Penn reel grease

[JeffG]

    Hi all! I recently got into the reclaimation of these old fellers a couple of years back and while digging into a couple of newer style reels that I had already redone I noticed the blue Peen grease had turned brown. Just curious if this is normal, like a way to tell if it needs cleaned and lubed again, or if it was a breakdown because of mixing with an oil I used. Thanks in advance!

Jeff

[alantani]

odd.  the new penn grease is supposed to be pretty stable.  any idea how old it is?  are pictures possible?

[foakes]

If you mixed oil with the grease (a good idea on the DQ's) —- the grease will turn brownish.  Still works fine, no worries.

Other causes would go back to how thoroughly the reel was cleaned initially (Ultrasonic cleaner, toothbrush, solvents, etc.).

Salt water intrusion will turn the grease to a lighter blue-green color.

Penn grease is excellent —- and mixes well with a good quality synthetic oil —- providing the oil has no solvents in it.

Best,Fred

[JeffG]

Thanks all! Good to know. It didn't look or feel tacky or sticky, just thought it was odd. Would be nice if it did change colors to tell you it's time, but I guess if you do an annual or every other year CLA then it wouldn't matter.

Jeff

[jgp12000]

When I tried blue Penn or Yamaha marine grease it seems to thicken in colder weather,I prefer super lube? Also, Lucas Reel oil comes in a bottle with a metal injector that fits Penn oil ports perfectly.

[foakes]

Superlube is excellent grease.

I use it, plus Yamaha Marine, and Cal's tan drag grease —- which is good on conventionals for even the gears and bearings.

Penn Blue is very good also.  I just prefer the Yamaha Marine Blue because it does the same job, if not better —- and is quite a bit less expensive.

The word Marine means it holds up in Saltwater usage.

On Spinners, I generally use Superlube —- or if there is a consideration that it may operate too stiffly —- I use Cal's Purple (which is not as thick as Cal's Tan) mixed with 1/3 synthetic oil with no additives or solvents in it.

This makes a good mix that stays in place until the next service, protects the mechanisms, and runs very smoothly.

If you use good quality lubricants —- after awhile you will get a feel for what works best for each type of reel you have or service.

Not one size fits all...

Best, Fred

[PacRat]

Jeff,
I'm glad you brought this up. I have the large tub of Penn grease on my bench and it was my go-to grease for a couple of years. I put together a Jigmaster for a good friend. I did a thorough cleaning when I built it. A couple of years later he told me he hadn't used it because although he's right handed, he prefers a left handed reel (crank on right)...has something to do with a life of playing guitar and the way his mind and hands work. So I dug out some left-handed gears and such so I could switch it for him. The Penn grease was no longer blue, more of a clear/transparent brown and it didn't feel quite as slippery as when I put it in there. When I put it back together I used a blend of Yamalube and Jaymore 191s. We'll see how this works out. I also checked my 1 lb tub of Penn grease and it's still blue so possibly it reacts with brass, chrome or bakelite....or something else in the reel. There was only a small drop of TSI 321 oil on each of the bushings so I don't know if the 321 oil could have migrated far enough to contaminate all of the Penn grease. So for now my Penn grease is just for assembly and corrosion control and I will be using Fred's blend on everything that I want to keep slippery for the long haul.

[Lunker Larry]

I've switched to Superlube and love it.

[handi2]

I've seen it turn black in many reels. It just does it!

Keith

[RowdyW]

Could it possibly be dust from the CF drags??       Rudy

[handi2]

Could it possibly be dust from the CF drags??       Rudy

Not inside a spinning reel.