill you.

http://img.inkfrog.com/click_enlarge1.php?image=SeaLung.jpg&username=hailais&aid=61144301

Vintage Scuba Diving Misc. Single Hose Regulator Parts - eBay (item 230221486702 end time Feb-14-08 16:43:29 PST)

 

[Luis H]

White Stag has been out of the diving business for at least two probably three decades. They continued to exist with other sporting goods and sporting cloth. They may still be around with their sport clothing label, I don’t know.

I think those single hose date to the mid to late 60’s. The upstream needle valve second stage was very short lived. White Stag was around in the early 70’s, but they were never very popular.

 

[PotomacRiverRat]

Hey, Luis & Herman, thanks for the info, in particular the pressure warning. The tank looks to be much newer, and still has 2000 lb's in it. The first stage is the same as the Pic Herman posted, the 2nd stage has a black mouthpiece, not orange (although the hoses have orange strain-reliefs on them) and looks more 70's tha 60's due the the construction, mostly plastic. I suspect the 2nd stage to be a Deep 3. Would this be OK as an extra? Any more info?
Again, many Thanks,
Thomas

 

[herman]

Orange- black it does not matter. In any case, a 60's-70's reg may be difficult to find parts for. If it is a tilt valve, I would not bother trying to fix it unless you are interested in vintage diving. A dead giveaway to wheather or not it's a tilt valve is the entry angle of the hose. A tilt valve will come in at a considerable angle. If it enters the housing straight or almost straight it is likely a poppet style but still it's not worth going to too much trouble over. If you open it up, a tilt valve will have a SS rod exiting the air nozzle and resting against the back of the diaphram. Here are a couple of photo to show the differnece. The first is a tilt valve (just got this new addition today ) the second photo is of a 70's vintage reg with a more modern style valve assembly..these are still made today. The performance of either of these regs is not up to todays standards. If it's the newer style and you can get it serviced it would do OK but considering the cost of some of the newer low end regs IMO it's not worth the expense of repairing unless you do it yourself.