Vintage reels

[blacklab]

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[blacklab]

personal photo's removed

[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.
Attachment 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.
Reggy2016-08-16 07.22.19.jpg

[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]

P1040012_zpssln4i1ku.jpgI got one of those thumb leathers on a PENN 99 silver beach. It was made by Pflueger.
Reggy

[blacklab]

personal photo's deleted

[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.
ReggyAttachment 118411

[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]

Attachment 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.?