Products and Markets

Commercial Dive Equipment Products and Markets

Diving Equipment & Supply Company (DESCO) was formed in 1937 as the manufacturer of the newly designed diving equipment by Max Nohl and Jack Browne. DESCO manufactures equipment for the commercial diving industry, represents other companies complementary products, and offers repair services to the collector and classic equipment diving community. We also make solid wood waterskis.

DESCO is a distributor for Viking Dry Suits, Composite Beat Engel DeepSea Lightweight Helmets, and Broco wet welding rods.

DESCO also sells a line of jewelry, accessories, and apparel with a diving theme.

Purchase DESCO's products online or You can contact DESCO Corporation at:

240 N. Milwaukee Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
414-272-2371
414-272-2373 FAX
diveq@execpc.com

Office/shop hours are Monday to Friday 6am to 2:15pm Central Time.

DESCO manufactures our own equipment in our Milwaukee shop. You may not think of a inland city as a hub of diving activity but Milwaukee has a long tradition in hyperbaric and diving science. The history is covered in detail on our company history page. Milwaukee was known as the "Beer Capitol" but during the war we also were known as "The Nation's Machine Shop". Virtually all the metal components of our equipment are fabricated in Wisconsin. DESCO has long standing relationships with many local suppliers.

Our longevity in the industry has resulted in DESCO making many friends and business contacts around the world. In instances where another companies products may complement our own lines we will forge alliances and offer those products along side ours.

Design and Manufacturer of Diving Helmets

We offer a full range of classic style breastplated helmets and the DESCO Air Hat. All of our helmets are surface supplied free flow type. Every diving helmet we build is fully functional.  Our U.S. Navy Mark V and Helium helmets conform to the USN Bureau of Ships drawings. They are not replicas. The U.S. Navy Diving Helmets have been in continuous production since 1942. All DESCO Diving Helmets are made to industry standards.

In addition to the DESCO Air Hat we offer 15 different classic style diving helmet models, made in our shop.

  1. U.S. Navy Mark V
  2. U.S. Navy Helium (old style and double exhaust style)
  3. Commercial 3 Light
  4. Commercial 4 Light
  5. Commercial Nuclear
  6. Commercial Fisheries
  7. Lightweight Sponge
  8. Lightweight Abalone
  9. Lightweight Agar
  10. Lightweight Browne Commercial
  11. Lightweight Fisheries
  12. One Light Shallow Water
  13. Four Light Shallow Water
  14. Browne Utility
  15. Stillson Concept Helmet

To purchase individual helmets please see the DESCO DIVE HELMETS page.

Deep Sea and Commercial Diving Masks

First developed during WWII the DESCO Browne Diving Mask was a primary piece of diving apparatus in the USN for forty years. Still available in Commercial and Pool Cleaning models. Please see the DESCO MASKS page for more details on DESCO Masks

Other Diving Products

  • Weightbelts: DESCO makes the heavyweight and Quick Release Lightweight US Navy style belts. We also make a cartridge belt style pocket weightbelt.
  • Weighted Diver's Shoes: DESCO offers US Navy style diver's shoes with uppers made of Cordura Nylon, Leather, or White Canvas (for historical divers). The outer soles are either Lead (heavyweight), or Brass (lightweight). The Brass soles are available with a rubber over sole glued in place to protect decks.
  • U.S. Navy Diver's Knife: The classic style tubular Brass sheath with a screw in blade. A navy standard since 1927.
  • Communications: The DESCO Two Diver telephone.
  • Divers Equipment Fittings: DESCO offers many different fittings to adapt air supplies to helmets. Also we can provide air control valves, non-return valves, helium adapter valve, jetting nozzle, and communications adapter caps.

Classic Diving Helmet Parts

DESCO is a recognized leader in supplying replacement parts for old diving helmets. Where an original part can't be found in many cases we can borrow a piece from a associate collector and have a reproduction cast from it. While the new part will be smaller than the original (due to shrinkage during the casting process) the new part will adequately replace the missing item.