I want to get - BF wants a Mark 5 Helmet, ?????
- Thread starter Katie K
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Bombay High
Contributor
Ben Dugger
Registered
One easy way to tell an original from a replica is to look inside the hat. Real ones have air channels to direct the incoming air over the ports to keep them clear. Repos don't have those. I have several hats that I picked up years ago. I couldn't afford one now. Prices have just gone through the roof.
Rich Keller
Contributor
Not to get too far off subject. If your boy friend would like to dive a Mark V along with other helmets, hats & masks closer to home have him check out this site.
http://www.hardhatdivers.org/index.php
http://www.hardhatdivers.org/index.php
Gilldiver
Contributor
A real hat will set you back $3500 to 6000+ with the ones from the 1800's going above $10,000 now.
Here is one of the best sources for information: Historical Diving Society | Other web links
If you have the coin and are serious about buying a hat they can help hook you up with a seller and also give you some pointers about telling a repro from a real hat.
This site can tell you some of the things a real hat will have and a repro most likely will not. But beware that there are now some high quality repros coming out of India that are hard to tell from a real hat: US Navy Mark V diving helmet
Another way is to order a new hat from DESCO or Morse, they still have all of the tooling and you will get a "real" hat from the manufacturer with a serial number but it will be a new hat and not sell for as much as an older one. Expect to have to put a hefty 50-75% down before they will make it. Morse Diving, Inc.
Finaly, here is the Historical Diving God, Leon Lyons web site: Helmets of the Deep - Leon Lyons maritime collectibles - St. Augustine, Florida
If you ask nice you may be able to arrange a visit to his museum collection. Drop off your boyfriend in the morning, go shopping, have lunch, and pick him up at the end of the day
Here is one of the best sources for information: Historical Diving Society | Other web links
If you have the coin and are serious about buying a hat they can help hook you up with a seller and also give you some pointers about telling a repro from a real hat.
This site can tell you some of the things a real hat will have and a repro most likely will not. But beware that there are now some high quality repros coming out of India that are hard to tell from a real hat: US Navy Mark V diving helmet
Another way is to order a new hat from DESCO or Morse, they still have all of the tooling and you will get a "real" hat from the manufacturer with a serial number but it will be a new hat and not sell for as much as an older one. Expect to have to put a hefty 50-75% down before they will make it. Morse Diving, Inc.
Finaly, here is the Historical Diving God, Leon Lyons web site: Helmets of the Deep - Leon Lyons maritime collectibles - St. Augustine, Florida
If you ask nice you may be able to arrange a visit to his museum collection. Drop off your boyfriend in the morning, go shopping, have lunch, and pick him up at the end of the day
" Early diving helmets did not have nonreturn valves. This meant that if a hose was severed, the high-pressure air surrounding the diver rapidly and with incredible force evacuated the helmet. At even a modest depth, the tremendous negative pressure created by the escaping air caused an extreme and often life-threatening squeeze on the diver.
In extreme cases, the negative pressure caused by a severed air hose could actually suck flesh and soft tissues up into the pipe and much of the divers body into the helmet. Stories abound, in fact, among old-time commercial divers, where so much of a diver was sucked into his helmet that it was buried in place of a coffin. (And you thought an ear squeeze was painful.)"
:shocked2:
In extreme cases, the negative pressure caused by a severed air hose could actually suck flesh and soft tissues up into the pipe and much of the divers body into the helmet. Stories abound, in fact, among old-time commercial divers, where so much of a diver was sucked into his helmet that it was buried in place of a coffin. (And you thought an ear squeeze was painful.)"
:shocked2:
I’m not sure why this came up, but here is a link to the thread on Scubaboard that also has links to the Myth Busters segments that demonstrates it is possible: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/commercial-divers/333195-deadly-helmet-squeeze.html
Last edited:
james croft
Contributor
I am looking for a Mark V but never seem to be able to get the deal I want for one. One thing for sure is that they don't seem to lose value so I would imagine you can look at it like an investment.
There are some other helmets that are not as pricey on the market. I recently picked up a Morse Mark 12. While it does not have the cool factor of the Mark V, it is pretty fun to dive. I traded about 400 bucks worth of dive gear for it so it was a bargain. I could sell it for much more. Much of getting a helmet at the right place is being at the right place at the right time with ready cash.
Good luck on your quest. You are a good girlfriend !
There are some other helmets that are not as pricey on the market. I recently picked up a Morse Mark 12. While it does not have the cool factor of the Mark V, it is pretty fun to dive. I traded about 400 bucks worth of dive gear for it so it was a bargain. I could sell it for much more. Much of getting a helmet at the right place is being at the right place at the right time with ready cash.
Good luck on your quest. You are a good girlfriend !
Airleron
Contributor
These are currently on display in my office. I do have the breast plate for the Mark V, just not on the helmet at the moment. They are original, as I work in a museum.
The colored ones are Swindell hats from I would say the 70's.
Similar threads
