Vintage reels

[blacklab]

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[Funchy]

you aint alone thats for sure

[catshark]

well not a sad case but rather a connoisseur of mechanisms that wind in line.. seriously its interesting in seeing some old reels and fathom how they made them with out mass production, cant say i ever saw a vintage game reel, might google what zane grey was using back in the day. probably my first jetty saltwalter fishing experience was going to the city pier 35 plus years ago and hiring out rods/reels they gave us cane surf rod type with something that looked like an alvey reel, could have been an alvey but we didnt know how to operate it as we had never seen such a reel before.

[Noelm]

I used to have an old game reel just like Zane Grey used, fitted to a short cane rod, still had the cotton (well that's what it looked like) line on it, the reel was made out of some kind of aluminium, had a very primitive star drag, it was suitable for around 130LB line I guess, like a young dumbass, I sold it for peanuts decades ago.

[blacklab]

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[blacklab]

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[blacklab]

I'll get used to posting photo's one day

[banshee]

I thought Zane Grey used Hardy Brothers to build reels to his specs?

[blacklab]

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[BigE]

nice oldie my dad used when he was alive

BigE

[blacklab]

gone to internet heaven.l

[Da-Jew-Man]

Hi Col.
Obsession yes, passion yes. I have collected sidecast reels for close to 45 years.
The first reel I had was an Alvey and used this off the beach and rocks.
This got me started on sidecast reels and it amazes me the history and design of some of the sidecast reels made in Australia.
Some were poorly designed but caught fish, some were engineered like a Swiss watch and would of been hard to fish with.
Good luck

[blacklab]

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[blacklab]

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[reggy]

Wow! That's 85 years old. First year of manufacturing for PENN. Congratulations!
That box is in amazing condition for its age. Do we get to see the reel?

[blacklab]

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[blacklab]

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[TREVELLY]

These were called Knuckle busters, no drag and no anti reverse, really primitive designs, but the start of an empire really.
To find them in restorable condition is hard to do, they were used during the depression, to basically eat. So finding boxes for them is even harder. Alot of the pre war boxes, can fetch huge prices, even more than the reel in some instances.
118405
The photo doesn't show up the true maroon colour, but it's definitely a survivor Reggy.

Col

I had on of these as my first overhead reel - absolute bastard to cast lures with - brass spool that would over run way too easily. No lip for thumbing the spool so I got thousands of line (the line was braid and that really burns - not to mention the over-runs) burns on the thumb. End caps did nothing to slow the spool only retain grease. Line would go down side of spool and wrap around mechanism.
I hated it.
I do recall in the day people using them just for boat fishing and that may have suited them nicely - not a casting reel.
I think my spare parts box may well have bits in there from prehistoric times.

Of the old reels I do love the Alveys

[reggy]

That is a beauty Col. I have a 185 that is a knuckle buster also, but I have plenty of other reels to fish. I have a few old PENN reels, but don't fish them.
Thanks for showing.
Reggy118406

[EdBerg]

Here are two of my oldest reels, they are the first reels I ever bought and approximately 39 years old. They are a Daiwa PMA35 and a PMF57H, paid about a weeks wages for the PMF57H back in the day, I still have them due to sentimental value. What I like about the 57H is is that it had great line capacity for a low profile reel (270yds of 20lb Mono), large capacity LP baitcasters have started to come back in the last couple of years from a few manufacturers. The drag not so much, about 5-6KG and the anti reverse handle slack is about 10 degrees which is annoying. At the time is was as good as it got, Magforce control, level wind, clicker and large line capacity.

Having said that I have caught some reasonable fish with it, biggest was a 25lb Mullaway and numerous Travelly around the 20-25lb mark. Surprisingly I still use the 57H occasionally when I get sentimental despite having much better and more modern reels in my collection.

[blacklab]

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[reggy]

118410I got one of those thumb leathers on a PENN 99 silver beach. It was made by Pflueger.
Reggy

[blacklab]

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[reggy]

Col
I think those thumb leathers were used on a lot of reels. You could buy them as an accessory. My Silver beach is I think about a 1950 model because it has no parts numbers on it.
Reggy118411

[blacklab]

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[Bluerob]

Does any one else have an obsession in collecting vintage reels !
Or am I the only sad case !



Col

Well, I kinda used to.

Anyone remember the Australian Fishing Museum at Birkenhead Point in Sydney?

