Vintage diver ñew to SB

[CaptainK]

Hi all,

After a 15 year absence from diving, I've decided to take the plunge and make a comeback.
I first went out. and purchased a new wetsuit. I,ve been in the water 3 times with it in the last week and a half gettting a handle on nuetral bouyancy. My equipment is what you can call vintage. I'm still using my original steel 72's with J- valves and a SP Mark V regulator

I'm fired up about learning as much "new stuff" as I can. I've already picked up a few good pointers on some of the threads here.

 

[Arizona]

Welcome back! Consider taking a specialty course such as Search & Recovery. This can really help sharpen skills but also get you to see some of the newer kit in action. I bet the tanks are due for an inspection

[h=1][/h]

 

[Cave Diver]

Welcome to the board. If you haven't already, you may want to check out our Vintage Diver Forum: Vintage Equipment Diving

 

[CaptainK]

Welcome back! Consider taking a specialty course such as Search & Recovery. This can really help sharpen skills but also get you to see some of the newer kit in action. I bet the tanks are due for an inspection

[h=1][/h]

Hi Arizona,

The first thing I did was get the tanks visualed and hydro tested. I agree about the search and recovery course. It's what I like doing anyway.

 

[herman]

Welcome back....a MK-5 is just broken in, it barely makes the vintage catagory and then only if it's one of the early ones. You will find the MK-5 has a big following on the board and when paired with a 109, there are few modern regs that can match it. Don't be too quick to downgrade to a modern shinny new plastic reg.

 

[CaptainK]

Welcome back....a MK-5 is just broken in, it barely makes the vintage catagory and then only if it's one of the early ones. You will find the MK-5 has a big following on the board and when paired with a 109, there are few modern regs that can match it. Don't be too quick to downgrade to a modern shinny new plastic reg.

Roger that Herman,

I'm glad that the MK-5's are so esteemed. It's always given me good service. Are there shops out there that can be recommended for rebuilding and servicing when the time comes, or is this something I can learn myself. Also I'd like to know if I should be asking these questions in a different area of SB?


Thanks for the replies and input.

 

[herman]

Here is fine, if it's more vintage related (pre 70s), the vintage subforum would be better. If you are interested in learning how to service the MK-5, join us in the DIY subforum. I know the MK-5 fairly well and make several service tools for it, however my speciality is USD/Voit double hose regs. There are several guys in the DIY forum that know pretty much anything you want know about the MK-5/109...and likely more than you want. It is an easy reg to service with a couple of special tools and parts are widely available, both OEM from SP and as aftermarket. As far as single hose regs go, it's pretty much as good as it gets....but real vintage regs have 2 big hoses.

 

[KD8NPB]

Roger that Herman,

I'm glad that the MK-5's are so esteemed. It's always given me good service. Are there shops out there that can be recommended for rebuilding and servicing when the time comes, or is this something I can learn myself. Also I'd like to know if I should be asking these questions in a different area of SB?


Thanks for the replies and input.

Send it to Bryan @ vintagedoublehose.com. He does fantastic work and has awesome reproduction vintage restoration products for sale.

 

[CaptainK]

Is there a way to tell exactly what year/model my reg. (109) is by it's serial number?

Thanks in advance.