Salvatore D. Ciarlante

[broadway]

Miss ya, pal.

[thorhammer]

Life in the past two years hasn't been conducive to building much of any rods or reels, or even doing much fishing for that matter. I did have occasion to visit my fishing partner in Ocean Isle over Labor Day, and did manage the only drum I saw all day on the jetty. Washed all down with freshwater, but I always check everything and relube when I get home. One of the two reels I took was a 5500SS that I've never used; I picked it somewhere years ago and it's been sitting in the garage. I pulled the spool to check for and see the drag stack is showing salt crystals, possibly never serviced. I pull two washers and the rest are locked in by salt and grime. Hmmmm. Flip it over and was able to tap out by pinging the keyed washer lip with a pin-punch tool...the custom one Sal had made and gifted me when he picked me up at the airport for the Penn visit all those years ago. Your handiwork, generosity, and affinity for the SS's lives on, my friend.