When I was a kid, I worked there on weekends (bream & leatherjacket fishing was insane off a few spots I found when I could sneak out..with permission and advice from the ultimate guru...Mr Hank Newman). Still have an ABU7000 I was given as a birthday present from Mr Newman.

Cleaning 1000 reels and same amount of rods, changing Bob Dyer shark fishing videos (that used to spin people out) and we also had a massive fish tank put in by NT Tourism with Barramundi. That lasted a few months. Renovations were going on above the museum and crap fell into the tank killing the fish. Mr Newman went absolutely spare that day...

The place was packed to the brim with gear. Then we had the stuff out the back...

Last I heard it was shifted to the warehouse that Breville appliances had (the guy that owned Breville in Australia was a huge benefactor to the museum) near Pyrmont.

As a kid, it was an insane place to work. Apart from playing with all the gear, helping with checking and processing GFAA records (the line tester was ancient, but, I remember a certification dude saying "she's old, but, she's more accurate than electronic machines), met a few "fishing celebrities" and the ultimate fishing celebrity....Mr Lee Marvin. One of the nicest and best story tellers going...a few bottles of whiskey were comsumed that arvo. I got lemon squash....

Great memories I have. Hank Newman & Garth Hay (the other man who managed the museum) taught me a truckload about fishing and also a bit about becoming a man...and white owl cigars....

[blacklab]

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[Bluerob]

Sounds like a great experience Bluerob, one to definitely look back on.
Thanks for sharing


Col

Col, thanks for the reply.

Yes, as a kid who loved fishing, it was an incredible place to work.

[Noelm]

I still have a Hank Newman rod belt, back in the '70s you couldn't catch fish without one.

[reggy]

118593Re ggy, I thought you might like my latest addition, the wife wasn't to impressed. but it is an amazing survivor.
It's a first generation, Pre war, 12/0 senator. It hasn't had any use by the looks, or very little. The linen line looks like new.
This is a huge reel, I can only imagine the size of the 16/0 which I'm chasing now.......
The photo doesn't show just how big it is. estimating age around 1937.......

Col
Very minty indeed Col. Did you pick that up in Australia.?

[blacklab]

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[blacklab]

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[reggy]

Yes, not an easy task, but you you have done well.
cheers
Reggy

[the baker]

I have not seen to many of these DAM SL5's around, but this little bad boy is in mint condition. 120548

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[blacklab]

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[spears]

Have collected a few older Penns

[alleycat]

This is dads first egg beater, he was a club fisherman with Indooroopilly pastime and hospital clubs, reel is a Diawa, bought around 1973..

[stevej]

As a young fella my neighbor worked at the tip driving a bulldozer and in exchange for mowing his lawn once a month he would being me all the fishing gear he would find
I had 12 16ft cane rods old timber sidecasts everything and anything and use to fix up the modern stuff and sell it for a few dollars to buy other gear

it was amazing what got thrown out and a shame it didn't survive my youthfulness at the time

[reggy]

I have not seen to many of these DAM SL5's around, but this little bad boy is in mint condition. 120548

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Very nice reel. I am also a fan of DAM reels. This is my 270 Super that was made in 1954. I have about 6 DAM reels now.120867

[gazza2006au]

There was a Senator i was watching for $80 but its a really shit drive to mortdale where the shop is and seems no one wants the reel

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[blacklab]

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[blacklab]

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[banshee]

There was a Senator i was watching for $80 but its a really shit drive to mortdale where the shop is and seems no one wants the reel

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Frame twist is generally what brings these undone and any easy fix is temporary.If you look at it you will need to be prepared to buy a one piece frame in my opinion

[gazza2006au]

The brown one is the one i have been watching but there is also a black one now available

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[chris69]

Very nice reel. I am also a fan of DAM reels. This is my 270 Super that was made in 1954. I have about 6 DAM reels now.120867
Someone would have been rich back then to have a spinner like that Dam.

[reggy]

Actually Chris, This is my most valuable DAM. I bought one of these back in 1985 and it was approaching $300 back then.
Greg120873

[reggy]

I think this is the frame Banshee was referring to. I am guessing that Col might have one or two of these also.
Reggy120874

[blacklab]

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[gazza2006au]

Thanks Col the marone is a 4/0

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[reggy]

Great reels Col! I used to have a 6/0 that came with a stock PENN alloy frame. Wish I still had it now.
Greg

[blacklab]

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[banshee]

Actually Chris, This is my most valuable DAM. I bought one of these back in 1985 and it was approaching $300 back then.
Greg120873

I can't open any of those attachments,any chance of posting a pic of this reel?........Or is it that the pic is just not coming up on my computer?

