NOS Newell stainless drag

[Tom McKinney]

I found a new old stock drag by newell that is made from stainless and is supposed to be waterproof. Any idea how this should preform if i put it in a reel.

[bluefish69]

Tom

I never head of something like that. I do have a few sets of original Newell Drag Sets [washers are red marble colored] but it doesn't say waterproof.

Mike

[Tom McKinney]

Opened it up.  Had some kind of greased up fiber disc inside that I previously could not see.  Not carbon fiber but definitely treated.  Instructions say don't add any grease.  Going to try it

[foakes]

I have a couple or more bags of the old Newell red marbled hard washers.

These were very good in their day -- coupled with the standard SS drag discs -- and they will still work well today.

I think Carl Newell touted these along with the slightly greased washer as somewhat water-proof.

Carl wanted fisherman to be able to easily clean and service their Newells -- after a hard day of fishing -- with a minimum of take-apart.  That is why his recommendation for field cleaning his reels included the fact that you would not take apart the head plate assembly.  It was all SS, simple, and uncluttered.  Just either compress the drag stack and run fresh water over it -- or remove the drags -- and submerge the assembly in fresh water.

Greased drags are always better -- but that is how improvements evolve.

Sort of like field stripping a Glock or a Ruger SS Security Six -- one can do it in a pinch with just a nickel and a pocket knife -- if necessary -- even in the dark.

Carl certainly was ahead of his time.  In certain cases, we are just now catching up to some of his ideas -- in other cases, we have surpassed and improved on traditional reel designs and function.

Let us know how the stack holds up.

Best,

Fred