SAKURA JAPAN BOUZ DRAG CHECKER

[MexicanGulf]

Do any of you use or know about this item?


SAKURA JAPAN BOUZ DRAG CHECKER

World's firts revolutionary High-precision Drag Checker
How to Use Drag Checker
What is drag checker?

This product is a dedicated precision instrument for measuring the line tension and drag brake force of the fishing reel. The drag checker makes the drag and knot tying setup easy and quick.

Until now, there had been only two ways to manage the drag setting.Use anglers senses according to experience and intuition or measure using a spring balance.By the former setting, the value changes each time because it is not the numeric information.  Though the measurement is numeric, using spring balance is very inconvenient because it takes more than two people and a wide space.Being different from above cases, Drag Checker enables us to measure as precise number at any point of line by oneself.  Because it has "a recording system" to show the measured value, the drag force can be checked even while fishing by a single person easily.Since the drag checker can be used even after throwing a rig in, it became possible to set drag depending on the change of the line amount left on a reel.The ideal drag setting depends on a tackle balance or individual fishing style.Drag Checker is the world-first tool to express drag function in numerical form and  to maximize the performance of angler.
This is the must for serious anglers. About 30% of line strength is said to be appropriate drag force. All measurement is by metric KG.

DC-2001 up to 1kg
DC-2003 up to 3kg
DC-2005 up to 5kg
DC-2015 up to 15kg

DRAG MEASUREMENT

As you know drag prevents the fish from breaking the line. The drag checker makes the drag setup easy and quick.

[Bobcat]

I have never used one or even seen one before. I did see another post about it the other day and looked it up.

It looks interesting but not interesting enough to get me to spend the $$ on it.

[oc1]

If I understand it, a spring scale with the little slide thing that records the maximum pull will do the same thing.

[jurelometer]

Allegedly more convenient. But I am not so sure.  The only advantage is that the dial is closer to the reel. I would still rather use a €5 digital luggage scale, which is also useful for weighing my luggage if I am traveling.

But  if I needed to make my wallet €75 lighter, and my gear bag half a kilo heavier, this could be just the ticket.


-J

[MexicanGulf]

It seems quite quick, I'd be curious to do some tests using this tool and the same way the classic scale... I would like to evaluate everything with a 45 degree inclination

[Gfish]

Given the pocket size and the ability to use it right as you get ready to wet a line, I like the thought of using it. Being hard on my equipment and fishing saltwater, I always think about calibration with such instruments. As in; how to?
Yeah, with the 45 degree inclination. Also, There's some extra friction from the guides; maybe 5-10%?

[jurelometer]

Given the pocket size and the ability to use it right as you get ready to wet a line, I like the thought of using it. Being hard on my equipment and fishing saltwater, I always think about calibration with such instruments. As in; how to?
Yeah, with the 45 degree inclination. Also, There's some extra friction from the guides; maybe 5-10%?

It is easy enough to test.  Without changing the drag, measure with a straight pull and then with the rod at an angle, then back to straight pull.

You should not see any difference.  This is why:

If you were adding 5-10% load from friction, you would be rapidly damaging your line. You have other more important problems to solve - like needing to replace your guides.

Similarly,  the angle of the pull does not matter if the guides are not trashed.

Try this:  tie a pulley to a rafter, and pass a rope through.  Tie one end to a heavy object, and the other to a scale.  Try lifting the weight at various angles-  the scale reading will not change. This shows that angle alone does not noticeably affect leverage when friction is minimal.

Testing at rod angle just makes it a bit more clumsy to take  drag reading, especially when  static (start-up) vs. kinetic (ongoing) drag is not the same, since the rod is  acting like a spring, and will unload when then static breaks free. Plus, you need to hold the rod steady to take a reading, which is more easily accomplished if the rod is not bent.

IMHO, it is more important is to see what the difference is between static and kinetic.  If you set the drag for static, it could be lower than you want when the fish makes a run.  If the difference is large, you have another problem to fix: a "sticky" drag. It is not a bad idea to occasionally check both.

-J

[JasonGotaProblem]

I think there's some minor confusion re: the angle and how it affects measured forces. If you were sliding a weight up a ramp, the angle of that ramp would matter, because of gravity. If you're using a pulley (or a rafter) and lifting the weight straight up and down the angle you're pulling at won't matter.

[Keta]

The "tolerance" for drag setting is +- a few pounds and in my opinion is a waste of $ to spend a lot on a drag scale.  Save your $ for takle and gear.

[jurelometer]

I think there's some minor confusion re: the angle and how it affects measured forces. If you were sliding a weight up a ramp, the angle of that ramp would matter, because of gravity. If you're using a pulley (or a rafter) and lifting the weight straight up and down the angle you're pulling at won't matter.

Not sure if you are agreeing or disagreeing with me, but that is roughly the point that I am making.  In this case, angle (in the form of leverage) does not come into play. 

Another example:  If we hung a pulley on a boom over the side of the boat to lift an anchor or a crab pot, the angle of the boom will not change the effort it takes to lift the anchor or crab pot, as long as the pulley isn't trashed.

It is my opinion that this whole"test the drag with the rod bent"  is yet another fishing practice that is based on hearing the same weak anecdote-based advice from so many different sources that we take it seriously.

But I would be happy to be proven wrong.  I like getting smarter.

-J

[JasonGotaProblem]

Generally agreeing about the concept, and attempting to help people understand why the oft-repeated advice about pull angles has a logical sounding basis but misses the point.

Any scale you can weigh a fish with can test drag.