Judy Zappacosta wrote:
On Wed, 23 Jun 2010 04:43:46 -0700 (PDT), Bob Villa wrote:

When I dived we treated rubber stuff (and neoprene) with silicone.

Thanks. I'll google for "silicone spray" and see what I can come up with!

(some lingo, "J" valve, 2-stage regulator, recompression
chamber,caisson disease)

Yeah. My dad said it's still the same stuff nowadays as it was in
yesteryear.

He said "a fin is a fin is a fin". He always used the K.I.S.S. principle,
especially with dive gear. No fancy mask valves. No moving snorkel parts.

He even gave me his faded-yellow canvas "horse collar", which, of course,
we would use a fancy "vest" nowadays - but the horse collar served him
fine!

As for terminology, his big heavy black US Divers fins are branded
"rocketfins" he said derisively since he paid extra for them when he was
taking the dive class, only to find out later while diving that a fin is a
fin is a fin.
Hmmm,
I mentioned this to my kids(daughter and son, both life savers andd
certified divers, w/rescue rating). They said, "don't be sentimental,
be practical" If wanted, you can keep them but don't have to use them
to smear your pool deck. Every thing in life has time to go including
ourselves. We are in the process of reducing all our traces to less
burden my kids. I am throwing out lots of old junks, pictures, what not
before it is too late.