Old, Weird, Historical, and Unusual Spinning Reels --

[foakes]

If you have any old, weird, historical, or unusual reels -- post some pics.

These could be any open face, closed face, or other types of spinners that are not conventional reels.

This is good sharing -- and we who love old spinners can see some different reels that have likely not been made for decades.

I have crates and crates of these -- and will probably share a couple reels a week, if this takes off -- and if it seems to have some interest among our members.

These are just the crates I have gone through to make lamp bases out of -- probably another 20 crates that I haven't looked into for a decade, or more.  Can't recall the contents.

Many brands have not been around for a half century, or more.

This isn't about how many reels we have -- someone may have only a few -- others may have hundreds -- it is about IDing, history, engineering, comparing thoughts and opinions -- all showing a path to where we are today.

For many years, reel collector purists have criticized spinners -- but while their opinions are valid for them -- for others, like me -- who could not ever afford the Kentucky reels, VomHofes, etc.  -- spinners have been plentiful and relatively inexpensive.  Today, it is hard to find an angler -- outside of HD salt water fishers -- who did not grow up with spinners.

Spinners have been around for over a century -- and have earned their place.

As we share -- We will all learn...

Best,

Fred

[foakes]

Here is one to start out --

A large, old Langley spinner from the 50's or 60's, maybe?

Best,

Fred

[The Great Maudu]

Here's one for you Fred. From Australia. Looks like it runs on compressed air.

[foakes]

Pretty cool, Mike --

Do you think that is a factory build, homemade, or a modification?

That is similar to how I hang my air tools in the mechanic shop --

Just attach a 2" angle steel , 6' long above the bench -- drill holes and insert a row of female coupler quick connectors -- then just plug in the air tools every 3 inches, or so.

Pretty unique reel!

Best,

Fred

[The Great Maudu]

It's a Grace and Young Orlando Supreme. Just how it left the factory except for the "patina".

[happyhooker]

That Langley Spinator may have a bigger place in history than one might think.  If I remember the story right, that reel (and maybe some other Langleys of the same era) impressed Zebco enough to get them to buy Langley so as to get a toehold in the spinning reel game, which, to that point, Zebco had not been in successfully.  And we all know where Zebco went after that.

[Dominick]

Fred you come up with stuff I never heard of.  Good work.  Dominick

[foakes]

Thanks, Dominick --

For me it is just a lot of fun learning about the old reels, the companies, the mergers and acquisitions, and the companies that just faded into the sunset.

Speaking of that, I owe Frank (happy hooker) a big thank you on the Langley/Zebco connection that I never knew about.

His post jogged my memory -- sure enough, I remembered having seen something like that before out in the storage.  So I poked through a few crates -- and came up with (6) Zebco reels just like the Langley's.  Color is the only difference.  These operate just like new -- crisp bail snap, metal, smooth.

There are 777s and 822s.

Parts will interchange exactly with the old Langley's.

This is how we all share and learn --

Plus, I found in the same bin -- another old French Centaure, a Pflueger Pelican, and an unused Cardinal 54 -- made in Sweden.

Best,

Fred

[Gfish]

Had a cardinal 54. Was pretty solid reel with a good drag. Then I busted the spool by reeling in most of the line under alota pressure.
Gfish

[foakes]

If you still have the reel, Greg --

I probably have a spool.

Best,

Fred

Edit: Found a couple of loose new old stock spools --

[Midway Tommy]

Here's some interesting under-rod spincast reels from the 1964 time frame that you don't see often. They were all made by Shakespeare and called "Punch Buttons". The reel attached under the rod and was held in the right hand. To cast you grab the line with your right index finger just like an open face spinner, "punch" the button on the rear with your left thumb, cast with your right hand and reel in with your left hand. Here's a quote from the 1964 South Bend catalog: "New 23 hang down spinning reel. Newest sensation in spin fishing. A closed face reel with dependable SB features. Casts like any other spinning reel yet incorporates the twist free principal of a closed face reel. No bail to open, push button release at back of reel allows instant release for quick accurate casts." They obviously didn't catch on real well since by 1967 they were no longer listed in South Bend's catalogs.

Left to right: Shakespeare 1875; Shakespeare 1725; South Bend 23; Sears 535.39730; Ted Williams 430  

[foakes]

Those are beauties, Tommy --

Short lived production -- but quality reels.

Best,

Fred

[Alto Mare]

Nice reels!

Sal

[Gfish]

Fred, thanks. I'll check when I go back to Cali. I recall I bought it in 1980, promptly broke the spool and thought "Man!, plastic!?, fishing reel quality is goin downhill! Glad I still got my MG 300&306".


Interesting: under-rod spincasters. I guess you could do the same to cast a standard spincaster, 'cept you'ed have to learn to reel the opposite way with your left hand. Still you'ed get better casting/reeling balance that way. I like the star drag feature. I don't believe the hype about no line twist, though.
Somethin about those spincasters, the first reel my 5yr. old self ever used. I've always had to have one. Have a Diawa Goldcast now, with none of the usual Diawa low-quality-materials issues(yet) and its gotta oscillating spool system. Love to have that feature + a star drag in the same reel.
Gfish

[happyhooker]

Tommy, those "Punch Buttons" are interesting; I suppose they have the drawback that most closed face spin casters have (or supposedly have) of reduced casting distance, but maybe the benefit of fewer line tangles.  Ever actually use any?

Frank