Vintage J. C. Higgins 500 Spinning Reel

[foakes]

During the week -- in between working on reels for clients, doing new builds for members, and balancing life's other opportunities -- I generally try to restore a couple of reels a week out of the bone-pile.

Always try to do a neat old rare reel, or one I think might teach me something about the reels of the 50's, 60's, and 70's.  These are not necessarily expensive reels -- likely just the opposite.

Pulled out an old JC Higgins 500 spinning reel -- metal frame and rotor -- plastic sideplates, under cover, and spool.
 
Looks like my Mom's old crank can opener from the early 60's or late 50's that she was proud of -- and was screwed to a cabinet.  Weird color -- light mint green.

Would not crank -- or operate at all -- something was jammed -- likely beyond any possible repair.

Looked online -- no schematics -- likely a Bronson made for Sears Roebuck with the JC Higgins name attached.

Popped open the sideplates -- Ok so far -- disassembled carefully the rest -- piece by piece -- trying to remember the order.  

As I got further down the rabbit hole -- parts I did not recognize started to appear -- then a spring shot loose -- taking with it a few parts that I had never seen in any reel before -- after picking them up and examining them -- I was no closer to understnding what the heck they were -- how they interacted -- or even where they went.

Got out the camera -- and started to document what was left of the reel.  At least I might have a breadcrumb trail from this point forward.

This reel had parts that were not from this sector of our galaxy.

So, got it all disassembled -- almost just chucked the whole thing in the trash can.  

Decided to at least clean the parts.

The old black grease was impregnated into every piece of metal, plastic, bronze.

Had to be careful with the cleaning -- plastic, different metals, etc.

24 hours of Dawn dish soap soaking, mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, ultrasonic baths, toothbrushes, toothpicks, scrapers, "0000" steel wool, burnishing wheel, Nevr-Dull, and more yielded a decent result.

I still had little idea as to how it worked or even went back together.

Went out to a Mexican dinner early this evening -- told my wife about the little project -- she said you can do it -- I wasn't so confident, though.

Got home -- started on the reel -- within 45 minutes -- had it figured out -- only broke one old spring that needed replacing anyway.  Straightened some bent forks that I had no idea if they might snap off -- or even if it was in the right direction -- oiled, adjusted -- and got really lucky...

What we ended up with is a spinner with an internal under rotor A/R.

It has a 4-way functioning handle -- meaning it operates forward, has a mechanical -- not centrifugal A/R when handle is slightly reversed -- the bail opens by itself when the handle is turned a notch further backwards -- then the bail closes when the handle is moved forward again!

And it is smooth, quiet, clicks nicely.

The drag stack is at the rear -- it is the little white knob that rotates against a metal mechanism with a heavy coil spring, center screw arbor, and 4 discs of metal and fiber.

Interesting old piece of history that has been long abandoned.

Now I know how an archeologist feels when uncovering a  new unknown dinosaur fossil.

Best,

Fred

[Tightlines667]

Interesting.

I have been eying 2 different styles of J.C.Higgins spinning reels lately, and I was intrigued by their apparent unique design elements.  I almost bought one just to see what was inside.  Does your model have a clicker on that functions on the spool shaft the as well as the 'always on' AR under the rotor?

Pics would be cool.

Glad you eventually got it sorted.

John

[Rancanfish]

I finally understood how one of those oldies works.  Great explanation on that one Fred.

[Midway Tommy]

Fred,
I don't have the reel but I know a guy that has one and the spool click doesn't work or make a sound. There's a ribbed area in the middle of the oscillation guide that I think is for the spool line payout click. How does that fitting ride on those ridges/ribs to make the spool click? Could you maybe post a photo of those innards? I'd like to tell him how to adjust that clip or whether or not it's broken. He just has 2 tabs sticking straight out at 90 degrees sideways from the guide.

[Tightlines667]

Fred,
I don't have the reel but I know a guy that has one and the spool click doesn't work or make a sound. There's a ribbed area in the middle of the oscillation guide that I think is for the spool line payout click. What kind of fitting rides on those ridges/ribs to make the spool click? Could you maybe post a photo of those innards? I'd like to tell him what part he's missing.

