Thanks for the video clip, it really illustrates which hose mission critical. I think I'll just go ahead and change the LP hoses, too. They are not split, but do show some aging of the rubber, mostly on the BC air supply hose near the first stage connectors. The LP hoses have those strain relief rubbers on them. As I mention in the beginning of this thread, the Reg is an ex-rental unit, mostly used in a pool. Its a 2005 Sherwood Brut. Chlorine can't be very good for the rubber components; would it be worth rebuilding the Reg, just for peace of mind?
Peace of mind is worth something, but you might get that just by reading more about the high reliability of regulators and hoses, etc.
If I had the very gear you just bought, I would have
no worries about using it to recreational depths.
Your Sherwood Brut regulator will probably be fine even without being serviced immediately. My Sherwoods go two or three years and up to a couple hundred dives before I get around to servicing them. They could probably go longer before they would have any problems, and those problems would be minor.
One of the reasons is that the Sherwood "Dry Air Bleed" system keeps water out of the regulator. Even if your Brut hasn't been serviced in a couple of years, it will probably give plenty of warning of its need for servicing. Most likely that warning will be a mild trickle of free-flow because the main piston o-ring is sticking.
My recommendation here (with everything you have told us): Sever the tie and cut your loss. Have the equipment checked by another shop and never go back to this guy (see my note closer to the end on this). Quite frankly, it was a used set-up so there will be no formal warranty (or it would be very rare in my opinion). Look into your other options and never look back. Do not verbalize your exit with the owner...just gracefully disappear into the night. That way if you ever need something from them (in the area and your spare fin strap breaks or something), there will be fewer (if any) hard feelings.
This shop owner may be a little sloppy, but not necessarily untrustworthy, as far as I can see, but I agree a second opinion may be reassuring.
If the OP really wants to get an honest appraisal of the gear he just bought, he would be wise not to tell the second shop of his specific concerns, at least not until after they've expressed their opinion of the gear. I'd avoid raising a question about the other shop, that's for sure. Doing so could be counter-productive for any number of reasons.
Even better, having the gear evaluated by an experienced diver who services his own gear could be even more revealing. It's extremely easy to do, especially with Sherwoods.
It's my experience that most used scuba gear is very reliable, even after many years of heavy use, unless it was
severely abused or neglected.
Even then, problems will be readily apparent, even to a new diver, and are likely to only cause inconvenience, not danger.
Dave C
