Bob's Christmas Abalone Iron

My brother Bob graduated from San Diego State University with an industrial technology degree.  At one point we spoke about projects for his upcoming manufacturing course.  I suggested that he might consider producing good quality abalone irons.  Many of the abalone irons I had seen in the dive shop were ok.  Other irons I had seen on boats looked like someone used a grinder to cut down rear leaf springs from a ‘65 Ford Falcon.

Bob’s group, named Abscam[1], created and produced an abalone irion that was an aesthetically functional device. With its steel blade, bicycle handle grip,  surgical tubing lanyard, and weight, it just felt like the right tool. Bob gavepresented me with an iron just before Christmas.  I was so impressed with it, that I purchased a few extra to gift to dive buddies.  I gave one to Mark Bursek for Christmas in 1985.  Wrapping was easy—I merely placed the iron in  a cut down gift wrap paper tube and sealed the ends.   

I showed the abalone iron to Curt Weissner, owner of Santa Barbara Aquatics.  He too was impressed by the design and feel of the iron.  The iron was limited to its initial low production run.  While I have no doubt that this was a great design, the question was whether it could be produced at a wholesale price point that made it competitive with commercially available irons.  The market is somewhat limited.  Bob related that they manufactured approximately 100 irons at $12.95 per unit.  The irons were sold at a local San Diego dive shop but large scale production was not really practical.

The iron designed and produced by the class had to be compliant with California Department of Fish and Game regulations which have specified standards for abalone irons since 1974.[2].

Abalone may be taken only by hand or by devices commonly known as abalone irons. Abalone irons must be less than 36 inches long, straight or with a curve having a radius of not less than 18 inches, and must not be less than 3/4 inch wide nor less than 1/16 inch thick. All edges must be rounded and free of sharp edges. Knives, screwdrivers and sharp instruments are prohibited.

Divers also needed to carry a measuring device to ensure the abalone taken was a certain minimum size, which varied by species.  These were either stamped from thin sheet metal or made from orange plastic.  I recall one year the plastic devices were rumored to be inaccurate.  The result was that a "short" abalone would measured as "legal."  Apparently the manufacturing process did not account for shrinkage of the plastic as it cooled.  Whether this really happened or if it was a dive shop urban myth is anyone's guess.  I do recall checking mine when I was told of the discrepancy.  ! carried a sheet metal gage as a spare.  Woe to the diver stopped by California Fish and Game wardens without a legal iron and measuring device.

Over the years, I did harvest a number of pink abalone, a common species around the northern Channel Islands, and a few red abalones which seemed to favor deeper and colder waters.  Any abalone was considered a prized and wonderful gift from the sea, not only for the tastiness of its meat but also the beauty of its shell. The folks I dived with only took for immediate consumption.  Abalone is best prepared fresh!

Abalone harvest in Southern California ceased in 1997.  I understand the need to close the harvest after a precipitous decline to near extinction for all the abalone species. While diving the last two years at Catalina Island, I have seen abalone among the boulders of the Avalon breakwall.  I am hopeful for their recovery.  Still, I can't help think of the divers that will not experience the great fun of finding, taking and preparing an abalone, especially when done communally with good friends.  That aspect will be covered in a future blog.

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[1] According to Bob, the group name, Ab Scam, was a play on the FBI investigation and sting operation involving public corruption that made the news in 1980.  https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/abscam

[2] See Historical Summary of Laws and Regulations Governing the Abalone Fishery in California.  https://www.oceansciencetrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Historical-Summary-of-recreational-abalone-fishery-laws-and-regulations-for-California-5_16_2018.pfd accessed on December 10, 2022.  Since 2013, the Department of Fish and Game became the Department of Fish and Wildlife.