What kind of drag disc is this?

Started by Steve-O, July 06, 2015, 04:47:52 PM

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Steve-O

Sorry I forgot to take a pic when the reel was open.

I just bought a fleabay special Abu G Orra 2 Inshore baitcaster and got a pretty deep discount on it.

When I opened the reel for its initial look see and grease job I was somewhat surprised by the drag disc material. So much so I don't even know what it is.

Not Carbon Fibre, Not oiled felt, Not cardboard, Not asbestos, or any other thing I've seen in a reel.

This stuff is like compressed fibers impregnated with resin or plastic.

Has the feel of plastic but shows little fibers.

...and the kicker.....It's WHITE! Like paper or snow is white. Stiff and maybe 30 thou. thick each. The rest of the guts were as expected.

The reel was sold as new and functions correctly. The seller was brand new (1) feedback on that auction site and had no clue about reels when I asked about the gear ratio being 6.4 to 1 when all the Inshore 2's are 7 to 1. He said he didn't know but got if from the factory that way.

Hence I got a deeply discounted reel because of his low fleabay experience and misinformation in the listing.

Anybody ever see white drag discs before? Was this some kind of factory goof? A refurb? Did someone take the CF drags out and replace them with plastic fiber discs?

Any thoughts?

The reel in question. Casts and retrieves smoothly. Caught the kitty and loosened the drag all the way out and back in to test it for smoothness while playing a fish. About 4 pound fish. Smooth drag.

Robert Janssen

Actually, yes, maybe. Sounds like Nomex sheet, which is a product of Aramid (=Kevlar) fibers. Very good material for many things, but not particularly good for drag washers. I know; I've tried it.

If it isn't Nomex sheet, it could be almost anything. Right here on this site there is a picture from a similar reel with a few red stripes across it. Obviously cut from a larger sheet with a logo or text on it. Could be anything.



Why it is in your reel I have no idea. Perhaps someone was experimenting.

Really, it doesn't matter what it is. It is what it is. The only question is whether or not it works to your satisfaction.

.

Steve-O

Thanks for the reply.

I have opened reels before with that type of drag material. Stamped out of a larger sheet.It almost looks like a non-woven fabric like Tyvek but way thicker and resin impregnated then compressed.

Theses discs however was perfect, blank, white. Somewhat translucent up to light.

It felt snappy when bend flicked. Not like polycarbonate or urethane plastics. More crispy.

I wrote Abu Garcia weeks ago...no response.

My guess is this reel may have been "as new" which is how it appeared upon opening the box. All the paperwork, oil, etc, was present and it is the new style with blue accents.

I put the power handle on it for big carp.

The screws were all pristine and felt factory tight. No evidence of someone monkeying around with it.

nelz

A while back I bought a brand new Pflueger spinner that was supposed to have CF drag, but when I went to grease them, they were felt... on both the main and spare spools.  I complained to Pflueger, and they requested a photo of the disks laying next to the spools. I complied, and they then sent me two brand new sets of CF.  Go figure.  ???

handi2

They look very similar to Dawns Smoothie's.
OCD Reel Service & Repair
Gulf Breeze, FL

Tiddlerbasher

My guess would be that it was cut from a gasket sheet and could be made of anything. I doubt whether it's Kevlar - too hard to get hold of in the right thicknesses and construction. I've played with Kevlar (specially made as a brake lining material) quite successfuly. The stuff I used was a kind of 'compressed fibrous cardboad' - if that makes sense - A similar product to that used in aircraft brakes. I found a company that could supply small quantities in almost any thickness :) Would I trust it as an intricately cut washer .5mm thick? Not sure - school is still out on that one. But it it is working fine in my Andros with a hex centre hole (poorly hand cut by me ;). Time will tell.

Steve-O

Not Aramid/Kevlar as far as I can tell.  I build model R/C planes and use various types of CF - Uni-Direction, Textreme, Spread Tow, Veil, and regular weave. I also use several weights of fiberglass cloth and Kevlar cloth.

This is something I've not seen.

