Steel main gear?

[elcarlstono]

While servicing my new 112H noticed some pitting on the back side of the main gear. My magnet proved it to be steel.
Could this be a wartime reel? I know on my wartime Coleman lanterns they have many brass parts replaced with steel. It also had what appeared to be leather washers, possibly asbestos?

[Maxed Out]

 The 112h was introduced sometimes in 1970's to the best of my knowledge. Might've been late 60's, but for sure no earlier than that

[elcarlstono]

The 112h was introduced sometimes in 1970's to the best of my knowledge. Might've been late 60's, but for sure no earlier than that

Ok so much for that theory.
Regardless, is it common to find a steel main gear in this model?

[JasonGotaProblem]

The 112h was introduced sometimes in 1970's to the best of my knowledge. Might've been late 60's, but for sure no earlier than that

Ok so much for that theory.
Regardless, is it common to find a steel main gear in this model?

I have at least 3. I wouldn't say common but apparently not rare.

[elcarlstono]

The 112h was introduced sometimes in 1970's to the best of my knowledge. Might've been late 60's, but for sure no earlier than that

Ok so much for that theory.
Regardless, is it common to find a steel main gear in this model?

I have at least 3. I wouldn't say common but apparently not rare.

Presumably as long as I keep it well greased I shouldn't have any problem with it.  No idea how the pitting got there as there was no apparent rust. 

[JasonGotaProblem]

Presumably as long as I keep it well greased I shouldn't have any problem with it.  No idea how the pitting got there as there was no apparent rust. 

All of mine that I've seen have some pitting. Possible that prior rust was removed with vinegar or similar. And yes, keep it greased and it'll be fine. Get yourself a steel sleeve and a 5 stack and you can push that fella pretty far.

[Keta]

I prefer steel gears for some of my reels and all of the gears I have ever seen for 349/349H reels are steel.

[thorhammer]

I purposely buy the older jiggy and Senators when I'm building a billet conversion to get the steel parts. Smooth that gear out on some emory cloth or wet dry to burnish it, grease well and fish it. It's the same gear used in jiggy.

[UKChris1]

I don't know this reel in person but I recall my earlier Penn catalogues talking about 'moly coated gears' which I take to be steel main gears with molybdenum (?) coating; pinions were all stainless. Other later Penn catalogues refer to the same reels (Senators) with bronze main gears. I have two 12/0 and one has one and the other has the other.

Sorry, not much help for the 112H though.

[Gfish]

Had a few of what seemed to be moly-coated, where that coating was flaking off.
The underside of the Penn main gears on those older reels seems to be a rust magnet if left unchecked too long.

[Keta]

A good reason to grease them and service them often.

[jurelometer]

The scientists that study metal corrosion have defined a set of categories.  Pitting is the type of corrosion you get when a protective surface film (paint, grease, etc., ) has gaps that expose bits of the underlying metal.  The bottom side of a main gear on a classic Penn is vulnerable to having the grease rubbed off by the dog mechanism and under gear washer.

A good reason to grease them and service them often.

Yup.  Especially them steel puppies.

-J