New to servicing reels, which greases to get...

[philaroman]

should I try Cal's Purple when I run out of Penn blue -- has it changed?
my blue is prob >15yo & I rather like it for my sm/med spinners (mostly Shimano)
not too thick Jan/Feb & not too thin Jul/Aug...  Goldilocks zone for my climate (SEPA -- same as Sal)

[Alto Mare]

I will usually use grease recommended by people I trust, but it will still need to be tested by me and I'm sure so would anyone else.
I'm sure if there was an issue with Penn grease, they would have addressed the problem by now.
With that said, I'm not saying you are wrong, I just need to see it for myself.
Experience with Penn grease as been good for me so far, but will post if things change along the way.

Sal

[exp2000]

should I try Cal's Purple when I run out of Penn blue -- has it changed?
my blue is prob >15yo & I rather like it for my sm/med spinners (mostly Shimano)
not too thick Jan/Feb & not too thin Jul/Aug...  Goldilocks zone for my climate (SEPA -- same as Sal)

Penn has changed their grease formula a number of times.
If your batch is the older deep blue colour it is probably OK.

The concrete blend is labelled "Penn Precision Reel Grease" was released about 6 years ago?
It is sky blue in colour.

Stick to a good reliable marine grease or Corrosion X grease.

I recommend lighter Shimano greases for smaller spinners or you could try Superlube as it is more economical.

A "one size fits all" philosophy will only yield at best average results.
I use a variety of greases, each offering a distinct advantage for specific applications.
Daiwa, Shimano, Corrosion X - they all have a place.

Spinners have distinct requirements from conventional reels and  get lubed accordingly.
Premium reels like Stellas and Saltigs get only the absolute best OEM premium lubes.
Economy reels still get quality lubes but more economical choices.
~

[nelz]

Just tried out some "Green Grease" synthetic. Be warned, it is very thick. I used it on a 8000 size Shimano spinner and regretted it, it caused way too much resistance. I think it would be great on saltwater conventional reels though.

[RowdyW]

exp, I don 't know where you are getting your information from but it is all wrong. The latest Penn Blue is a dark blue in color not sky blue. It seems like your concrete grease is not really Penn grease. I'll bet you never tested Penn grease & only went by what someone said was Penn grease. Why are you the only one in the world that has a problem with Penn grease? What is the proof in writing that the grease is inferior to other greases?  It seems like you just don't like Penn or it's products. You really don't need 6 or more kinds of grease to service a reel. With all those open containers of grease they must collect a lot of dust & dirt that you put into the reels you service. Send us some lab tests of Penn vs other popular marine greases. Like shear strength, temp range, salt resistance, what it contains. etc. Looking at it doesn't count.

[exp2000]

exp, I don 't know where you are getting your information from but it is all wrong. The latest Penn Blue is a dark blue in color not sky blue.

Obviously they changed again. Perhaps they returned to their previous formula. Ever think to ask yourself why? Perhaps they are dumping their obsolete stockpiled crap on lesser markets - works for Big Pharma!

I'll bet you never tested Penn grease & only went by what someone said was Penn grease. Why are you the only one in the world that has a problem with Penn grease?

Think you owe me an apology on this one Rowdy.  I sometimes service hundreds of reels every year so everything stated is based on hard personal experience. The shop I was working at back then received promotional containers from Pure Fishing as it was the brand new thing on the block.

As for me being "the only one". Yes, I do live in a remote part of the world so I am very isolated but it happens to be a fisherman's paradise. Another tech about a thousand clicks down the road also has the exact same experience with"the blue glue" as myself. I have not bothered to seek out supporters.

What is the proof in writing that the grease is inferior to other greases?  It seems like you just don't like Penn or it's products.

Even Allan Hawke describes it as best reserved for cheaper reels but if you cannot believe the evidence of your own eyes that I have presented in previous posts then I am afraid that I cannot help you.

I do not have the exposure to the full range of Penn products that you do in the states but this much I do know. Penn produced nice quality products twenty years ago - reels you could take pride in. Now some of their stuff breaks right outa the box - it's that cheap and nasty! I tell my clients don't ever buy a Liveliner - It's not a matter of IF it's gonna break - just WHEN. But if you examine my Facebook page you will see that I just tell it like it is and the Penn brand is far from exclusive in my critiques. I would love to get hold of some of their premium reels. Might give me a new appreciation?

You really don't need 6 or more kinds of grease to service a reel.

You may notice that there are two trays in the picture. I typically use four different greases for conventionals and four others for spinners. This will cover appropriate choices for both economy and premium models. Shimano alone markets at least seven different greases in a range of viscosities - all of them far lighter than standard marine grease. You might not need these for a Senator but the reels that I typically work on are a tad more sophisticated and the results speak for themselves. Here is a testimony from one of my clients:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/KimberleyRodandReel/
We highly recommend Brett for all reel servicing here in Broome.
We were sending our gear back to Shimano however we weren't satisfied with the quality of their workmanship & it was costly sending them to the Eastern states. With this in mind we decided to send our Stella 10000 & 20000, Calcutta 400 and Thunus 4000 to Brett and all were returned in perfect condition. They feel as good. He has the passion and know how.