I suppose lazy me will open the reel again and photo the discs...might help.

My Abu Inshore spinning reel has CF discs.

Here is the AG website info re:drags for this reel.

"Carbon Matrix™ hybrid drag system for super smooth reliable drag performance"

...and what the site says for the Orra Inshore spinning reel drag-

"Carbon Matrix™ drag system provides smooth, consistent drag pressure across the entire drag range"


May main concern is the durability of these discs and should I go ahead and order a set of CF discs to replace these unknown ones. So far so good but big fish up to this point has only been in the very low teens.

I matched the reel with an Abu Vigilante rod and am very pleased with it.

Robert Janssen

Quote from: Steve-O on July 07, 2015, 02:58:07 PMI suppose lazy me will open the reel again and photo the discs...might help.

Yes, probably. Please do, if you get a chance. Having said that, it is far from certain to try to ascertain a material based on a photo.

Just for the sake of further information,

QuoteNot Aramid/Kevlar as far as I can tell.  I build model R/C planes and use various types of CF - Uni-Direction, Textreme, Spread Tow, Veil, and regular weave. I also use several weights of fiberglass cloth and Kevlar cloth.

QuoteMy guess would be that it was cut from a gasket sheet and could be made of anything. I doubt whether it's Kevlar - too hard to get hold of in the right thicknesses and construction.

The Nomex paper sheet mentioned is very much as Steve-O described. White, hard, semi-translucent, some fibers visible, stiff, snappy. It is widely and inexpensively available everywhere in a gazillion sizes and thicknesses. It is not uncommonly used as a gasket material. It has little similarity to kevlar fabric or friction materials.






Tiddlerbasher

'Nomex paper' is not desined as a friction material. But Nomex has a Kevlar component, that's as close as it gets! Kevlar is produced in a variety of end use 'materials'. One I would use for brake discs, another for gaskets, and another (kevlar braid) I would use instead of steel trace for toothy critters - not sure about great whites ;) What do you think Shark Hunter? Kevlar leaders do work though - I've been using them for a couple of years - together with circle hooks - a much better hook-up and land ratio (live/dead bait for pike mainly) than wire trace and trebles. Also excellent for catfish and the very abrasive pads in their mouths ;) good for assist hooks etc. Give it a try - it may not be mainstream yet - but it does work :)

Tiddlerbasher

 When I stated "I doubt whether it's Kevlar - too hard to get hold of in the right thicknesses and construction." I was specifically referring to Kevlar friction material

Steve-O

The suspect discs. In order. The first one is no longer as white due to grease and use.

Normal set should be 3 carbon or Carbontex in between the plates and another smaller CF disc under the gear.


Steve-O

As close up as iPad will do.

Steve-O

#12
And a cell phone close up.

The CF disc shows its weave well...the whities don't show detail well.

What bugs me is the unknown aspect and hodge podge drag disc mix in the reel.

The ebay seller did not know reels or fishing...he just flipped the reel from what I could deduce. He listed another identical reel with inaccurate info in his listing which I contacted him about and he cancelled the lisiting.

My guess is this may be a refurb or return or second that he got "from the factory" according to him.

I'm very happy with the reel. It is new and was half off retail. Just mystified about the drags.

0119

The other week I bought a Quantum Smoke Inshore 30 spinning reel from BPS.  Got it home to put line on it, pulled the spool off and the drag disks went flying with nothing to hold them into the reel. No clip, nothing.  Checking the schematic which wasn't provided in the box(had to find it on the net)there was supposed to be a sub assembly on the top of the spool under the drag knob that is ornate for looks but also serves to hold the drag together.  There were supposed to be 6 machine screws to hold it into the spool.  No piece and no screws.  I took it back and all the ones in stock were the same except they had a c clip to hold the drag into the spool, where mind had gone who knows.  Apparently Quantum had a mid production change to avoid the cost of the cosmetic piece and screws, yanked the schematics out of the boxes without a revised one.  Perhaps your drag washer is yet another conglomerates cost cutting mid production changes?

Tiddlerbasher

Just use cf washers - problem solved :)