Penn Reels - just as you find them

[Crow]

According to the cat...it must have caught some fish !!

[Sharkb8]

Nice reel Bennie ,I  might have to get one of those.

Kim 

[nelz]

This came in today,,, $150 on sol

What is "sol" ?  Nice vintage reel, but what makes this model so desireable?

[broadway]

Nelz,
  It's a left handed 706 and a not so common reel in itself.  Stripers Online (SOL)
Best
Dom

[Crow]

This brings up something I've *wondered* about !   With a left handed conventional (or baitcaster) reel....the "left" means the hand you "crank" with, but spinners seem "backwards" to that. Folks call it a "left handed" spinner, when you crank with the RIGHT hand, and cast with the left???

[wfjord]

This brings up something I've *wondered* about !   With a left handed conventional (or baitcaster) reel....the "left" means the hand you "crank" with, but spinners seem "backwards" to that. Folks call it a "left handed" spinner, when you crank with the RIGHT hand, and cast with the left???

I've seen various discussions on that.  Technically, it's made to be a spinner for a left handed person who cranks with their right hand, just as a baitcaster for a left handed person has the crank on the left side and palmed on the right... but I don't think anyone is strictly enforcing it.  Some people do it well either way.  Only reel I can comfortably crank with either hand is a fly reel, but I still have to cast with my right hand.

[nelz]

Nelz, It's a left handed 706 and a bit so common reel in itself.  Stripers Online (SOL)

Aha! Thanks Dom.

---------------------------------------------

wfjord:

I was handed a lefty spinner once on trip and could barely function with it, lol.  

[Benni3]

According to the cat...it must have caught some fish !!

thanks very much my friends,,,,, and yes the cat knows something but won't talk,,,,,,

[thorhammer]

Nice one!

[milne]

Decided to take the gamble on a early Seaford, purely because it had the domed clicker, all my first year ones have the other type.
This reel is probably in the worst condition of all my reels, the face and tail plate look as if someones tried to scribe patterns on them.
Inside, it seriously looks as if it hasn't been opened since the 30's,  but has the JK markings on the tail plate ( was happy with that).

A couple of oddity's though,,,  Notice on the picture of the tail plate, this one has the rivot going through the tail plate itself, it doesn't look at all as though
it was an after the fact method, everything looks very original.

The second oddity, is the handle, it matches the other domed clicker SeaHawk reel I have, but on the inside, it has the stamping 001
I seem to recall something about markings on the inside of handles, I searched but couldn't find anything.

Thoughts

Col

[milne]

Just as  reference,  I cracked the tail plate of my domed SeaHawke and sat them side by side ( after scraping the gunk out of the Seaford ).

As mentioned, both JK stamped tail plates, you can notice a difference in the mould between the two, in the centre where the bearing screws in, have not noticed this variation in the mould  on the other 33's I have, maybe there were variations.....

Col

[Penn Chronology]

Decided to take the gamble on a early Seaford, purely because it had the domed clicker, all my first year ones have the other type.
This reel is probably in the worst condition of all my reels, the face and tail plate look as if someones tried to scribe patterns on them.
Inside, it seriously looks as if it hasn't been opened since the 30's,  but has the JK markings on the tail plate ( was happy with that).

A couple of oddity's though,,,  Notice on the picture of the tail plate, this one has the rivot going through the tail plate itself, it doesn't look at all as though
it was an after the fact method, everything looks very original.

The second oddity, is the handle, it matches the other domed clicker SeaHawk reel I have, but on the inside, it has the stamping 001
I seem to recall something about markings on the inside of handles, I searched but couldn't find anything.

Thoughts

You should be very happy that you bought that Sea Ford. That is about as early as you can get, maybe even prototype Sea Ford. I have a head plate like that on my Model F Chrome plated prototype (First Penn Reel). That is a handmade tail plate. Possibly a Otto Henze hand made early reel, in my opinion. You should clean that reel and do nothin else to it. I expect the spool bearing is threaded right to the plastic. Probably no insert. A normal 1933 Sea Ford is a late edition for the Model year and should have a metal insert that the tail plate spool bearing threads into.

The number on the handle may be an assembly number, which would reflect on the handmade status of the reel. look for that stamping on some other metal part. It could be a serial number also. If it is a serial number, you have the first 1933 Sea Ford made. In that case, your doubtful purchase is the home run of the year.

Food for thought.

[milne]

Hi Mike,
            Just checked the tail plate and there is an insert for the spool bearing.
  The tail and head plates, look like someone absolutely scratched the heck out of it, a real shame.
I have everything soaking at the minute, Can't get the head plate spool bearing to move, so I will have to give it a good soaking.
I'll clean it up properly and show put up some photo's of it then.
As Mentioned, I was keen on it, purely because of the domed button, I new it was in horrible condition, well fished !!.
It's interesting to see your example too of the tail plate,which  looks like it has been hand "Peened", if that's the word.
I shall look for any other markings as I clean her up, nothing was noticeable when I disassembled it, but you never know, it was pretty caked up.
Thanks Mike.

Col 

[broadway]

Cool find, Col.
I've never seen the rivot through until Mike posted his "F", but I do have a Sea Ford that is definitely not a special (to my eye- No JK markings, black plates, 4 post, etc) or early Sea Ford and it is marked "001" on the eccentric lever.  There are no other parts with the stamping.  Unfortunately, nearly all the finish has been removed and made it a shiny brass colored reel and it has been fished.
Neat find!
Keep at it bud,
Dom

[milne]

Just an update,
          Found another marking on the back side of the head plate lever, doesn't appear to have any other parts stamped.
    However, the reel seat, after a vinegar bath along with the other parts, appears to me to be chrome plated !!.
 The spool and posts seem to be standard German sliver........

Col