WTB...First Gen., non-numbered, 14/0 handle

[Tightlines667]

Thanks for expanding and sharing photos and the tale of your 14/0. 

Now I am wondering if I got a bit to aggressive on the cleaning of the reel last night.  That german silver is tough stuff, but much of the platting was in rough shape.  My cleanup has caused sum of the 'dreaded' brassing to appear.  I will share pics once complete.  I may have been better with a 'lighter' cleaning, leaving some of that old patena in place.  Well, especially since it sill never show as 'like new' or 'minty', and the use and age shows 'character'.  Oh well...

whats done is done.

[Penn Chronology]

Part 3 of my 14/O saga. The Spool.

When I got this reel, it was loaded with about 300 yards of 72 thread linen line, some people would call this line, rope.

Anyways, I removed the line and saved it. After removing the line / rope, I operated the reel and my reel sounded like Santa Claus's Sleigh coming to town. At this point, my keen, analytical mind is telling me something is rotten in Denmark, so I take the reel apart. My totally original first generation 14/O three piece spool has a spinning flange.

At this point, I simply tell myself I need another spool, no problem. Just buy one.... Wrong. Two years later I see an old beat up second gen 14/O reel with a three piece spool. I buy it, exchange my old Jiggle Bells spool onto the second gen 14/O. Now the reel I bought sounds like Santa's Sleigh but mine is tight and runs perfect.

The time has come to admit to my one and only corrupt move in the world of fishing tackle dealings, being that the statue of limitations has run out on this deal, I can now tell the story.

Remember the old Cuttyhunk line aka rope I removed from my old 14.O. Well I wind this line onto the second gen 14/O three piece spool good and tight. All of a sudden, that 14/O is running quiet as a mouse. I sold the reel on EBay for exactly what I paid for it and my Santa Claus spool is in the wind again. Someday I will get a really good deal on a Penn 14/O. When I take off the line, Santa Claus will have returned to me...........................

[Tightlines667]

 

Ouch!...I just missed out on a 1950s 14/0 counterbalanced handle that would have looked nice on this reel  

http://m.ebay.com/itm/311389504941

However, I am now the proud owner of a counterbalanced 9/0 handle assembly...available for trade

http://m.ebay.com/itm/300900704627

[Penn Chronology]

John,

There is no 14/O counter balanced handle. 12/O is the largest Senator to use a counter balanced. All 14/O's are Power Handles.

The seller in that listing is wrong.

[Tightlines667]

John,

There is no 14/O counter balanced handle. 12/O is the largest Senator to use a counter balanced. All 14/O's are Power Handles.

The seller in that listing is wrong.

Phew!
I am beginning to feel a little bit better...Thank You

*I knew that..
Guess thats why I didn't immediately pull the trigger.  Still appears to be for a larger..maybe 10/0-12/0 reel.

As a side note...
Sometimes I have a bit of trouble distinguishing the 49 counterbalanced handle from the Senator with the same gear sleeve from this era (mid 50s ish), that is w/o seeing the actual part number.

[Penn Chronology]

John, 

The largest counter balanced handle made by Penn is the 12/O handle. I will measure mine tomorrow and post the difference between the 49 handle and the 12/O handles.

[Penn Chronology]

Sometimes I have a bit of trouble distinguishing the 49 counterbalanced handle from the Senator with the same gear sleeve from this era (mid 50s ish), that is w/o seeing the actual part number.

John,

The difference between the 49 handle and a Senator handle is big until you get to the 6/0. The Penn 49 handle and the 6/0 counter balanced handle are not the same; but, close in terms of blade length, not bulk. The handle knob of the 49 handle is usually much smaller than the 6/0; but, the blade length is the same.

Here is a comparison of the early Senator counter balanced handles and the 49, sizes refer to blade length:


The 6/0 counter weight in this photo is a transitional style:


I put two 9/0 examples on the mock up just to emphasize a question that I get sometimes. Some collector believe there is a reason for the way the knob and counter weight are mounted to the blade. I believe the way the curve of the blade is turned is totally random. Depends on who was doing the installations or how many Bud Lights they had during the lunch break.

[Tightlines667]

Thank you Mike! 

This is useful information.  Do you have a picture of a first year 349 (no counterbalanced), and an early counterbalanced, coin-edged weight 49, 149, 249 to add for reference sake?

I will measure my recently purchasedbig senator counterweighted handle and report back as well...prob a prewar 9/0.

I wonder how many of these early handles Fred, and other repairmen have lying around the shop?

[foakes]

Might have somehing, John -- and you would be more than welcome to it.

Probably do not have it though -- but you never know...

Maybe myself or someone else will have what you need -- counterbalanced, non numbered handle, for a 9 or a 12?

Best,

Fred

[Tightlines667]

Fred,

I appreciate the offer.  What I am really looking for is the nickle-plated, non-numbered, 14/0 Handle with the larger torpedo knob (like Mike has pictured above).  But I am interested in any non-numbered Penn handles, especially the large 6/0, 9/0, 10/0, 12/0 counterbalanced ones, the old wooden knobs, and those with the larger, coin-edged counterweights (as pictured above). 