[reggy]

I can't open any of those attachments,any chance of posting a pic of this reel?........Or is it that the pic is just not coming up on my computer?

Hi Banshee
Can you see this one?
120876

[banshee]

Hi Banshee
Can you see this one?
120876
No mate just comes up as invalid attachment,must be my computer.

[reggy]

No mate just comes up as invalid attachment,must be my computer.

OK, The model DAM in that post is a 3001. They were made from 1980 to 82
Alan Hawk did a review on the 5001

[banshee]

I like that green one (270 Super?) a lot more,wouldn't be many around in that condition.

[reggy]

Yes, I was lucky to find that one. Made in 1954. I found it on Gumtree. Came from WA.

[reggy]

Go advanced might make a difference?
120877

This is the left side of my 3001. Hope you can see this pic Banshee

[banshee]

Go advanced might make a difference?
120877

This is the left side of my 3001. Hope you can see this pic Banshee

Got it that time.

[blacklab]

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[reggy]

120879Col
The two I have shown , I don't fish, but i do have about 4 others that I fish.
This one is a 1967 330. The mechanism is very simple, durable and reliable on these reels, very similar to the old ABU cardinals.

[blacklab]

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[reggy]

I'm starting to drool Col. Very nice!
Greg

[reggy]

A few more of my DAM Quick reels

121651121652121653

First one is the reel Alan Hawk called the Godfather of spin reels.
Second is a 270 Super.
Third is a 331 high speed.

Greg

[blacklab]

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[reggy]

Thanks Col. Yes, I couldn't`t believe my luck when the 5001 came up for sale in Australia and no one else bid on it. It looked terrible at the time, but that was all on the outside. It functioned perfectly. The other surprise was the vendor lives about 4 kms from me.

Greg

[stevej]

so far ive managed to find a
abu 1500c 2500c 2600 iar

when the 1500 turns up in a week ill put aphoto of the three up
just want to get a 1600 and a 1600 iar andd have a set

unfortunately the 1500 has a little mark on the side plate but im not paying 1000-1500 for mint ones

[blacklab]

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[reggy]

In another life I had a 10000c, a 9000c, a 7000, a 5500 and a 6500CTC3 Mag Elite. The only ABU overhead I have now is an Ambassadeur 12 IGFA
Greg

[stevej]

121992

Not the best photo
I’m still waiting for the 1500 to turn up via dhl

2500 and 2600 iar

[blacklab]

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[stevej]

Working now ?

[blacklab]

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[stevej]

Modern stuff is better it’s just the first few reels I owned for bass fishing and then had to sell as the kids came along

I don’t as there are guys out there that will do an amazing job for $50-60

new stuff I don’t service just look after it and retire it when it’s not the best as a rebuild is normally more then a midrange reel anyway

[blacklab]

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[stevej]

Steve,
What are the 2500c's worth in tidy condition ???

Col
i paid 400 each for those
with boxes manuals and mint with no marks 1000 +

[blacklab]

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[gazza2006au]

I reckon i would appreciate an old done up reel over my LTD 15 which will only decline in price the older reels would hold or possibly increase in value

How are the drag on those vintage reels tho?

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[stevej]

if tidy blacklab its an ok price
the only reason the small abus are priced like this is the japanese love them and pay top dollar

and gazza if it still works and does the job who cares about depreciation on a $200 reel .

the drags were fit for use back then and still are, modern reels with 5kg drag ratings on a reel size that you only fish 6pd like are a crock of shite

[gazza2006au]

Was more of a question are the old reels drag up to standards of today and comparitive to the modrrn market

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[blacklab]

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[gazza2006au]

I keep an eye out every now and again fot the old penn marone and black models they do come up there is one listed now with new gears but at $100 if it needs upgrades im unsure what that will make the deal overall or what its value will be completed


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[stevej]

Was more of a question are the old reels drag up to standards of today and comparitive to the modrrn market

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didnt mean toseem short in my reply just this website is painful to use on the phone sometimes

drags are up to the line glass they are designed for and i have put jack Erskine drag kits in them that i have had stored for 25 years