Here's the related thread over on ORCA...

http://reeltalk.orcaonline.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=20332

John

[foakes]

Here are a few more pics, Tommy --

I just looked over on the ORCA site -- as to what John linked -- and shot a pic of the little metal tab that is missing on his reel.  This is basically a crosswind block made out of very thin metal.

The tab appears to be a feedout clicker when the spool shaft rotates.

The reel is basically silent when cranking/retrieving normally.

This reel, even when new, had plentiy of weak spots, IMO --

Starting with parts unlike anything else I know of -- so if it didn't catch on (it didn't) -- no replacement parts would be available...

Then, the non-durable plastic -- some riveted parts inside, nylon main gear, the cheap pressed metallic tin crosswind block, when the grease was allowed to harden -- parts would bend or break.

The odd thing to me -- the fact that many of the parts are of very high quality -- and other parts are of low quality.

If made by Bronson for Sears -- it was probably a supposed cutting edge reel utilizing plastics for show & color -- some new innovations -- and not thought through very well for durability down the road.

I have 5 or 6 dozen old Bronson spinners in half and full bails -- many variations and models.  And about the only thing in common to a Bronson is the frame and sideplate style construction is similar.  I am going to make lamps out of them for folks to buy.

This was just a fun little side project that turned out well -- others just get tossed in the trash.

Just my opinions...

Best,

Fred

[mo65]

   Very Interesting post Fred. I've fished with Higgins reels since I was a kid but this is the first spinning reel I've seen from them. A lot of conventionals and spincasters show up around here, but never a spinner. Thanks for the detailed look.

[happyhooker]

That reel looks like something George Jetson might fish with.  Absolutely cool, fo' sho'.

And, a skirted spool too?

Frank

[Midway Tommy]

Mike,

Sears sold at least 25 different spinning reels marked J.C. Higgins, some made by Shakespeare, Zangi, Bretton, to name a few, and many low ends made in Japan. I've got quite a few "Higgins" spinners but not that 500 or the similar black 400.   

[Shark Hunter]

Pretty cool Fred.
Definitely Retro.
I like the can opener too.

[mizmo67]

Oh, that horrid moment when things go flying from an unfamiliar model!

I take pictures as I go...but even going carefully something can go spung before you get a look at it.

It does have a very 60's space tech sort of look to it.

[sdlehr]

Just by coincidence, I think the can opener was similar to the reel in that both were designed to be cranked in one direction, but have a function when cranked in the opposite direction - I believe in the case of the can opener one would crank in one direction to cut through the lid, then a partial turn back in the opposite direction popped the top up in the air for easy access - we had an old one that was similar and there was a magnet that grabbed the top and popped it up when the crank was reversed.

[Midway Tommy]

Looked online -- no schematics -- likely a Bronson made for Sears Roebuck with the JC Higgins name attached.

Mystery solved thanks to KeysReels (Bill) over @ ORCA. The reel was Patented in 1955 and made by Controls Company of America A-P Controls Division, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, not Bronson. The company was a division of Soreng Controls. They obviously later contracted with J.C. Higgins for distribution and sales. Neat discovery of their origin.     

[foakes]

Thank You, Tommy -- Bill, Joe, and others --

Some folks kept saying Bronson -- but I couldn't see it (although have been known to be wrong many times).

Out of 50 or 60 old Bronson's in the vintage bins slated for lamp bases -- nothing was remotely similar.

Just another company that decided to jump on the tackle-making bandwagon in the 50's...they jumped off just as quick when the challenges, competition, and bottom line were not to their liking.

This is certainly an unusual reel -- but also a weak reel in many areas.

I should refurbish a few of those old Nyolites in the bins made from Dupont Nylon primarily -- interesting and impractical

Best,

Fred

[Gfish]

Interesting, unraveling histories mysteries. That reel, given the quality issues Fred noted, looks like it would be onea those cosmetic beauties when new(bright shiny plastic, space age shapes(mabey "jet age"?)), with those aspects as the main selling points. Have a JC Higgins baitcaster, probably from the 50's, all metal, looks alot like a same era Shakespeare or Pfluegar, seems to be good quality both inside and out.

Thanks Fred, Tommy, et.al., the knowledge of spinners you bring to this Forum, really makes it that much more interesting for those like myself that like all types a reels.
Gfish