I have an addiction, not a bad one I don't think.

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, tjm said:

Reel is not as unique as I thought nor quite as old as I thought; Ocean City   Sturdibilt "Wanita" #305 (apparently Sturdibuilt was an Ocean City predecessor) and I think the "Silent Drag" in your reel dates it to 1946-48 per one source, going by changes stated in catalogs but without pictures. The chromium plated round line guard is consistent with the "Deluxe" version.

I think I've seen that reel in images before but having a different drag/check. And now I have seen something "new"

And in the search I came across this quote that kinda  fits me- "I never met a fly rod that I didn't like"

             Thanks, tjm for the info. 

   That is a good quote. 

[tjm]

Oh, I had fun tracking that thing down, it's too hot outside to do anything else, i was kinda hoping it'd be a collector item that would fiance another old tackle purchase. btw, I think from the little I know of cane rods that the Shakespeare rod dates from about the same period, so, it'd not surprise me if they were bought together. 

[Ham]

I’m a part time fly guy and I find it hard to use all the rods I have. Only semi joking about setting up a rotation

[BilletHead]

2 hours ago, tjm said:

Oh, I had fun tracking that thing down, it's too hot outside to do anything else, i was kinda hoping it'd be a collector item that would fiance another old tackle purchase. btw, I think from the little I know of cane rods that the Shakespeare rod dates from about the same period, so, it'd not surprise me if they were bought together. 

               I sure do wish it was a left hand reel. 

[tjm]

I don't think many anglers ever used LHW reels until the post war proliferation of the new spinning reels and nylon lines. The reels produced prior to ~1950 are predominately RHW unless custom ordered, with some being ambidextrous by accident, like the caliper click reels that have no real bias to the direction of check, by the mid '50s the spinning reels had converted a lot of anglers to LHW, but it still took until 1959 for Pflueger to make a conversion adapter for the popular Medalists, and until '63 for them to make the Medalists convertible from the factory with no extra parts required. Even then, as far as I know they were always delivered set up RHW. It doesn't bother me much either way, I can wind with either hand or wind backwards if needed. And having learned with a #33 spincast all those years ago I can swap hands on the rod with dropping it. 

Looking at the "Silent Drag", it doesn't appear to have much if any directional bias,  so the reel could probably be used "backwards" if one just ignored the line guard. 

[BilletHead]

9 hours ago, tjm said:

I don't think many anglers ever used LHW reels until the post war proliferation of the new spinning reels and nylon lines. The reels produced prior to ~1950 are predominately RHW unless custom ordered, with some being ambidextrous by accident, like the caliper click reels that have no real bias to the direction of check, by the mid '50s the spinning reels had converted a lot of anglers to LHW, but it still took until 1959 for Pflueger to make a conversion adapter for the popular Medalists, and until '63 for them to make the Medalists convertible from the factory with no extra parts required. Even then, as far as I know they were always delivered set up RHW. It doesn't bother me much either way, I can wind with either hand or wind backwards if needed. And having learned with a #33 spincast all those years ago I can swap hands on the rod with dropping it. 

Looking at the "Silent Drag", it doesn't appear to have much if any directional bias,  so the reel could probably be used "backwards" if one just ignored the line guard. 

                      tjm,

  I looked and yes it could be used by turning around. The edges of the reel are smooth enough not to damage the line rubbing against the sides. You are correct no difference winding either way against the drag. As far as reeling right-handed I still do on spinning reels, but I cannot raise left arm holding rod above my shoulder because the shoulder is shot. So, with a fly rod with leader about impossible to get a fish in a net.  Really need to stay left had retrieve. Since you can adapt this reel is yours if you want it. Use it, study it, add it to your stuff.  Use the PM option on here and send address I will get it to you. If you happen to have a repeat reel left hand retrieve about same size, we can trade if not still no problem. Would rather have this go to someone that would appreciate it. 

 Marty

[tjm]

I have probably two dozen reels, so let some one else play with that one, or keep it as a paper weight slash conversation piece.

Line guards were not so much to protect the lines as to prevent lines from grooving the reel frames. Braided silk lines with soft varnish coatings were bad to pick up and hold grit, so that they became very like a saw after some use and the metals used for frames were relatively soft, so, hardened metal rings or more commonly, perhaps, agate insert rings were installed to keep the line from cutting into the frames.

Two dozen reels?? I started trying to find  a part for a Medalist several years ago and found that they were no longer available and that led to looking on eBay for a salvage reel, where I discovered that on occasion the whole working reel could be purchased  for less than any of the parts and my attempts to buy a parts donor reel and getting a fully usable reel lead me to buying another and another as they came up at low cost, I never did get a junk Medalist.   With one of those buys as a lot, I got a Pflueger Sal Trout and found that I liked it almost as much as the Medalist, and as they were often very cheap at the time I acquired several over  time. Sal Trout 1554 is a large arbor spring and pawl skeleton reel that was a popular lower cost reel from the '20s through the '70s so there are lots of them out there.  And having found that I like them it's hard to pass one up if the cost is low enough. Very light weight and ambidextrous with moderate capacity, actually for the little fishing I do these days all the reel I need. And I have more of them now than I have need for.    She will probably have to give my rods and reels away,, rather than have a sale,  not many are wanting "antique" tackle.  And I can't recall the last time I saw another flyrodder on the local creeks, so not much demand for fly tackle locally either.

[BilletHead]

49 minutes ago, tjm said:

I have probably two dozen reels, so let some one else play with that one, or keep it as a paper weight slash conversation piece.

Line guards were not so much to protect the lines as to prevent lines from grooving the reel frames. Braided silk lines with soft varnish coatings were bad to pick up and hold grit, so that they became very like a saw after some use and the metals used for frames were relatively soft, so, hardened metal rings or more commonly, perhaps, agate insert rings were installed to keep the line from cutting into the frames.

Two dozen reels?? I started trying to find  a part for a Medalist several years ago and found that they were no longer available and that led to looking on eBay for a salvage reel, where I discovered that on occasion the whole working reel could be purchased  for less than any of the parts and my attempts to buy a parts donor reel and getting a fully usable reel lead me to buying another and another as they came up at low cost, I never did get a junk Medalist.   With one of those buys as a lot, I got a Pflueger Sal Trout and found that I liked it almost as much as the Medalist, and as they were often very cheap at the time I acquired several over  time. Sal Trout 1554 is a large arbor spring and pawl skeleton reel that was a popular lower cost reel from the '20s through the '70s so there are lots of them out there.  And having found that I like them it's hard to pass one up if the cost is low enough. Very light weight and ambidextrous with moderate capacity, actually for the little fishing I do these days all the reel I need. And I have more of them now than I have need for.    She will probably have to give my rods and reels away,, rather than have a sale,  not many are wanting "antique" tackle.  And I can't recall the last time I saw another flyrodder on the local creeks, so not much demand for fly tackle locally either.

                  Well, you can count me as one using the old stuff and have at Bennitt springs. Since I have been using the stuff, I am beginning to notice more doing the same thing. Last time over there I actually seen a guy standing on the dam fishing an old rod. Can tell because it's a thicker rod and pretty slow action. 

[Dutch]

I’m sorry but every time I see this thread I can’t get Red Green out of my mind.

[BilletHead]

8 minutes ago, Dutch said:

I’m sorry but every time I see this thread I can’t get Red Green out of my mind.

              If women don't find you Hansome they might as well find you handy.