Low down on BPS brand Ocean Master OML-25 reels?

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Hi all,

I just picked up a used one with the jerkiest drag I ever experienced on a reel. It's so consistently inconsistent you would think it was made that way.

Anyway, tried to do my google diligence on this thing and havent been able to pin down if the rumors are true that its a TLD with different markings, or if its a POJ, or somewhere in the middle. Let alone if the drag washer is identical to the TLD.

There doesn't even seem to be so much as a sentence dedicated to these reels on this, most hallowed site.   

Any info, particularly concerning the drag, would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[alantani]

taiwanese copy, probably omoto.  if dawn can match up a drag washer for you and if you can do the bearing service, then you would probably have a pretty decent reel.   

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Gonna try to post some pics.

BPS is Bass Pro Shops. A chain of over-the-top sporting goods mega stores. Guess they dont have them out west?

The reel says Made in Korea.

Here's what I found:












The site wouldnt allow me to rearrange the pics in proper order.

Drag looks like carbon I guess. I've only been exposed to felt and Shimano's "Dartanium."

At first I thought the corrosion was causing the drag to act "notchy" but it is on the fixed side.
Because this is carbon, (assuming,) should it be greased?

A new drag has been ordered.

[Bryan Young]

Looks like a tld25 copy.

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Yep, it sure does. But the drag is different material. I know the TLDs run their drag washers dry, and on this one there wasnt any grease.

 

[Robert Janssen]

There have been TLD clones / licensed / unlicensed / OEMs / knockoffs / by several different names or manufacturers for many many years. Who made this one, who knows? It is what it is.

Love the This Side Out sticker.

.

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Perhaps the title was misleading. I need help figuring out what to do with this drag. I have a new one on the way. The main question is:

To grease, or not to grease?

Thanks.

[Bryan Young]

Those drags could very well be carbon fiber.  I would grease it with a drag grease.  Lower expensive Pfleuger Contenders came with Carbon Fiber drags to my amazement.  I greased them up and they were smooooooth.

[alantani]

hold a match to the edge of the drag washers.  if it burns, then it is cotton and should be replaced with carbon fiber.  if it does not burn, then it is carbon fiber and you are good go grease it and go!

[Bryan Young]

Excellent tip Alan

[Robert Janssen]

Excellent tip Alan

Haha, yeah- how did he learn that one? 

Also funny, i saw some of the online reviews for this reel.

"reel is lousy blah blah", "reel is bad this-and-that blah blah"

Would you recommend this reel as a gift?. Yes

Haha, what kind of people wrote that ?! 

http://reviews.basspro.com/2010/58377/ocean-master-oml-25-b-lever-drag-reel-reviews/reviews.htm

.

[alantani]

doc, you taught me that one!

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Update: I replaced the drag and that obviously wasn't the problem. My next guess is it's a bearing problem. The question is, Which one?

It might help to know that as more drag is applied, the handle gets harder to turn.

[Bryan Young]

It's the pinion bearing. The one in the right sideplate. This is discovered when the reel gets harder to reel when the drag is applied.

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Will swap it out and see how it goes. I also have the same problem (harder to crank as drag gets tightened,) with an Avet I recently purchased. Gonna have to give that one a go also.