New Reel Grease Question

[xaf]

This question may have already been discussed but I did a quick search and didn't find anything that answered my questions.  Every new reel that I have opened up (not that many) has had very little grease on the gears and moving parts.  It appears to me that they just put a dab of grease on during assembly to meet a requirement without giving much consideration as to what parts need to be greased. So here's my question, are reels designed to operate with very little grease/no grease or is the lack of grease just a product of haste during the assembly process?   

[johndtuttle]

This question may have already been discussed but I did a quick search and didn't find anything that answered my questions.  Every new reel that I have opened up (not that many) has had very little grease on the gears and moving parts.  It appears to me that they just put a dab of grease on during assembly to meet a requirement without giving much consideration as to what parts need to be greased. So here's my question, are reels designed to operate with very little grease/no grease or is the lack of grease just a product of haste during the assembly process?   

Yes and no, perhaps and maybe .

Despite our best efforts not every company is following The Way of Reel Jedi-Master Tani but that means a couple of things.

1. Despite our obsessive desires to grease the moving parts in a reel the second they interact with another part only a microfilm of lubrication remains behind where they touched. All of the rest gets squirted out instantly. The little dabs you see were to get that microfilm on there. Typically we way over grease our gears, we just are obsessive about it.

2. The vast majority of reels are prepped to feel good when brand new, not to protect them from salt and wear over time.

Penn on the other hand has been extremely good about lubing their reels very well from the factory for protection, but to the point of losing some free spool in their lever drag reels or some spinners feeling a little sluggish. People have had to remove grease to set them up ideally.

Also different reels from the same company but made in different factories get different treatment. We are seeing some Shimanos with Corrosion-X HD sprayed inside (core protect) but others made elsewhere have minimal lube to feel "smooth" when new at the cost of long term protection.

This is why we all here preach "pre-fishing service" to make sure all parts are protected from salt from the beginning. But this is a labor intensive process that most companies forego.

Proof of this pudding is if you open your reel right after you grease the gears and give it a few spins. You will see the big blob where it all collected after it was squeezed out. Only the micro film remains on the teeth.