Proper use of a Cave Snorkel

[Guy Bryant]

Guy, is that a old Farallon snorkel?

YES! You are very perceptive, it is an old Farallon snorkel.

[Guy Bryant]

Is it O2 clean?

Of course it's O2 cleaned. You never know what kind of gas you may be rebreathing in those air pockets...

[Guy Bryant]

It worked a lot better for 5' hoses than 7' hoses

Quite right Forrest, which is why I always used 7' hoses. It quickly became apparent to us that if you were sharing air, single file through a restriction with zero vis that 5ft wasn't always quite enough length. The 7 ft was much better.

[FW]

Glad you noticed! That dandy piece of equipment was made by myself in 1976. I took an open water plastic knife "leg sheath" and cut it off so that I had the bottom end. I then cut slots into it to run pieces of inner tube bands through it for easy slide on and off the arm. To reinforce it, I wrapped it in duct tape, which has been replaced several times over the years, especially since plastic tends to crack as it ages. I then took a stainless steel kitchen knife and placed it into my handy dandy sheath. In the event the knife were to fall out of the sheath, it is attached by an appropriate length of twisted nylon. This has come in handy a few times. Especially, when cutting line after having to explore virgin passage. Sometimes you get so excited you can drop your knife. Thank goodness the attached nylon line was there to prevent the loss of my bright and shiny stainless steel knife.

Was that before or after Paul Smith was making arm sheaths for kitchen knives? I have been using my own copy of a Paul Smith sheath since the late '70s.

[Guy Bryant]

Was that before or after Paul Smith was making arm sheaths for kitchen knives? I have been using my own copy of a Paul Smith sheath since the late '70s.

I'm not sure as I don't know when Paul Smith started making sheaths for kitchen knives? Some things just last and last. For example, I'm still using the wings that Court Smith and I made in 1976 from inner tube and plastic pipe plumbing. Just armour-all it every 6 months and it will last and last. It's on its 3rd cover, but this latest one is durable. Steve Shaw made it for me in the 90's out of heavy duty tent canvas that he uses to make tents at his company.

[WEPIV]

This was a lot of fun to do Guy and thanks for asking me to help out. I'm loving the trip down cave diving equipment history lane here too!

[FW]

I'm not sure as I don't know when Paul Smith started making sheaths for kitchen knives? Some things just last and last. For example, I'm still using the wings that Court Smith and I made in 1976 from inner tube and plastic pipe plumbing. Just armour-all it every 6 months and it will last and last. It's on its 3rd cover, but this latest one is durable. Steve Shaw made it for me in the 90's out of heavy duty tent canvas that he uses to make tents at his company.

Ah, Court Smith. My first (good) light was a copy of his lights. He also inspired the "Wilson" reel.

The first arm knife I saw, was one Paul had made for Sheck.

[JE]

Attachment 16218 Guy Bryant demonstrating the proper use of the cave snorkel as photographed by Gene Page. This piece of life saving equipment can be handy in an out of air situation...just use it to retrace your dive back to the surface by breathing from air pockets on the cave ceiling.

make a good front page for the forum TJ !