Scuba cylinder valves- disappearance of J-valves and metal knobs?

[50 years under]

I bought my entire setup for the first time in 1969, and the steel tanks were US Divers 72’s with J valves with metal knobs. My regulator was a US Divers Royal Aquamaster double hose. No submersable pressure gagues were available until my 2nd season when I got a Voit gauge which had a dual O ring and it was placed between the regulator and the J valve. Knowing your air consumption was a luxury and the 300 psi reserve the J valve gave you wasn’t much. I constantly recalculated SAC rates to avoid running out of air. That was before safety stops, which couldn’t be done if you waited for it to get hard to breathe before you pulled it.

Diving equipment sure has changed over the years, for the better!

 

[JamesBon92007]

"50 years under, 11 minutes ago"

I celebrate my 50th on August 1

 

[BillP]

I'm a just newbie who celebrated his 30th year diving last July. Seems like everything sold in the shops was plastic by then. That's why I asked here- so that the experienced divers could answer!

Thanks

 

[JamesBon92007]

I'm a just newbie who celebrated his 30th year diving last July. Seems like everything sold in the shops was plastic by then. That's why I asked here- so that the experienced divers could answer!

Thanks

IOW, "old"

 

[50 years under]

I often wonder how long I will be able to do tropical dive trips. We were at Captain Don’s in September and 3 dives a day was a piece of cake. And we still manage 40 to 50 dives a year.
In my mind, when I look at the surface of the water, I much prefer to look up at it!

 

[JamesBon92007]

We left Cozumel last week and did 10 dives there, plus we have Baja booked for December and Puerto Vallarta for February. We don't seem to be slowing down yet!

 

[50 years under]

If you insist on quoting dive history - do it correctly

The dive world and this board sis overloaded with I think , I suppose, I was told.etc
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well I grew up on the east coast, where recreational scuba obviously lagged behind those of you on the left coast. The gear which I purchased when I was certified was everything we used in class, except for the double hose regulator which I preferred to the single hose. The SPG wasn't offered (to me) and since there was nothing like Scubaboard to ask questions I followed recommendations from the dive shop where I was certified. (The Dive Shop, in Bayshore on Long Island) Possibly they didn't recommend it because without a banjo fitting (thank you for that, it makes sense) a SPG couldn't be attached to a double hose regulator.

And, while I may lack your California experience I would never begin to quote diving history, what I said was from my personal experience and training so it is my history.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@50 years under

Please keep in mind ...

I am just a slow walking, slow talking, equally slow thinking old diver from the lovey sunny hills of SoCal.

As I understand your comments divers from the east are even more slower in walking, talking and thinking and should be excused because they had access to NAUI dive instruction and the ability to purchase equipment , BUT did not have access to dive Catalogs which were first published in the 1950s to describe what they were or had purchased.

I find this incredibly interesting .

NAUI was formed in 1960, by the tine you graced its fold it had been in operation almost a decade, NASDS was in operation, PADI was way off in the future, and the mother of all agencies LA Co UIA was in its 15th year

"Skin diver magazine; a magazine for spearfishermen and skin divers" had been published since 1951 therefore in its 18 year of national distribution,

The red & white dive flag had been accepted by the national diving community in 1960 and had even been litigated in a California court in 1962 when a diver displaying the flag was struct by at power boat

It is amazing how much was missing by the common east coast diver of that era

FYI-- Dates when companies began producing SPGs

Mar Mac --62 years ago *

US Divers--61`years ago

Sportsways-- 60 years ago*

Diving Industries --59 years ago*

Dacor--56 Years ago*

Scuba Pro--55 years ago

Voit--56 years ago*
(*= viable company in 1968 -- no longer in business)

As classic line was uttered by the great character actor Strother Martin in the 1967 movie Cool Hand Luke
"What we've got here is a failure to communicate"

And I suspect we do..

Welcome to the SCUBA Board
Were your tales will fool some of the members some of the time but not all of the members..

SDM, 111

@JamesBon92007 for your early morning humor

@Akimbo FYI

 

[Bob DBF]

The gear which I purchased when I was certified was everything we used in class, except for the double hose regulator which I preferred to the single hose. The SPG wasn't offered (to me) and since there was nothing like Scubaboard to ask questions I followed recommendations from the dive shop where I was certified.

Probably the major reason the SPG was not offered at the time is that it would have cost you nearly as much as your reg set. With the prevelence of j-valves, and training given without the use of SPG, it was looked at as superfluous, as was an alternate second stage.

I started on the east coast and didn't see an SPG for quite a few years after I started diving, until I got involved with what would be called tech divers now.

On another thread, a picture was shown of a hard hat diver with what looked like a SPG on his rig from the late 1800's or early 1900's. After Bourdon invented his tube in 1849, it was just a matter of need for the SPG to be made. The technology was around for quite a while, but having a price point that is acceptable for use in a hobby takes quite a while.


Bob

 

[Sam Miller III]

@Bob DBF

Bob
I have always admired you and your posts until this one
Where are you obtaining your historical diving information ? Disneyland ?

Mar Mac, the first American SPG was $14.95 - a tank and regulator at the same time was $160.00
The most expense SPG was Sportsways at $24.95

the prices of the remaining SPGs were as follows

Dacor $20.00
​

US Diver $19.95
SCUBA Pro $19.95

Healthways $22,50

At the same time a tank abd 2 hose regulator was $160,00
The single hose regulator was just emerging on the market and cost just slightly less

So your statement " Probably the major reason the SPG was not offered at the time is that it would have cost you nearly as much as your reg set. " apparently needs some serious historical research- which I have provided for you

Keep on posting but with solid concrete facts -

Cheers from CenCal

Sam Miller., III

@JamesBon92007
@Akimbo

@50 years under