Old DAM Quick Finessa 280

foakes · October 21, 2017, 07:42:58 PM

Early this morning, while waiting for the temperature to warm up to 40 degrees when the sun comes over our East hill -- was drinking a cup of coffee and found this old early Finessa -- unused, never on a rod, still in the original box with a vinyl zip bag.

Pretty nice old reel.

Been snaking and dragging logs out of the upper woods yesterday and today. 32 degrees last night.

Three families came up this morning to get around 6 cords of split wood. Another coming this afternoon for another 4 cords. Nice to give this away so folks can use it.

Best,

Fred

handi2 · October 21, 2017, 11:05:08 PM

That's a lot of wood Fred. I hope they are great full which im sure they are.

Its still in the 80's here but it gets cool at night. Just right.

festus · October 21, 2017, 11:47:52 PM

You found a never used 280 Finessa? Wow! I don't drink coffee but maybe I should. Looks better than anything you can buy brand new from BPS, Cabela's, Sportsman's Warehouse, etc.

Do you have any idea what year that reel could be? Mine has a different handle knob.

We have 3 cords of wood, plenty for us since we seldom burn it. We use central propane heat unless there is a power outage.

happyhooker · October 21, 2017, 11:54:53 PM

I gotta check out our kitchen spice cabinet!

Frank

foakes · October 22, 2017, 01:05:02 AM

The year is about 1959 -- maybe as early as 56.

There were around 4 versions of the Finessa before it became the 330.

This shows on the foot "Made in Germany".

About 1959, or so -- it showed "Made in West Germany".

I may have around 50 or 60 or these -- and they are very solid and capable pieces of equipment.

The spool is metal.

Best,

Fred

Midway Tommy · October 22, 2017, 04:17:15 AM

Fred,
Probably around '58/'59ish. The earlier 280s had a gray drag knob. Some of those early 280s had a copper/bronze colored sideplate and back of rotor/cup, too. They're kind of a neat find.

festus · October 22, 2017, 04:19:34 AM

Mine says Made in West Germany on the reel seat.

foakes · October 22, 2017, 05:05:06 AM

Right, Tommy --

Have 4 crates of Finessas --

In just a couple of the bins I counted 10 which had copper sideplates and rotor backs, and one of those had a grey drag knob.

Pretty good and under-rated old reels.

Best,

Fred

festus · October 22, 2017, 02:28:07 PM

I notice there was a handle style change at some point. My Finessa shown in the second pic is totally different from the bottom one in the first pic.

foakes · October 22, 2017, 03:23:05 PM

On the Finessa 280 & 285 -- there were at least (3) different handle cranks that I know of.

This series of reels was introduced by D.A.M. around 1956 -- ran full production and was distributed Worldwide until another series of 7 reels was introduced around 1967.

The Finessa was the same size as the 330.

Many parts are interchangeable between decades -- over the years -- much like Penn.

Best,

Fred

festus · October 22, 2017, 05:16:46 PM

I thought my Finessa was a 280, but after looking at the bottom of the metal spool I see "285". Undoubtedly a 1964 model. http://home.kpn.nl/roland.lindenberh/index.html

Midway Tommy · October 23, 2017, 02:17:32 AM

Quote from: festus on October 22, 2017, 05:16:46 PM
I thought my Finessa was a 280, but after looking at the bottom of the metal spool I see "285". Undoubtedly a 1964 model. http://home.kpn.nl/roland.lindenberh/index.html

One of the most interesting things about these, and most other mass produced reels is throughout the last 60 or 70 years reel repair dudes and do it yourselfers make their repairs, upgrade parts, swap out broken parts with new and/or used parts. All kidding aside there are a lot Frankenreels out there that are almost impossible to date by looking at individual parts. A 280 Finessa could have easily had a replacement spool that says 285 on the bottom of it.

As a general rule one has to look at all parts and aspects of many of the mass produced reels to see if all the parts appear to be original to that particular model and time frame. A good example is a Cardinal 4 I just saw on eBay. The seller describes it as "all original" and in "perfect condition". The # on the bottom reel foot indicates it was manufactured in August of 1974. The side plate is correct for that version and it has a flat handle knob that was found on later reels of that version (1977ish). It has a conical type bail that is found on the previous versions from 1969 through 1973. It also has a gold aluminum spool. Aluminum spools were never included on any Zebco Cardinal. I asked him about those discrepancies and he emphatically informed me that it had been given to him new as a gift 27 years ago and he had used it for those 27years. Interestingly enough, that would have been a 1974 reel in 1990 and aluminum spools for the Cardinal 4 had yet to be manufactured, ABU had just come out with their ABU Cardinal 33 24 kt Gold Plated CDL with an aluminum spool that year.

This is just one example of a multi version and parted reel. There are many other examples out there so dating reels by one specific part is near impossible.

festus · October 23, 2017, 02:56:40 PM

True. I've seen my share of Frankenreels from the lot of Mitchell 300s I bought a while back.

Other than the spool, I had 4 more clues that my Finessa could be a 285, notation "Made in West Germany", type of paint, crank arm, and handle grip.

oldmanjoe · April 26, 2018, 05:58:56 AM

Bought a parts reel , i thought ... After i received it looks to be a 1959 280 finessa . The handle is held in with a finish nail , the knob is black flat on a aluminum handle . The foot says made in Germany as does the spool . The spool has 3 screws that you have to remove to get to the drag washer . I am not sure if the drag is felt with a thin plastic washer and 1 steel washer . The bail arm is a little different as far as it looks solid , it does not have the hole with the black button.
Some pic