Drag grease best buy?

[Rancanfish]

OK cut to the chase,  where's the best deal on Shimano drag grease?  (Or equivalent).

I finally ran out after 10 years. 

[MarkT]

I can get Cal's drag grease at all my local tackle shops.

[Rancanfish]

I was thinking more of an on-line sort of thing.

40 minutes worth of gas one way makes it expensive.

Thanks for the reply though.

[Bryan Young]

I was thinking more of an on-line sort of thing.

40 minutes worth of gas one way makes it expensive.

Thanks for the reply though.

Randy,

SmoothDrag sells Cal's drag grease in 1 oz or 1# quantities and can have it mailed to you.  Much cheaper than jumping in a car to your local shop that may or may not have it.

Bryan

[jurelometer]

Suppliers of Cals's  lists the dropping point (temperature before the grease liquifies)   of their drag grease at > 500 F and that it is PTFE (AKA teflon) based.  Cannot find simlar data for Shimano.  Something to take into consideration.

Shimano reel carbon fiber grease page: http://www.shimanofish.com.au/products/fishing-accessories/grease.html

Definition of dropping point: http://www.astm.org/Standards/D566.htm     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dropping_point

I prefer to buy products that provide specifications.

-J

[Wolli]

should be a standard procedure that a munufacturer of chemicals publish the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) on the their webpage!
I fly one/two times per year to Asia and have Cal`s for own use and for friends in my luggage. But im not sure if the stuff is harmless or restricted by ICAO for transport in luggage.
In case the grease will be located during securty control, can present the MSDS to the security stuff. In case its restricted lot of troubles will coming up.....

For to avoid any troubles apply to Cal`s manufacturer to publish the MSDS as PDF file for print out.

Many thanks in advance

[Tiddlerbasher]

All 'Drag' greases have a dropping point higher than we really need - If my drags are running at 500 degrees F I think I have more worrying issues

Cal's is available on-line from several sources - It works well and it has been my goto drag grease - but it ain't cheap in the UK (shipping, import duties etc.)
So I have been looking for an alternative that is more cost effectived and easily available (particulary in bulk).

I have tried several alternative products which are either too expensive or not suitable. I have been ideally looking for a single grease suitable for the marine environment and drags.
There aren't many Teflon marine greases out there! So I'm running some tests on Quicksiler 2-4-C marine grease with Teflon/PTFE (varies with country). It's a Lithium based based complex with Teflon/PTFE (as the name would suggest).
1st impressions are that it looks like Cal's. Colour is very similar. Very slightly thinner but tackier. Soooo much cheaper just over a £1 per oz. It pumps easily with my mini grease gun (thumb press typr). Certainly no problem in my dedicated bearing midi size guns with Alan's adapters

So how is it as a drag grease. Early days yet but it seems to work o.k. It is very waterproof (including salt). I rigged up a test using a tank of salt water, battery drill, extension shaft and sanding pad. Took of the sandpaper stuck on a cf washer with contact adhesive. I laid a stainless plate in the bottom of the tank. Offered-up the cf to the plate and ran the drill 'till the battery was dead. Everything survived The water just 'beaded' off of the cf when lifted out. Next tests may take some time. I intend to try it in my line winder. I can drive the shaft of the 'drag tower' with a drill and compare the results with Cal's. Cal's didn't work so well in my salt water test

The main thing about this grease is I don't know the dropping point (still waiting for a response from the manufacturer). If it's similar to other Lithium complexes it should be about the 260C / 500f - which would be more than adequate
I just won't know untill the testing is complete.

[Rancanfish]

Alright, an education to go with my purchase.

I have used the Shimano since some guy named Alan told me about it over a decade ago.

I don't run into drag scorching fish very often so I've been very happy with it. I hooked a Thresher shark once fishing for Salmon, does that count?  My Tani-ized 310GTI brought it to the boat before we lost it due to the toothy fellas choppers.

I am open to trying other products.  I don't travel out of country so I don't need a MSDS.  I agree the manufacturers should be required to supply on line at least.

What color Cal's, just regular tan/brown right?  No need for low temp purple I've seen.

[Tunacious]

Some valid points are being brought up in this post...MSDS, specifications etc. Everyone has an opinion and that's great. Having said that, IMHO, this topic is at the "over thinking" stage. It's only drag grease we're talking about...it's not nuclear science.

Cal's or Shimano grease are what I've used for years without any problems from either. I fish for pelagics such as yellowfin, bluefin, albacore, yellowtail and dorado on 1-3 day fishing trips for the most part. I use either grease...it just depends on what my tackle shop has in stock. Recently, it's been Shimano. If my local tackle shop had Cal's in stock, I would have purchased that instead...not because it's better. I'd rather purchase a US product...nothing more.

I use both the Cal's or Shimano grease on my drag washers as well as all other internals of my reels and both products hold up well. I don't live in a cold climate so I use the tan Cal's...Shimano's grease is white. To the OP...since you don't have a tackle shop close to you, do a search on the internet. There's plenty of places that will ship either product to you.

[foakes]

Agree with Tunacious --

Cal's or Shimano for drag grease both work very well.

The key is regularly and routinely servicing your reels.

When I open up a reel after a year or two of use -- and it has CFs that I greased with Cal's or Shimano -- just takes a wipe down of the drags -- reapply the drag grease -- clean out the gears -- and it is ready to go for another couple of years.  The grease enables the drags to last nearly forever -- and they function well.

I really appreciate a grease that sticks well -- and evacuates out easily as well -- when being serviced.

Drag technology and grease techniques has come so far in the last 10-15 years.

Best,

Fred

[Tiddlerbasher]

The choice of drag grease is not an issue to the US guys - BUT - If you live anywhere else it can be a problem, availability, shipping and cost etc. It soon becomes a very real problem .
It is why I continuously look for alternatives that will simply my life No great beef just a fact of life!

[Rancanfish]

Just ordered 2 oz's of Cal's tan.

[Steve-O]

I use the product called Finish Line. An easily available alternative from any bike shop. Tan Teflon drag grease. Works great and I think the one $7 tube will be around after I'm gone. My blue Marine grease goes much quicker.

[Rancanfish]

Just ordered 2 oz's of Cal's tan.

Boy, quoting myself.     Regardless, I got my Ebay order of 'Cal's' grease in an unlabeled plastic jar. 

It smells more 'automotive', (petro product), and harder to get off my hands. Does that sound like the reel deal to you Cal's users? 

[foakes]

Cal's does not have that crude oil smell like driving through an oil well pumping area.

It comes off my hands easy, and has the consistancy of cream.

What you got may or may not be Cal's -- but it should work just fine if advertised as drag grease.

Recently, I have noticed a few shops around the country selling Cal's in either unmarked small containers of an ounce or two -- or relabeling their own shop info on the little plastic container.

Maybe they get a deal on it by buying it in 5 gallon tubs and then make a good profit by reselling in much smaller consumer containers of a couple of ounces.

Personally, I would not want to call it Cal's -- if it wasn't -- and I would get Cal's permission to repackage.

I do not know, but I would bet, Cal is not manufacturing it in his shop.  They likely have an exclusive arrangement with a lubricant manufacturer to make it to their specs and standards.

In the US nowadays, any manufacturing plant making these types of products (oils, greases, paints, solvents, etc.) -- are under both State and Federal extremely stringent regulations for handling, manufacturing processes, recovery of any potential airborne or underground waste pollutants, etc...

So it is very likely a product that is available somewhere else -- under a different label.

What you got should work fine -- IMO.

Best,

Fred