Penn INTL 12h

[GordaYota]

Picked one of these up from the pawn shop the other day to try out a lever drag for the first time.  Planning on rigging it up on a heavy surf rod to cast out to some 5-7' sharks from the beach..  Right now I'm also using a 4/0w Senator for the same purpose.  I've broken down the reel and serviced the bearings.  Haven't messed with the drag yet, it has the old composite style in it.  My issue right now is to get the right amount of freespool for casting (1+ pounds usually) the drag ramps up way too quick.  I need be able to have just enough drag to hold the line tight so when a shark picks up the bait it feels as little resistance as possible.  As soon as I take it out of "freespool" I have way more pressure than I can use.  The washers are still in the ()() orientation.  I know the old drag has it's issue with all or nothing.  I'm hoping once I step up to a dura drag this will be fixed.  Am I right?  Or am I trying to achieve something that isn't really possible? 

On a side note, while messing around with washers and orientation, I got the little reel up to 90% of what my 12/0 senator puts out with enough freespool to cast, just too much ramp up for what I use.

[GordaYota]

As in file down the first part of it?  It doesn't have a separate cam like the newer internationals.  The cam is built into the housing that the lever rotates around.

[alantani]

change out the drag washer first, then let's see what the drag range looks like.

[borntofish]

It's not a casting reel, ie being a lever drag with the drag washers attached to the spool.