Chronicles of a Gear Whore; the first step is admitting you have a problem...

Like a game of Tetris, I'm contemplating how to neatly stack a large quantity of spearguns against a finite length of wall. As I take a step back to view the progress, one rogue speargun starts sliding sideward at an almost imperceptibly slow speed. It picks up momentum, gently bumping the one next to it. Suddenly the whole arsenal starts to cascade like a set of well placed dominoes. The raucous noise subsides as the mass of metal, teak, and rubber settles. I slowly start sorting through the pile and reminisce about how my gear whoring ways have caught up to me...


My fascination began many years ago back home in Hawaii. When I was 10, my grandpa pulled an old speargun from the rafters that he had fashioned out of construction scraps. It was an ugly thing - thin, squarish, slightly warped, rusty metal screws protruding, and powered by a single polespear rubber. It couldn't handle any more than that one thin band, because the trigger mech was just a pin through a vertical hole in the back of the shaft... any more pressure would bend the pin and I wouldn't be able to fire. The shaft was a bent rusted metal of unknown composition and the barb was a piece of metal welded on at an angle. No mortise & tenon joints for the handle... just some wood glue and a nail. The handle fell off repeatedly and I had to "fix" it with some electric tape. It was horribly inaccurate and bounced off any fish over half a pound. My mom winced in apprehension as she was certain this contraption would somehow land me in the emergency room. I loved it! 

Over a decade later, I moved to California. One touch of the freezing waters here and I was sure my diving days were over for a long time. Through a twist of fate, I found that some people were deranged enough to dive in these cold dirty shark-infested norcal waters... and I wanted to be one of those people! 

 

2002

It all started out innocent enough. Since conditions varied on the north coast... I splurged and bought 2 spearguns - a 75cm aluminum & a 95cm CF Beuchat. It was a bit pricey, but these two guns would surely cover all of my diving needs. 

A month later, I picked up a broken Esclapez Concept Pro & turned it into a 55cm gun. It was free... all I paid for was a new shaft and later a reel. I couldn't pass up that opportunity & it was great for close quarters combat.

Another month passed and I found myself back home in Hawaii for the holidays... with a new 50" CF DW hybrid and a 120cm CF Alluminum. It made complete sense. After all, I was in warm clear waters and I NEEDED spearguns for those conditions.

A few months passed and an Omer MB Sport from ebay joined the collection because... well, this is about the time I stop trying to rationalize/justify things and just accepted my fascination with new shiny toys. 


 



2003

For a short time, I became concerned. What was I to do with SIX spearguns? No normal diver needed that many... I really should get rid of a couple.

My brief bout of common sense was interrupted by a trip to socal. Oh my. I would certainly need a big wooden gun. It's what all the divers down there used. I better get two... just in case one breaks. And a slightly bigger DW hybrid. Maybe a metaltech #0, for some halibut...






2004/2005

By this point, I was no longer in denial. I embraced my hoarding ways and acquired more spearguns "in the name of research". I spent hours shooting foam targets in my pool & modifying muzzles, tracks, shafts, & band configurations. The numbers grew and every time I sold a gun, two would quickly take its place!








2010

Fast forward to the present & the collection has evolved quite a bit. Sold some, acquired more, lost two, had two stolen, and had a few just die on me. Aside from 2 new spearguns, I've used and shot fish with every one of these guns. It's been a fun ride, but there comes a point when one realizes that 10 spearguns is a lot, 20 is a bit too many, 30 is just ridiculous, and 40... is way more than most bay area dive stores!

Here's the collection as of last night (minus guns dismantled into parts, in Hawaii, waiting for replacement handles, and/or on loan):



 

 

 

The irony is - after playing with all the latest & greatest, the one gun I really want is that old ugly safety-hazard of a speargun my grandpa made...

That was a great story.  I'm like that with G-loomis rods.  Just can never have enough Loomis rods. 

that.is.awesome.

I guess spearguns are like flashlights or knives...can't ever have enough.

The irony is - after playing with all the latest & greatest, the one gun I really want is that old ugly safety-hazard of a speargun my grandpa made...

The first thing I looked for in the pics was this baby....where is it?

The irony is - after playing with all the latest & greatest, the one gun I really want is that old ugly safety-hazard of a speargun my grandpa made...

The first thing I looked for in the pics was this baby....where is it?

My only guess is that my grandma or mom were scared for my life and disposed of it when I wasn't looking.   

Looked around my grandparents' house for it several times, but no luck.  The more realistic theory is that it got tossed out in a scrap pile when they rennovated the garage.  There was a bunch of other scrap wood, fiberglass poles, sling shafts, etc. that are also gone.  Nothing that would look like anything of value to someone other than myself.   

Wow dude! You have a better assortment than any of the local shops lol.
Thanks for posting that. Now I don't feel so bad about my fishing rod 'collection' haha!

Nice write up.  Too bad about your grandpa's gun, but what a way to start.  Do you have any pictures with you using it? 

Matt

The irony is - after playing with all the latest & greatest, the one gun I really want is that old ugly safety-hazard of a speargun my grandpa made...

The first thing I looked for in the pics was this baby....where is it?

My only guess is that my grandma or mom were scared for my life and disposed of it when I wasn't looking.   

Looked around my grandparents' house for it several times, but no luck.  The more realistic theory is that it got tossed out in a scrap pile when they rennovated the garage.  There was a bunch of other scrap wood, fiberglass poles, sling shafts, etc. that are also gone.  Nothing that would look like anything of value to someone other than myself.   

I'll raid a construction site and scrounge up the materials to fashion one to the specs you posted.....just as dangerous.....and trade you for any one the the DW's or Sea Snipers.

 

Awesome, you clearly have your priorities in order.

Damn!  I was pretty satisfied with my hammer head and the gat-ku polespear until you posted those pics.


I think that Sea Sniper in the middle would make a mighty fine perch poker.  You think I can borrow it the next time I go out?

Notice he said "GEAR" whore, and not just "GUN" whore.  There's more to his sickness than just those guns he's showing.  

Nice "collection" of spear guns.  I think you have 1 too many 

Dam!!  I thought I had a lot of guns. hahaha  That is a crazy collection.

Thats a great story Harold. I was laughing my ass off by the end and the final photo proved it. You are a compulsive collector of death instruments and I like it very much.  I only have one gun and I feel now, so, embarrassed.

Wow! I thought I was bad with all my gear but that collection is borderline 'hoarder'.....still.....you need a complete quiver if you want to score all the time.