Diver's belt weights - lead composition?

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  • 85MikeTPI

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2014
    2,699
    Ceciltucky
    I got my start with 70lbs of dive belt lead. Crummy for muzzle loader balls I learned the hard way and just fine for 9mm tumble coated I found.
    When I learned about soft pure lead for ML, I dedicated a new pot to pure lead and used the dive weight lead and wheel weight lead in another. Eventually got a Lee hardness tester and dropped lead into muffin tin cups and marked the hardness after testing. Variation was everywhere from 10-15. Once I marked them I could regulate things better blending to match getting close to 12-13.

    I thought for sure this post would be fodder for the 3%'ers, guess they were all busy this weekend.. :lol2:

    Oh well, back to the Vax and Ashli threads... :rolleyes:
     

    jmb122mp

    Member
    Nov 2, 2016
    37
    Might want to try local dive shops or local dive groups/clubs. Likely not worth trying to ship due to cost and weight.

    Divers prefer to own their own gear. Diving gear isn't cheap so they are looking for deals when they can find them. Not clear which kind you have. There is a preference for the "bean bags of iron shot" type versus the solid rectangular mold type since if you drop them there is less chance to break toes.
     

    Sloopjonb

    Member
    Feb 5, 2016
    44
    Sloopjonb

    Sell them to someone that will melt them for fishing jigs. Have done that before works out great
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Yup, that's the type I used to dive with when I used US Divers steel twin 50's. Me and Mike Nelson had a lot in common. :rolleyes:

    And you probably learned to put on the weight belt last, so it will be on top of other things and able to drop free.

    It seems they don't teach it that way any longer.
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,162
    And you probably learned to put on the weight belt last, so it will be on top of other things and able to drop free.

    It seems they don't teach it that way any longer.

    Yes!

    I learned to put it all on underwater if necessary. Everything at the bottom of the pool you jump in turn the tank on clear your regulator and then put everything on correctly and this was when we still used double "D" rings for quick release.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Yes!

    I learned to put it all on underwater if necessary. Everything at the bottom of the pool you jump in turn the tank on clear your regulator and then put everything on correctly and this was when we still used double "D" rings for quick release.

    Absolutely.

    Yeap, I did mine cert off Hawaii. NO pool work. My don from the equipment tossed in, was 15 feet of water off of Koko Head.

    But both of these things are no longer taught.

    Ex and I did a two tank dive off a boat in Hawaii. I watched people gear up, and asked the dive master about it, and he told us they no longer teach weight belt last. We looked at each other, as we put on our weight belts last and just shook our heads.

    I did a SNUBA during a cruise. And got talking to one of the dive masters. And found they no longer teach/require the toss your gear in, and go in and don underwater.

    Like many areas, dumb things down to the lowest level, never mind the original reasoning was based on experience.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    Yeap, I did mine cert off Hawaii. NO pool work. My don from the equipment tossed in, was 15 feet of water off of Koko Head.

    But both of these things are no longer taught.

    Ex and I did a two tank dive off a boat in Hawaii. I watched people gear up, and asked the dive master about it, and he told us they no longer teach weight belt last. We looked at each other, as we put on our weight belts last and just shook our heads.

    I did a SNUBA during a cruise. And got talking to one of the dive masters. And found they no longer teach/require the toss your gear in, and go in and don underwater.

    Like many areas, dumb things down to the lowest level, never mind the original reasoning was based on experience.[/QUOTE]

    Sort of like not teaching spin training. Instead they require spin avoidance training. :rolleyes:
     

    PapiBarcelona

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 1, 2011
    7,343
    And you probably learned to put on the weight belt last, so it will be on top of other things and able to drop free.

    It seems they don't teach it that way any longer.

    I generally put a belt on last-ish, but I don't see why it matters as long as the belts quick release is accessible. If the equipment is sized right I can't imagine someone squeezing and buckling their BCD over top the weight belt

    Whenever I'm local, Dutch Springs/Juturna (when it opens back up) and see recreational checkout newbies they always have rental jacket BCDs and weight belts.

    I still wear a weight belt for local cold suit diving, but I put a good amount weight in my "wing" style BCD that has integrated weight pockets.

