BO-04 Mark V Diving Helmet (Tinned/Brass) Bottle Opener

Extremely well detailed MkV Diving Helmet Bottle Opener!

Dimensions: H 78mm x W 47mm (3.1" x 1.9")

Finished in two-tone Antique Brass and Nickel plate; resembling the real tinned version of the helmet!

The perfect affordable gift for any diver who claims to have everything.  A great conversation starter and we all know divers like to share experiences... Stocking fillers, surprise gifts or just a goodwill giveaway to your favourite dive buddies. These are currently one of our best sellers!

Mark V Helmet History

In its early years, before the standardization of diving gear, the Navy used an eclectic assortment of helmets, suits, pumps and hoses designed by different commercial manufacturers that were often incompatible, complicating the simplest of diving assignments. In 1905, the Navy’s Bureau of Construction and Repair developed the Mark V diving helmet based on the British Siebe Gorman Six-Bolt Admiralty Pattern helmet used by the British Army & Royal Navy.  (see our other bottle openers for this version)

The first U.S. Navy Mark V helmets were manufactured by Morse and Schrader; after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Diving Equipment & Salvage Company (DESCO) and the Miller-Dunn Company began producing them as well. The Bureau of Ships issued a standard set of plans specifying the details of their construction, and although small variances existed between manufacturers, they did not affect the interchangeability of Mark V gear.

The Mark V diving rig was the standard system used by the U.S. Navy for deep sea and salvage diving from 1916 through the early 1980s. Designed for intensive diving operations and to provide maximum physical protection, the Mark V allowed divers to work at much deeper depths than had previously been possible. With its iconic copper helmet, the Mark V is the best known and most recognizable of the Navy’s diving systems.