Leather thumb drag/protection on a 113h Tank

[Mandelstam]

Dom asked me if I could help him out with making an old school leather thumb drag for his 113h Tank. He wants it for skin burn protection when fishing live bait and the tuna strikes and takes off. So it's not going to be an actual drag, more thumb protection. I guess holding a glass of chilled Zin keeps the skin soft and sensitive..

He suggested that I make a build thread here to show you the progress and hopefully the finished thing.

This is the inspiration and original thumb drags we've been looking at
http://orca-online.org/reel-talk/viewtopic.php?t=13831


http://orca-online.org/reel-talk/viewtopic.php?t=10703


Since his tank has a top less Tib frame we can't use the same technique or just fold a piece of leather in half and sew a tunnel for the post. That would have been the easiest if it would have been a stock frame.

If you want to fasten this to a Tib frame you have to drill and tap it. It's the only solution we've come up with so far anyway, atleast if you want to have it removable in some way. I'm not sure if Dom has decided he want's to do this yet, but he has some time left to think about it.

I ransacked my bits and pieces of leather and scrap I have lying around and then made this first sketch and showed Dom:


The leather tab is two ply, one thicker underneath and a thinner on top. On the rear side a piece of brass rod is fitted to the tab and the whole thing is secured under a metal plate which is secured to the frame with SS button head hex screws.

Dom didn't want the metal tab wider than the leather (and I agree with him now), so this is the revised sketch (with actual Tib narrow frame measurements which I didn't have the first time). Still the same basic concept but with just one screw which also goes through the leather tab.


This is where the project stands right now. I guess there is a bit of tweaking of the design left before starting the build. More progress pics will follow.

Karl

[Irish Jigger]

Nice design there Karl.
I make mine from leather key fobs by removing the key ring and fitting the leather to the post.
Just a matter of getting the nearest width of leather fob.
AT 75 cents those Fluegers are a good buy

[Irish Jigger]

They come cheaper than these

http://www.weekendoffender.com/accessories/leather-keyring-brown.html

[Mandelstam]

Nice design there Karl.
I make mine from leather key fobs by removing the key ring and fitting the leather to the post.
Just a matter of getting the nearest width of leather fob.
AT 75 cents those Fluegers are a good buy

Now where's the fun in that?! Good idea though!

[Cone]

Karl, Dominick picked the right person to make it for him. I would think about another way to attach it besides drilling and tapping the frame. Maybe we could shorten a post and put it where it would normally be or put longer screws there and use nuts to attach it? Just an idea.  Bob

[Irish Jigger]

A couple of stainless steel /monel pop rivets may work.
Punch out the broken rivet stem which will otherwise rust.

[Mandelstam]

Great input guys! The thing is I don't have a Tiburon top less narrow frame myself to fiddle around with. You don't get the same feel for it if you can't play around with it. But anyway we could avoid drilling the frame is a good thing. Though I have to tell you, my workshop is at my dinner table in the kitchen, I don't have any metal working machines. If we have to drill it Dom has said that he would do that part of the operation.

Bob, you're idea of fitting a post to the frame sounds interesting but I don't understand where you want to put it? The base of the leather tab has to be fitted around where the existing cross bar sits, you want the leather to point in the direction of the line so to speak.

[Shark Hunter]

Karl, Dominick picked the right person to make it for him. I would think about another way to attach it besides drilling and tapping the frame. Maybe we could shorten a post and put it where it would normally be or put longer screws there and use nuts to attach it? Just an idea.  Bob

There is no posts on the Tank Bob. That's the problem. I really have no use for these Brakes. I'm probably going to get in trouble here. I just wear some Quality Gloves. Usually with Kevlar fingertips or Similar. Just Because I know my shark on the other end has some skin like 180 grit sand paper and I'm not grabbing him without some protection. If I have to thumb the drag, I need a bigger Reel!
I think Dominick just thumbed the spool at the wrong time out of Habit. I'm not being a Hater here. I Love the Tank! Just my opinion. You Go Karl! When you figure it out, I might trade you one for a Shark Rig.

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

...I guess holding a glass of chilled Zin keeps the skin soft and sensitive..

LOL! good one Karl...

[Mandelstam]

You Go Karl! When you figure it out, I might trade you one for a Shark Rig.

I just might take you up on that!

I'm actually going to make some beefed up halibut rigs tonight together with a couple of cool beers. It's Friday, right? Nothing like taking out your swager, mono, beefy swivels and a fresh pack of 16/0 circle hooks!

[Ron Jones]

Nothing like taking out your swager, mono, beefy swivels and a fresh pack of 16/0 circle hooks!

And BEER! Don't forget the BEER!! (or Zin, for the more dainty among us. )
Ron

[Keta]

I don't like beer or wine....how about tequila?

[Dominick]

I think Dominick just thumbed the spool at the wrong time out of Habit. I'm not being a Hater here. I Love the Tank! Just my opinion. You Go Karl! When you figure it out, I might trade you one for a Shark Rig.

Daron:  it is tough to break those kinds of habits.  It was easier to quit smoking then to keep your thumb off the spool.  When live lining and letting line out you have to put some pressure on the spool while you pull out line.  Tuna hit so quickly and violently that your thumb is burned before you can react.  Don't forget a stemmed wine glass does not fit in the drink holders.  You have to balance it in one hand and try to pull out line.     I might try tequila.  Lee is right on on most things, maybe he has something going here.  I want to hear the story of Lee teaching the Bosu the evils of tequila.  Dominick

[Shark Hunter]

Tequila=To Kill Ya!
The worst hang over ever. No thank you! I have been a hard drinker of Bourbon for many years. I just realized that I was slowly killing myself with it and the cigarettes. I just put them down. No more liquor or smokes for me!
Just Beer! It makes me a Jolly Good Fellow!
I'm sure Karl is going to make us proud with his brake. I really think That is the only thing left that my Tank doesn't have. I have the BP Gears and ss sleeve and yoke. Lee's Insert, The Karl Brake is all that's left.

[Alto Mare]

 
http://www.amazon.com/Protector-Leather-Construction-Padded-Medium/dp/B0095Z2Q94