Ocean city 609 and rod cleanup

[Kenkeay]

Hello everyone
Posting a request on the Shimano spinning reel pages the other day reminded me I have been intending to share some pictures of a project I undertook this winter/spring.
 
Last fall I purchased an older big game rod and reel at a flea market in coastal Maine.  The reel is a 9/0 Ocean City model 609.  The rod has no surviving labels but has an owner's name carved in the lower handle.  The leather flap on the reel has his initials and "Dallas" scribed on it. The reel was heavily soiled to the point I thought there was some pitting under the crud.  The drag cup (pictured separately) showed some of the heaviest soiling. The reel mechanisms worked, and even the drag was stiff but functional as bought.  I got it for a good price and started researching the reel.  Information on the O.R.C.A. website indicated the reel dates from 1959 or earlier, making it as old as or older than me.




The reel was spooled with about 30 yards of braided staineless line, backed up by 100-200 yards of heavy natural fiber braid.

Disassembling and cleaning my first Ocean City reel was pretty straightforward.  Internal components were only lightly soiled, and cleaned up easily.


The chromed externals cleaned up almost without blemish and at worst minor pitting; the side plates cleaned well also. There are a couple minor chips out of the Bakelite of the left side plate.  Everything works and the reel is very quiet on retrieve.  The reel in the background of one shot is a Penn Delmar 285, included for scale.





The reel mount on the rod has deteriorated to the point restoration is impractical.  The rod/reel combination is destined for pride of place in my shop as a wall hanger.  I respooled the original line, cleaned the rod up gently, and replaced the rusty third party reel clamp and rod brace that were on it with period correct Penn equivalents, modified to fit. I'm keeping an eye out for a period correct jig or spoon better sized for the fishing this combo was intended for than the as-bought, small jig shown. 


One question.  I could find no information on the handle material (now moderately crazed).  I suspect it is collodion, but can anyone confirm what material Ocean city used? 

Thanks 

[foakes]

Well done!

Best, Fred

[MACflyer]

Looks great! Can't help you with the handle material, but my neighbor may have a period correct jig/lure. I can check if you like.

[Kenkeay]

Thanks for the offer, but a friend tells me there are a couple of old saltwater gear flea markets a year near me run by an organization whose name I forget.  We'll be headed to one in a couple months.  Between that and the Brimfield flea market in July, I have high hopes. 

[Kenkeay]

By the way, I'm pretty new here.  What's the best way to insert photos in the body of a post without having them also copied at the bottom?  I followed the "drag files here to attach them" prompt, then clicked on the insert arrow on individual photos. 

[Gobi King]

Well done!