If you ever get bored (which I very much doubt happens to a man such as yourself), and feel like taking a look through ypur handle assemblies...just seperate out any that lack stamped part numbers on the back.

Thanks for the offer and help here

[Penn Chronology]

What I am really looking for is the nickle-plated, non-numbered, 14/0 Handle with the larger torpedo knob

Not nickel plated. They are chrome plated.

[Penn Chronology]

Do you have a picture of a first year 349 (no counterbalanced), and an early counterbalanced, coin-edged weight 49, 149, 249 to add for reference sake?

OK, I have to open up a bit of my collection for these; but, I think I can help.

First lets go to the most rare Model 49 handle I have. It is mounted to a first gen Penn 49, more than likely a 1939 reel. I cannot explain this handle or why it exists. It is the only one I have ever seen. The handles mounted to the early 249 reels were wood. This is an early resin handle knob on an early coin edged counterweighted Model 49 blade. I believe this is a 6/0 knob, mounted onto a 49 handle blade. I suspect an "End of Day" creation.



Next is the 1942, Model 49. The 49 only sold for $12.00 once in its life span and that is 1942. In the catalog it is still called the Narrow Spool Reel; but, on the box it is named the King Salmon. After the war, this name, King Salmon (used in 1941 & 1942) never returned. The handle is using a coin edged counter weight with a wood torpedo knob.


Then there is the early 49A South Africa reel from the early 1950's. The handle on this reel is probably an older model used by Penn on their export reel. It has a Catalin Plastic handle knob with the coin edged counter weight.



Last is the first model year, 1957 Model 349HC. This is an NOS reel with the original first year handle.


The other narrow spool reel handle are very similar to what I have pictured except for the 249 which has the hollow wood, hour glass shaped knob. \

Hope this helps a bit.

[Tightlines667]

What I am really looking for is the nickle-plated, non-numbered, 14/0 Handle with the larger torpedo knob

Not nickel plated. They are chrome plated.

I knew that, and misspoke, but I noticed the plating seems to adhere much better, to the base metal. 

Thanks for sharing the photos Mike, I know several of your photos of these reels can be found elsewhere. 

Maybe we should start a new thread on the early narrow spool reels?  These pics would be a great start.  I know there were many different boxes, names, and versions built on the same basic design.  By 'narrow reels' I mean a group that includes the 49, 149, 249, 49A 130, and 349 in this group.  Spool design, and the names seemed to change the most on the 49, I know the capacity , gear ratio, boxes, and of course the handles also changed on these reels.  I apoligize if I'm asking you to repeat info found in your books, or elsewhere in tjis or other foreums, but I was just hoping you might want to fill in some of the gaps in this interesting group. 

[Penn Chronology]

Thanks for sharing the photos Mike, I know several of your photos of these reels can be found elsewhere.

Actually, I took out my reels last night and made new photos to answer your question as specifically as I could. So these are new photos. I do use old photos all the time; but, when a question is about a particular part of the reel, rather than the entire reel, I sometimes have to take new pictures. All the handle pictures are new. I guess what makes them look old is my style of photography (amateur at best) and the fact that my camera is obsolete (nice word for "old junk).

I think if we label a new thread for Narrow Spool Reels and then whoever has the ""POWER'', sticks that thread to the top of the Antiques and Collectibles category, we will have created a reference place in these forums and build it from there. If there is an interest for that, it would work. That would work for any particular category, I would think, until there are too many "Stickys", then a way of organizing them would have to happen.

I wish my book could have answered all these question; but, the specific questions can take up an enormous amount of pages, so I had to generalize to keep the book in the real world of size restriction.

[foakes]

Mike --

You are my hero!

Knowledge, experience, and confidence are everything in our acquisition of old tackle.

I cannot tell you how many times a yard or swap meet seller has offered me an old Mitchell 300 for just a few bucks -- since the bail is broken and part of it missing.  Now I have two whole boxes full of old half bail early version 300s and 304s.

Or old DAM Quicks -- since the factory grease turns to soft concrete, if not used for a few years.  Handle and rotor will not turn.  They say it just needs a good cleaning, or it would be a great antique for your shelf.  Hmmmm, your right, and I will give you $3 for it -- No, couldn't sell it for less then $10 -- Never be afraid to walk slowly away -- OK, you can have it for $5. 

Or some really nice Penns, some still in the box -- just beecause someone tried to clean it and lost an eccentric spring or AR spring -- and just never used it again.  Just bought an old Squidder a week ago from a second hand store -- for $12 -- since the spring was obviously missing fom the gear reversing lever.  Same trip bought a LB60 with the old Dark blue box and all paper, grease, and tool included -- just because the eccentric spring slipped out of place somehow -- $18.

If it is a private individual just selling his stuff -- I point out the issue, and either offer to fix it for them, or show them how to do it themselves -- about the time their eyes start to glaze over -- an offer to take it off of their hands cheap is generally accepted.

If it is a store or a swap meet seller -- I just act innocent, and buy it as cheaply as possible.

Honesty is the best policy -- but it is not wrong to not tell them everything you may know.  After all, we may be wrong...

Best,

Fred