About Faber
Faber steel scuba cylinders in 10, 12 and 15 litres at 232 bar and a 10 litre at 300 bar, plus mesh cylinder nets in black and yellow. Faber Industrie was established in 1969, with its first plant in Cividale del Friuli, Italy, and the brand also makes cylinders for industrial, medical and hydrogen gases. Order online from Scuba Evolution in Johannesburg, delivered anywhere in South Africa.
Faber in South Africa
Faber Industrie was established in 1969 by Renzo Toffolutti, and its first plant, in Cividale del Friuli in north-eastern Italy, made seamless steel gas cylinders from plate. Faber says its production runs in-house in its own plants. Scuba is one part of a range that also covers industrial and medical gases, CNG, hydrogen and breathing apparatus for firefighters. For diving, Faber makes its steel cylinders from high quality steel plate.
Why steel
An aluminium cylinder turns buoyant as it empties, just when you want a steady safety stop. Steel stays negative all the way down. Steel also takes up less volume than aluminium for the same water capacity, so a steel cylinder is shorter and slimmer than an aluminium one holding the same gas.
Choosing a size
Compare cylinders by free air at working pressure, not the litres on the label. The 12L Cylinder 232 Bar is the standard recreational size and holds 2784 litres. The 10L Cylinder 232 Bar holds 2320 litres and suits a smaller diver, a shore entry with a walk, or a stage bottle. The 15L Cylinder 232 Bar holds 3480 litres, roughly a quarter more than a 12, for divers whose gas runs out before their no-decompression time does. For a drysuit diver its extra weight is ballast that would otherwise sit on the belt.
The 10L Cylinder 300 Bar holds 3000 litres in a 10 litre body, more than a 12 litre at 232 bar, but only when it's filled to 300 bar. Check that your fill station can do that first: filled to 232 bar, it carries less gas than a 232 bar 12 litre.
Cylinder nets
Paint comes off a cylinder through rubbing, in racks, in the back of a bakkie and against boat ladders, and intact paint is what keeps surface rust away. An open mesh net takes that wear and lets water drain, where a solid cover would hold salt water against the steel. Choose by cylinder: the Black Cylinder Net for 10L, the Black Cylinder Net for 12L Short, or the Black Cylinder Net for 5L for a pony bottle. The Yellow Cylinder Net for 10L lets you spot your cylinder across a boat full of black ones. Browse every size in scuba cylinders and cylinder nets and boots.
Questions we get asked
How do I order Faber in Johannesburg?
Order the Faber range online from Scuba Evolution in Johannesburg, delivered anywhere in South Africa. Many items are ordered in for you, so ask us about timing on WhatsApp 082 557 3822 before you buy.
Which Faber cylinder size should I choose?
The 12 litre at 232 bar is the standard recreational size. Go to the 10 litre for a lighter, shorter cylinder, or the 15 litre if your gas runs out before your no-decompression time.
Should I buy the 300 bar cylinder?
Only if your fill station can fill to 300 bar. Filled to 300 bar, the 10 litre holds more than a 12 litre at 232 bar; filled to 232 bar, it holds less.
Why choose steel over aluminium?
Steel stays negative as it empties, so the cylinder doesn't lift you at the safety stop. It's also more compact for the same water capacity.
Where does Faber come from?
Faber Industrie is Italian, established in 1969 with its first plant in Cividale del Friuli. Faber says its production runs in-house in its own plants.
Do I need a cylinder net?
It protects the paint from rubbing in racks, bakkies and boats, and the open mesh lets water drain. Choose the net for your cylinder size.