    When I'm gawking around at the local dive sites I notice a good portion of already certified folks are running integrated weights, and/or stuff like steel back plates so they don't need to run a weight belt
     

    PapiBarcelona

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 1, 2011
    7,343
    I did a SNUBA during a cruise. And got talking to one of the dive masters. And found they no longer teach/require the toss your gear in, and go in and don underwater.

    Like many areas, dumb things down to the lowest level, never mind the original reasoning was based on experience.

    What was the reasoning for throwing all your dive gear into a pool and going after it? Seems dumb as hell to jump in retrieve your dive gear while holding your breath LOL

    Im pretty sure basic stuff like take your reg out, lean over, sweep your arm out to recover it. Take off the BCD and put it back on is still taught

    I seem vaguely remember doing a "buddy breathing" where two people shared 1 regulator. I think that's not taught anymore for obvious reasons of risk and evolved personal safety idealogy
     

    jmb122mp

    Member
    Nov 2, 2016
    37
    What was the reasoning for throwing all your dive gear into a pool and going after it? Seems dumb as hell to jump in retrieve your dive gear while holding your breath LOL

    Im pretty sure basic stuff like take your reg out, lean over, sweep your arm out to recover it. Take off the BCD and put it back on is still taught

    I seem vaguely remember doing a "buddy breathing" where two people shared 1 regulator. I think that's not taught anymore for obvious reasons of risk and evolved personal safety idealogy

    Probably just an activity to focus on while being able to remain calm and use your new diving skills. The "hold your breath" part does include you having to either purge the regulator or exhale first to clear out the water.

    I don't believe that sharing one regulator is taught anymore. The basic setup now includes a second regulator for sharing. Although I hear it's likely if someone is out of air and comes to you for help they are likely to take your primary leaving you your secondary.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    What was the reasoning for throwing all your dive gear into a pool and going after it? Seems dumb as hell to jump in retrieve your dive gear while holding your breath LOL

    Im pretty sure basic stuff like take your reg out, lean over, sweep your arm out to recover it. Take off the BCD and put it back on is still taught

    I seem vaguely remember doing a "buddy breathing" where two people shared 1 regulator. I think that's not taught anymore for obvious reasons of risk and evolved personal safety idealogy

    Back when regulators where on the back of tanks, you needed that held in breath to clear the air lines. You would dive down stick the mouthpiece in your mouth, clear the lines and flip the tanks over your head and buckle up. I may have left something out but those brain cells over 60 years old . :lol:
     

    PapiBarcelona

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 1, 2011
    7,343
    "dumb things down to the lowest level."

    When it's dumb to start...pretty much, yeah, hence why it's not taught in rec classes anymore. Lmao

    Its just recreational scuba diving, not Pinecones extensive underwater commando training.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Yeap, I did mine cert off Hawaii. NO pool work. My don from the equipment tossed in, was 15 feet of water off of Koko Head.

    But both of these things are no longer taught.

    Ex and I did a two tank dive off a boat in Hawaii. I watched people gear up, and asked the dive master about it, and he told us they no longer teach weight belt last. We looked at each other, as we put on our weight belts last and just shook our heads.

    I did a SNUBA during a cruise. And got talking to one of the dive masters. And found they no longer teach/require the toss your gear in, and go in and don underwater.

    Like many areas, dumb things down to the lowest level, never mind the original reasoning was based on experience.{/QUOTE]

    Sort of like not teaching spin training. Instead they require spin avoidance training. :rolleyes:

    Heck, they don't even do full stall training. Just approach to stall.

    At least that is the requirements. I did always had my students do full stalls. And offered spin training.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    What was the reasoning for throwing all your dive gear into a pool and going after it? Seems dumb as hell to jump in retrieve your dive gear while holding your breath LOL

    Im pretty sure basic stuff like take your reg out, lean over, sweep your arm out to recover it. Take off the BCD and put it back on is still taught

    I seem vaguely remember doing a "buddy breathing" where two people shared 1 regulator. I think that's not taught anymore for obvious reasons of risk and evolved personal safety idealogy

    Part of it is a confidence thing. That you can recover your equipment in the water.

    Buddy breathing was required because, when I got certified a long time ago, there were no octopus rigs. Regulators were very expensive compared to income, so no one carried a second one just in case their buddy had an issue.

    BCDs were just coming into common use.

    The weight belt thing is to make sure it is not hung up with other gear. So that you know if you release it, it will drop free. It will probably never be an issue, but why MAKE a possible problem?
     

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