identification help needed!

[saltigagt]

Hi,

Saw this picture from my padi open water diver manual. Need your help in identifying this model. Can make out the letters on the purge. Thanks!

[Bryan]

Those are made by Tekna in the early 80's. When they worked they worked fantastic and would almost breathe for you. Metal cased versions seemed to have fewer problems than the later composite bodies. They used a MK 5 clone 1st stage with a ball yoke knob. There are a few still around diving today! If Nemrod reads this he will tell you all about them.

[antique diver]

They were lightweight and hi-tech looking, with a pilot valve operated 2nd stage. A little tilt valve operated the main valve that would gush plenty of air. The early ones had a metal body and metal internal pilot valve body that was in two pieces and screwed together. Next version had a plastic outer body which was actually ok and retained the same brass pilot valve body, which was not perfect, but ok except the air flow tended to flutter if you didn't breathe very smoothly. We sold 12-15 over a period of a couple of years.

The trouble that I ran into was with the final version in which the pilot valve body was also made of plastic, and the threads holding it together were a little soft. I don't know if many (or any other) catastrophic failures occured, but I experienced a total failure of one at 80' in Belize in about 1983. Said plastic pilot body separated explosively at the threads, also cracking the external plastic retaining ring, letting the whole second stage open up without any warning. That left a wide open path for the tank to empty in fast order. The sudden air expansion and the huge instantaneous cloud of bubbles were quite a surprise I never dove with a Tekna again.

[crimediver]

Tekna made a lot of innovative equipment and I had a lot of it. All the second stages I have ever seen in the past 10 years all leaked and you cannot fix them. Even if you can locate NOS parts they will be no good as the material breaks down over the years. When they worked they were nice. I have a couple of 2nd stages lying around somewhere that make good paperweights. The best Tekna item I have that keeps working for me is the little dive knife. I should have bought more when they were cheap.

[saltigagt]

thanks for the identification and info! just thought that the 2nd stage looks special/cool with the slime profile. Oh well, back the the 109s and XIVs then