External Drag Access on High Speed Senators Questions

MACflyer · March 11, 2026, 02:24:15 PM

Picked up a couple older 113H together that look exactly alike, even the corrosion lol, except for head plates: one has external drag access. Pretty sure Penn came out with the high speed models in the early 1960s, and I'm thinking the external access side plate was used first. Have a couple questions I can't seem to find.
1 What year(s) did 113H go to internal drag access?
2 Did 112H 3/0 ever have external access side plate? Pretty sure I've worked on a 114H 6/0 with external access plate.

Thanks, Rick

Brewcrafter · March 11, 2026, 11:33:22 PM

There are Ohana here that have far more knowledge and I am sure will chime in soon. All of my 113H are the external drag models and I have two 6/0 (a 114 and a 114H) that are also externals. A few of these were purchased NIB (anybody remember Fedco?) and I can say in my own uninformed experience you are looking at external drags up through the 1970's, I am guessing that is about when the change took place. Others with more experience or Michael's excellent series of books on history of Penn reels will no doubt have a definitive answer. - john

alantani · **Today** at 12:24:26 AM

external access was an interesting idea, but it did not allow for removal of the main gear, so you could never get access to the hard fiber washer underneath that gear. sal liked teflon, but i always favored the hard carbon fiber drag washer that came from smoothdrag.com.

no sure about the years that these reels were available. i went looking through the schematics and mystic and couldn't find any info.

https://www.mysticparts.com/PennParts/Penn113H.aspx

alantani · **Today** at 12:25:41 AM

the 112h never did have external access, as far as i know. i don't recall a 114 that did, either. $:-\$

Brewcrafter · Last Edit: **Today** at 06:03:58 AM by Gobi King

A couple of old 114s. - john

oc1 · Last Edit: **Today** at 05:24:35 AM by oc1

On the bigger stuff, external access appeared some time in the 1960's but did not last long. My recollection is they were gone again by 1967.

MACflyer · **Today** at 11:28:17 AM

Thanks for the info so far. Now I'm wondering if the brake lining drag was exclusive to these side plates? The 113H and 114H reels I've seen with brake lining drag washers were outside access.

foakes · **Today** at 06:15:34 PM

I have always thought that the external drags were so an angler could change to new drags quickly and more easily without taking the reel apart.

The drag material of olden days was not nearly as good as the Carbon Fiber greased and SS washers we have today (made popular by Alan!).

And few have the expertise, time, tools, and ability to take a reel down when the bite is on and hot.

Back up rigs are the ticket in that case.

Best, Fred

oc1 · Last Edit: **Today** at 06:42:20 PM by oc1

Quote from: MACflyer on Today at 11:28:17 AMThanks for the info so far. Now I'm wondering if the brake lining drag was exclusive to these side plates? The 113H and 114H reels I've seen with brake lining drag washers were outside access.

No, the grey brake liner drag washers were used both during and after the external access side plates. Bur, I don't know when they switched from leather to brake liner material.

Brewcrafter · **Today** at 09:53:55 PM

Quote from: oc1 on Today at 06:41:46 PM
Quote from: MACflyer on Today at 11:28:17 AMThanks for the info so far. Now I'm wondering if the brake lining drag was exclusive to these side plates? The 113H and 114H reels I've seen with brake lining drag washers were outside access.
No, the grey brake liner drag washers were used both during and after the external access side plates. Bur, I don't know when they switched from leather to brake liner material.

OC nails it. I think it is just a question of Penn using whatever they felt was the best friction material for their applications at the time. I have removed those old asbestos biscuits from many Penn's from that period that were never offered with "external access" sideplates. - john