Advice on caring for an older Zeagle Ranger?

So I got myself a used Zeagle Ranger, it's in pretty good shape but could use a bit of fixing. I'm also a fiarly new diver so any and all tips are welcome. Anyway call it a hunch, but I suspect the guy I got it from was in the Navy. I'm not sure if it was use for military purposes but he did seemed to imply he's put it through quite a beating.

The BC is still in pretty good condition, I've already done a few dives with it and it works fine. However it does seem the previous owner left a few areas uncleaned and I'm trying to restore it.

The grommets on the BCD have rust on them (especially the ones for the ripcord system) and the black paint is pretty much gone. I've used white vinegar to remove as much rust as I could but there still are some rust spots. Is there a better way to remove them all? Should I even concern myself with this? Is there a way to help prevent rust from forming on the grommets in the future? Paint? I will of course be washing my BC after my dives.


The side pocks seems to have had a little bit ripped off the pocket for the weights. It's not a big deal since both zippers still zip up fine but I'd like to fix it. Is there a recommended way to sew them back together?


Lastly a few of the metal buckles used to loop the bladder onto the back of the vest have some rust on them too. Any advice on how to remove the rust? Vinegar only got rid of a little bit of it. The buckles don't look like they can be removed without cutting the cloth. Anyway to prevent rust from forming? Again, I'll be washing my BC after dives but for now I'm trying to fix this up as best as I can.

reefvagabond:

Anyway call it a hunch, but I suspect the guy I got it from was in the Navy. I'm not sure if it was use for military purposes but he did seemed to imply he's put it through quite a beating.

Click to expand...

That BC is still shiny Black and the ripcord webbing is bright cherry-red.

When a Ranger goes through a "beating" it turns a browish/gray and the red bits become a faded pink or orange.

The only Navy the seller served while wearing this item was stocking the shelves at the local mass-produced clothing store at the mall.

That thing looks brand new. You got a good deal and should dive the crap out of it.

Considering it's a Zeagle it will probably not fall apart before you switch to something else anyway.

Then you can sell it to the next guy and elaborate on it's provenance.

I think I did get a good deal on it, but since I'm new to the sport I'm not quite ready to plunk down over $600 on a BC yet. If I really do become an avid diver and really enjoy this BC I will plunk down the cash to get a new one, though probably the LTD.

In the mean time, I really would like to fix up this BC as much as I can.

For the corrosion on the grommets, I'd think about using some of the extremely fine sandpaper available at an auto-parts store. They go up to about 1500 grit, which will leave a mirror polish -- but I wouldn't go that far. Maybe 400 or 600 grit or so. Cut a thin strip from the sheet, use a little WD-40 for lube and buff it like you're shining a pair of shoes, gently. I've cleaned up vintage woodworking tools using this method, and it works beautifully with a little patience and care.

Assuming the grommets are stainless steel, you'll pretty rapidly abrade away the corrosion and mineral deposits and expose fresh metal. Clear nail polish might work to seal the surface against further corrosion. If the grommets are plated, then you'll take off the zinc coating and expose less durable metal -- so start somewhere inconspicuous. Zeagle is a pretty 1st class company, so they probably used stainless hardware.