"Old" scuba gear

[JahJahwarrior]

If you have any problems with the old stuff, ditch it.

Eh, it doesn't take up tons of space, you could put it in a closet and pull it out in 10 years to show to the kids or grandkids, or better yet put it on display behind a glass (with UV inhibitor of course) on your mantelpiece or something. I mean, why get rid of it? At worst it takes up a few cubic feet of space in your home and at best you could sell it for money later. Maybe not much money, but money is money right?

 

[serambin]

That's the main reason I keep buying bigger houses. Just keep everything . . . Who knows someday . . .

Stan

 

[JahJahwarrior]

That's the main reason I keep buying bigger houses. Just keep everything . . . Who knows someday . . .

Stan

Actually, I'd love to build a small "cottage" like house, very tiny quant thing....20 years later I want to build a bigger house around the smaller one. So, in my living room I have a small house. The inside of the small house would be the real "living room" kind of thing......like, the living room would be huge and big, plenty of space around the old small house, there would be a TV and couches and stuff just like a normal living room, but you go into what was my house at one point, and there is like a hottub and more tv's and stuff....

I just thought that'd be neat you know, like, you don't have to tear down the house you started with, you jsut build a bigger house around it You'd have to repaint the old house and modify the inside a bit, and it might be wierd to dig up your yard to lay concrete, but it sure would be cool!

 

[Nemrod]

Uh, about the house around a house, don't do that, my FIL did that and it did not much work out--just some learned advice to save you some grief and pain. N

 

[mirrocraft]

the only old peace of gear that i have ais an old o2 bottle converted to a pony bottle its from the 50s still passes hydro and works great

 

[trucker girl]

I don't know how old most of my stuff is. I bought my "new" stuff within the past 5 years- mask, fins, snorkel, wetsuit... But my regs and bc are used rental gear- though he told me no one had ever used the Genesis 1st state/reg as a rental- so technically it was new, just older.

If I had all the money in the world to spend, I'd have all new stuff with all the bells and whistles. As it stands right now, I had to sew some clips and D rings onto my BC since it didn't have anywhere to put stuff. Good as new?

I dove with Barracuda 2 and one of the first things he said to me was "don't make fun of my BC"- which never crossed my mind to do until he said that. Apparently his BC is older than... me... and he has gotten some flak for that over the years.

 

[ZzzKing]

I still have my first Calypso from 1966 and it works just fine and I still dive it. I also have a Mistral from 1958 given me about 68 and it still gets dived. I have lot's of my original and still fully functional gear from the late 60s and early 70s. The so called vintage or "traditional" gear is actually much more sturdy than the modern plastic stuff. I have new gear and everything in between and a hole slew of 80s stuff. They are all fun to dive. I just bought a brand new Aqua Lung Legend to see what the fuss was over, it is not a very good regulator, does not breath well and seems cheaply made of thin plastic.

It is fun, I can dig back into my dive closet and pull out the exact items I used in 1968, 1973 etc. Some modern gear has just gone crazy in price and non functional design --example--these weird snorkels they make now for 60 dollars!!!! My latest young dive buddy refers to traditional gear as old school, yeah, maybe, but it is more funtional, more streamlined, more durable.

In this picture that is a circa late 60s sharskin 1/4 inch beavertail suit, early 80s Tekna T2100 second, circa 1973 Royal Aqua Master with Phoenix conversion, early 80s Seatec wing on a Hammer Head BP with new Mares X Vision and 1968 Voit weight belt, Luxfer aluminum 80, ScubaPro Super Jets. I am just about to be handed a slung 30 buddy bottle with 1980s Tekna T2100 regulator. The only reason I use that stupid Mares mask is that it has bifocals which are handy reading my buddies even more stupid dive computer console thingy. The console I am using is all rubber 70s ScubaPro mini universal with 1974 USD SPG and mid 80s Tekna super accurate 0-240 tell-tale depth guage and early 80s Princeton Tectonics mechanical pressure activated analog timer and old Ikelite compass on wrist. The Dacor whisle I found on the bottom a long time ago and the Tekna knife handle you can see is also from my 80s period---now I am in my eclectic period. N

There may be some twelve-step programs that would be appropriate for you to look into.

Last time I took my Conshelf set in for servicing, the guy behind the counter glanced at them and asked, "You lookin' for some gear that was made in THIS century?"

 

[BSea]

It appeard to be a Voit/ Swim Master lable. Check vintage scuba on ebay for lables

I've looked on ebay & the vintage web sites. I've had no sucess in finding the sportsways labels. I have only seen partial views of what I believe to be sportways tank labels.

Now that yellow hoses are available, this label is my new mission.

 

[sharky60]

Still use my 24 year old USD Conshelf XIV reg., wouldn't dive without it and just last year replaced my 23 year old ScubaPro BC, but I'm still using the alt. air/inflator from it on my new BC.

Also still using my 24 year old ScubaPro Jetfins, I've tried many, many others and the 'ol frogman fins still work the best for me.

 

[Nemrod]

BSea, I don't think Sportsways labels have been made yet. It seems the fellow who does these kind of works through the companies as he get's to them. I too want some Sportsways and of course original Nemrod style decals. I am sure he will eventually get to them

Yes, the new yellow hoses are an exciting development. Isn't it amazing that some of our double hose regulators have absolutely brand new parts--reproduction parts and NOS and perform better than this silly plastic Legend I am looking at. Perhaps I am being to rough on the Legend but after a few dives it show significant wear and reduced performance. Imagine thirty years from now, heck, I doubt it makes three. It has some piece of plastic rattling around in it, I think it is broken. N