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

[diversteve]

I do not know if you are a moderator or your status on this forum, and to me it doesn’t matter, you can ban me if it is within your power to do so, but wait…… it must be within your power because you are a scuba legend!

umm....No - they're not moderators.

Do you know a Scuba Pioneer or Legend?

 

[boulderjohn]

K-valves started just after the late 1960's.

Both J-valves and K-valves were available in the first US Divers catalog in 1953; in fact, that is how they got their names. If you wanted one of them, you ordered item J for $30. If you wanted the other, you ordered item K for $8.95. This is on page #6. Item Z was a "Teflon washer for J or K valve" for $0.30. The item below that, whose designation is not legible in my copy, is a "Pull-rod for J-valve (Stainless)" for $1.25. The next item is also identified as being for J-valves and K-valves.

 

[boulderjohn]

Here are pages 6-7 of the 1953 US Divers catalog.

 

[Johnoly]

Here are pages 6-7 of the 1953 US Divers catalog.

Pretty cool history, Thanks!!

 

[Sam Miller III]

@50 years under


" I may have missed those experiences if all I did was sit home reading catalogs and dive magazines. But I would have had the latest gear with all the bells and whistles!
Rick "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What a delight waking up I to the warmth of the California sun shine setting on the patio having breakfast with my dear wife and son who just happened to dropped in for a visit,

Then a short visit to the ole computer and a message from good ole "East Coast Diver Rick." I certainly appreciate all your posts. It verifies that recreational diving did indeed begin in California 90 or more year ago by a hand full of suntanned youths.

Recreational diving was the domain of the west coast diver until the gospel of diving was slowly spread to the hinterlands of America amd the rest of the world

The spring and summer catalogs of the major retailers, Sears Wards and Pennys-- equipment was available along with training manuals by ER Cross & Ray Hoagland, but no certification until NAUI was created by SoCal divers in August 1960

I suspect "sit home reading catalogs and dive magazines." was a better ancillary activity than setting at home watching the snow pile up coloring with your crayons in you coloring book -- remember always color with in the lines.
With all your coloring you must have a frig covered with pictures, while I have amassed one of the worlds largest and most complete private dive libraries -2500 volumes...

FYI
A local article about my diving
~~~ Central Coast diving legend Sam Miller receives a big honor | Cover Story | Santa Maria Sun, CA ~~~~

And since I mentioned son Dr.Sam IV a recent NAUI article about he and I
~~~ https://www.scubaboard.com/community/attachments/naui-sourcesmag2018q3p18-19-pdf.477571/ ~~~

Good luck, Stay ward and dry

Sam Miller, 111
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@boulderjohn

Your efforts are always appreciated BUT you only quoted the 1953 catalog
You should have reviewed the 1948 combination catalog and instruction manual
which I will do at latter date when time permits and the east coast 50 years of diving disappears

stay tuned ole chap

SAM

@Johnoly note correction

 

[50 years under]

Very nice, how many pages in the entire catalog?

 

[JamesBon92007]

@50 years under

while I have amassed one of the worlds largest and most complete private dive libraries -2500 volumes...

@Johnoly note correction

And, of course, you have scanned and digitized every page for posterity! Right? Seriously, you probably have the most complete collection of information on the planet and hopefully it will be preserved.

 

[50 years under]

I suspect "sit home reading catalogs and dive magazines." was a better ancillary activity than setting at home watching the snow pile up coloring with your crayons in you coloring book -- remember always color with in the lines.
With all your coloring you must have a frig covered with pictures, while I have amassed one of the worlds largest and most complete private dive libraries -2500 volumes...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sam,

You can spend the rest of your days trying to say how great and how first California was and is in respect to weather and of course scuba, but no one seems to be questioning those facts. You seem to be quite accomplished in your diving career, and now that you are in your late eighties you deserve to be able to spend your time enjoying the California weather, your family and your library.

So please stop trying to diminish people from different parts of the country, or because we didn't dive with all of the gear that was apparently widely available in California but not as available everywhere. You can revel in your accomplishments but don't stoop to insults which you dream up without any reason other than your own aggrandizement. Don't let your state of discomposure decimate your hard earned reputation. For the sake of you and your reputation.

Peace