190 Light Tackle Bay reel; Bay-Star

[Penn Chronology]

I picked up an older 190. It is not a prom queen by any stretch. I doubt I will ever fish it but I would like to get the spool that most likely came with it to make it period correct. I am assuming it should be a plastic spool? I am guessing it's a 1940s reel. Thanks Tim

I would date your 190 as a 1955 model. The spool in your reel seems to have been replaced. Plastic would be correct; but, in 1955, Penn also offered the Model 190 with a metal spool. If you want to keep the metal spool on your reel and you want the reel to be historically correct, you need to find a Model 190 metal spool that is Nickel plated. The one in your reel in the photo is chrome plated.

[mizmo67]

I picked up an older 190. It is not a prom queen by any stretch. I doubt I will ever fish it but I would like to get the spool that most likely came with it to make it period correct. I am assuming it should be a plastic spool? I am guessing it's a 1940s reel. Thanks Tim

I would date your 190 as a 1955 model. The spool in your reel seems to have been replaced. Plastic would be correct; but, in 1955, Penn also offered the Model 190 with a metal spool. If you want to keep the metal spool on your reel and you want the reel to be historically correct, you need to find a Model 190 metal spool that is Nickel plated. The one in your reel in the photo is chrome plated.

I need to fix our catalog..I have the older 190 listed as a Seaboy, not a Bay-Star!

[Tbrom]

I picked up an older 190. It is not a prom queen by any stretch. I doubt I will ever fish it but I would like to get the spool that most likely came with it to make it period correct. I am assuming it should be a plastic spool? I am guessing it's a 1940s reel. Thanks Tim

I would date your 190 as a 1955 model. The spool in your reel seems to have been replaced. Plastic would be correct; but, in 1955, Penn also offered the Model 190 with a metal spool. If you want to keep the metal spool on your reel and you want the reel to be historically correct, you need to find a Model 190 metal spool that is Nickel plated. The one in your reel in the photo is chrome plated.

I was making the 1940 s assumption under the impression that the picture plate and no parts number made it an earlier model. That is based only on what I have read here. I have a lot to learn! Thank you.

[Penn Chronology]

I need to fix our catalog..I have the older 190 listed as a Seaboy, not a Bay-Star!

Yes Mo, the Penn Sea Boy is a Model 85.

[Decker]

Tony, the ad you posted showing the Bay-Star 190 mentions, "The spiral cut gears are triple multiplying for speedy action."   I guess it is saying there is a 3:1 gear ratio.  Do you know any details about the "spiral cut gears"?   Thanks.


BTW, I love seeing the old reels put to practical use.  Thanks, Steve, for you pictures.  I'd love to try bottom fishing with one of these old knuckle-busters some time.  It must be a totally different experience.

[sdlehr]

Do you know any details about the "spiral cut gears"? 

Joe, look up "gear" on wikipedia. Someone posted a link a week or so ago and it went all through spiral-cut and straight-cut gears, and many other gear variations. Straight-cut gears engage cogs all at once. Spiral-cut are smoother because the cogs engage gradually.

[Decker]

Thanks, Sid.   Looked it up.  Guess spiral-cut gears were seen as a fairly new innovation at the time.   

[sdlehr]

I think the first spiral-cut gear in a fishing reel came out of the Kentucky reel makers, but I forget which one....