I Can't Find an Excuse to Open It!

[mo65]

   Did ya ever buy an old reel that needed nothing?? This is a first for me...even the NIB pieces I've nabbed needed attention. I guess the previous owner of this reel just serviced it before sending it to me. It feels fluid, nice and smooth, yet solid and tight. He or she obviously knows their reels, and honestly, I haven't even popped the side plate!

P.S.  Why is Shakespeare the only brand without a sub-forum? Looks like there are quite a few Shakespeare threads.

[xjchad]

Wow, that thing looks mint!

[wfjord]

I'd say the only thing it needs is to be lined and fished --right away!

[foakes]

Great reel, Mike!

Best,

Fred

[STRIPER LOU]

Very nice Mike! Love the white spool.

............Lou

[steelfish]

that little thing is a beauty.

now let me tell you that I never need an excuse to open my personal reels, sometimes I opened them up just because Im boring 
so, go for it and open that thing, take some pictures of your findings, this reel might have sewing machine 3-1 oil instead of proper fishing oil or automovile general grease instead of penn / Yamaha reel, let me know if you need more excuses.

[mike1010]

That is just beautiful.

[foakes]

Also, Mike --

Hate to break the bad news --

However, only three reasons not to remove the sideplate, IMO --

1) I was the last one in there, and it is good.

2) I have super powers like x-ray vision -- and can see into the casing.

3) I like taking a gamble waiting for something to fail when on the water.

Other than those, 9 times out of 10 -- it could always use less grease, more grease, different type of grease, a cleaner bearing, or something else.

Few reel techs can service a reel as thoroughly and capably as the folks on our site.

Just my opinions.

Actually, since you posted this, you have likely already cracked open the side to verify your observations...

Best,

Fred

[festus]

Go ahead Mike, at least take out three screws and peep inside. 

I remember them very well when they were on the shelves.  Those, the Mitchell 308/408, and D.A.M. Quick 110 are my favorite 3 ultralights.

Here's an ad from 1968.  They were $35 at the time. 

[mo65]

Open that thing, take some pictures of your findings, this reel might have sewing machine 3-1 oil instead of proper fishing oil.

Actually, since you posted this, you have likely already cracked open the side to verify your observations...

Go ahead Mike, at least take out three screws and peep inside. 

   Hee hee...ok! I opened her up, and I see why the feel is to my liking. Appears to be Ardent Reel Butter. Obviously it's been serviced, I've opened two other reels from this series and they were packed with dark brown sludge and had lots of rust. Everything is steel inside these reels...so surface rust is common.

[Alto Mare]

Nice reel Mo! I got a bunch of messed up Dam reels with cracked housings, bent spool shaft and so on. I was surprised to see that the gears are still good  so far. Those are similar to the the gears on this Shakespeare...great design.


Sal

[wfjord]

That is nice!! Beautiful internals.

[Gfish]

Mine was easy, had to open 'er up. No rust, just darn-near impossible to turn with the dried out grease. A Min. Spirits soak got 90% of it.

Very impressed with the construction/materials quality of these Maroon series Shakespeare's.

Also some good prices on "flea"-bay, $15-30.
Gfish

[David Hall]

Wow what a clean reel.  Great find Mo!

[Midway Tommy]

Nice find, Mike. I'm with Fred, though. I've got to at least look inside, body, rotor & drag, to make sure nothing bad is going on. Even if they look good I usually tear them down & service them anyway just to make sure everything got done, and correctly, too. I've worked on a lot of gray & maroon Shakes and haven't come across any notable rust, yet. Maybe I have just been lucky. Have about ten medium & large Shakes to do yet, maybe I won't continue to be so lucky.