Sherwood something.

[scubalawyer]

My former boat partner and dive buddy just got hauled off to the old-folks home where they will keep him comfortable in his last days. He gave me his current regulator, (the really cool ones apparenty consigned to the trash dump by his helpful relatives who cleaned out his condo for him). I know zero about Sherwoods.

1. What Sherwood model is it?

2. Are parts available?

3. Is it worth fixing up?

Thanks,

Mark

[nikeajax]

Mark, it's probably an excellent breather: Sherwood has been making just about EVERYONE'S regulators since the beginning of the sport. I swear I've seen diaphragms on eBait for it.

JB

[technidiver]

Mark, I trained with that regulator years ago. I believe it’s a Sherwood Brut, or a Blizzard. Great regulator, freeze-proof, well worth the money.

TD

[SeaRat]

I have an older Sherwood Blizzard, and the way to tell is to look down the mouthpiece. If there are two copper vanes sticking into the mouthpiece, that go down and are attached to the second stage valve, these are heat-trapping vanes that keep the second stage from freezing. They trap the diver's breath heat, and transmit it to the second stage valve. This is the Blizzard. If the mouthpiece lacks those heat vanes, I believe that would be the Brute.

The first stage looks completely sealed, which is great. It looks like it needs a bit of a cleaning, but other than that, it should be a great regulator.

John

[snark3]

Mark, I believe this is a fairly late model Sherwood. If you do any "modern diving" it's definitely worth fixing. John mentioned the "vanes" in the Magnum Blizzard second, I believe they also use them in the "Oasis" designed to help reduce cotton mouth. If the second lacks the vanes it's probably a Brut as John said or possibly a plain Magnum. All of them IMHO are good regs.

[regulator68bj]

The unit is a 2004 "Blizzard"/re designed "Maximus" Serial #SRB5600 certainly a regulator to receive some TLC
I am assured parts are still to be had.

John68

[cnotthoff]

Yep, you can find service kits on Ebay. Be sure to replace the flow control element. This is what makes the Dry Air Bleed system work on Sherwood 1st stages. When functioning properly, a small stream of bubbles will come from the rubber plug on your first stage. If no bubbles are coming out, bad things will happen when you dive. Either the IP will drop as you descend making the 2nd stage breath hard, or water will get sucked past that check valve fouling your 1st stage.

She is hardly what your buddies will call vintage, but a great breathing regulator.

Good Dives,
Charlie

[SeaRat]

Charlie, my Blizzard (1980s) has never had the dry bleed system changed, and still seems to be functioning fine. But I will check on it soon.

Thanks,

John

PS, mine looks very different that the one pictured above, being a simple rubber plug with a small stream of bubbles coming out.

[cnotthoff]

I was watching my buddies Huck and Bubba nail siding on their barn here in McKinleyville. Every now and then Huck would throw a nail over his shoulder and grab another one to secure a plank. When Bubba saw this, he asked Huck, "what's wrong with those nails?" Huck replied that they had the head on the wrong end. Bubba laughed and said, "you idiot, those are for the other side of the barn!"

The rubber plug that should bubble is on the other side of the first stage pictured above.

Sherwood tells us that bubbles should stream at a rate of 13 to 17 cc per minute, enough to displace the water in an immersed and inverted 1 ounce shot glass in about 2 minutes

In the earlier version that John has, the flow element is integral to the piston. If stream is missing, the piston must be replaced. SL's first stage has a replaceable flow element installed in reg body.

Good Dives,
Charlie