Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Conventional and Bait Casting Reel Rebuild Tutorials and Questions => Penn - Vintage => Topic started by: mrtoad1 on March 13, 2026, 03:38:44 AM

Title: Old Penn?
Post by: mrtoad1 on March 13, 2026, 03:38:44 AM
I have this reel in my collection and I've never been able to actually verify what is is. It screams Penn but is not marked as such. It is an Old Salt Surf Reel I believe from the late 1930's to early 1940's Maybe someone could tell me what it is exactly. Never found it in any catalogs. It is a free spool, double multiplier with the Penn Patented pull out handle for free spool. Thanks for any help. Martin (mrtoad1)
Title: Re: Old Penn?
Post by: Maxed Out on March 13, 2026, 03:50:51 AM
 Yes, its a Penn reel. Very basic and very affordable for the average person back in the depression era of the 1930's. It has waffle clicker button, so its pre 1939. The logo says its a #15 which I believe was discontinued prior to WWII. In the collector world its a $25-$35 reel. Still a neat piece of Penn history
Title: Re: Old Penn?
Post by: mrtoad1 on March 13, 2026, 04:48:06 AM
Thanks for the info. So I was right on the era. Wonder why it was not in a catalog. I saw that the model #15 was $1.70!
Title: Re: Old Penn?
Post by: oc1 on March 13, 2026, 05:27:52 AM
Someone on ebay agrees.
here (https://www.ebay.com/itm/267547854699?_skw=old+salt+surf+reel&itmmeta=01KKJTCW1S3BR8G3A58Z1RR4SG&hash=item3e4b18476b:g:zPwAAeSwzcNpargF&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAAA0GfYFPkwiKCW4ZNSs2u11xDUMKq4FqsMH8F4F1IMJz957Fcf1bgY0H9BH7hyU7ycia5dgGsysW6A2eQI5eAgM%2BRul52zdS0w9KhfudCmieUCrM6WbyFALuqNfFgwDcs4Ic5YWb0ywFluef7nXxjiCEVG2LW88gH3aH2EiT7qHTY5qz4PAI0fLgVtSDGF%2BB9%2BSAGIqEyVzHUTFZxTcBBtVA9naqXAIdsdcr2aqwurSfhFzBJABeD47nZ3TztSE6AoiDqTgBK4nRpouRharPHvfEs%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4bBs9qcZw)

But they're very proud of it.
Title: Re: Old Penn?
Post by: JasonGotaProblem on March 13, 2026, 11:27:22 AM
I love that knob.
Title: Re: Old Penn?
Post by: MACflyer on March 13, 2026, 12:03:05 PM
So you pull the handle out to disengage for free-spool? That's a pretty neat reel!
Title: Re: Old Penn?
Post by: mrtoad1 on March 13, 2026, 03:52:54 PM
The handle pull is a cool feature. The one on eBay doesn't appear to be marked on the side plate so is it really a Salt?...Wonder if mine would be considered a trade reel?
Title: Re: Old Penn?
Post by: 1badf350 on March 14, 2026, 07:26:36 PM
It's a model 15 but it's a trade reel made by Penn for a retailer's house brand. I don't know what retailer used the Old Salt brand.
In short, it's a model 15 with a different logo molded in to the head plate
Title: Re: Old Penn?
Post by: mrtoad1 on March 23, 2026, 03:33:55 PM
Thanks for the info....Some more research found this was made for the Yale Mfg Metal Products Co. and sold through Pequea Fishing Tackle in Strasburg, PA. I've been selling off some of my collection so this is on eBay for an ungodly amount of money. I'll see what happens.