With all those open containers of grease they must collect a lot of dust & dirt that you put into the reels you service.

Seems like you are just out for vengeance now Rowdy! The containers are covered in a sliding drawer and it sure beats fiddling round with lids on a regular basis.

Send us some lab tests of Penn vs other popular marine greases. Like shear strength, temp range, salt resistance, what it contains. etc. Looking at it doesn't count.

Yeah I kinda gathered that. Do not despair, Penn cam provide you with an abundance of theoretical literature documenting just how wonderful their products are but I prefer reality over hype.
~

[farnorthlbg]

Agree with exp2000 regarding the necessity for different viscosity lubes for different areas in a high-end spin reels.  I service/repair/rebuild and tune Saltigas, branzinos, certates, exists, Stella's etc etc on a daily basis and this is common practice and mandatory.  As far as the 'finest OEM lubricants' go, I'm not so sure, I have the full range and healthy quantities of Daiwa and Shimano's lubes but I just don't rate them aye.  I get a much better feel and se

rvice duration from CorrosionX grease cut with ReelX.  Allot of the time I find myself requiring a viscosity of grease that will be intermediate to what Daiwa has available as it just doesn't feel right, especially to a picky customer who knows what they want.  I would rather customize my own than be 'locked in' to what those rediculously overpriced little tubs have to offer.  This if course is only my opinion of OEM, general pupose lubricants, Daiwas UTD and ATD drag greases are excellent

[exp2000]

Agree with exp2000 regarding the necessity for different viscosity lubes for different areas in a high-end spin reels.  I service/repair/rebuild and tune Saltigas, branzinos, certates, exists, Stella's etc etc on a daily basis and this is common practice and mandatory.

Nice diet and thanks for the support.
Yes, the range of greases you buy from local service centers is what those techs themselves are using.

As far as the 'finest OEM lubricants' go, I'm not so sure, I have the full range and healthy quantities of Daiwa and Shimano's lubes but I just don't rate them aye.  I get a much better feel and service duration from CorrosionX grease cut with ReelX.  Allot of the time I find myself requiring a viscosity of grease that will be intermediate to what Daiwa has available as it just doesn't feel right, especially to a picky customer who knows what they want.

I also roll my own range of CX blends for different applications.
I use these on conventionals, baitcasters and more basic spinners.
Along with Superlube and Cals, these constitute my "economy" line?
Guess you know what I pay so that should make you laugh!
But I find Castrol Spheerol to posess very similar properties to CX at a fraction of the price.
Rothmar put me onto it - he uses it working on the rig tenders. Thanks mate

However when it comes to more sophisticated spinners I prefer to use the following:
ACE-0 or TBM-0 ultralight Teflon grease for main-shaft and line roller bush lubrication.
ACE-2 Teflon grease for general purpose lubrication, especially on light spinners.
Permalub for bearings and light gear-sets.
Daiwa 300 for larger gear-sets. It has a unique waxy cushion property that makes for truly slick cranking.
Daiwa 555 for premium drag sets - Allan Hawke reckons it's the best and it is the defining feature in their new drag hype.

I would rather customize my own than be 'locked in' to what those ridiculously overpriced little tubs have to offer.  

Yep, I hear you. I have yet to try other Daiwa service greases but one day maybe?

Anyone tried IOS Factory grease?
Is it really worth the exorbitant price tag or just inflated hype? I wonder?
~

[sharkman]

The greases I use are Penn grease and blue marine grease from Auto Zone.

[wfjord]

I've settled on using a soft mixture of Yamaha blue marine grease & CorrosionX in all my reels; it's super smooth and stays in place nicely. TSI321 for bearings in most reels, especially fw baitcasters. Grease/CorrX blend for bushings and some bearings in conventionals. Cal's for the drags.

[festus]

When I first joined this group I was using Super Tech Marine Grease from Walmart.  It seemed to do ok, but then I noticed most folks on here don't recommend anything pertaining to lithium.  Specs say this Super Tech is base type lithium complex NLGI Grade 2.  Any opinions here? It's a blue grease with a very strong smell.

So later I started using Ardent Reel Butter Grease and Reel Butter Oil picked up at the local Academy Sports.  This is too expensive because it's only in 1 oz tubes.

Over the weekend I ordered a tub of Penn Grease and a couple tubes of Superlube.  So I should be covered for a while.

[mo65]

should I try Cal's Purple when I run out of Penn blue -- has it changed?
my blue is prob >15yo & I rather like it for my sm/med spinners (mostly Shimano)
not too thick Jan/Feb & not too thin Jul/Aug...  Goldilocks zone for my climate (SEPA -- same as Sal)

   I've tried the Cal's Purple recently on some small spinners and really liked the feel. It seems thinner than the Penn Blue to me. I guess I should say "feels" thinner...as it does "look" about the same consistency. I use Penn Blue on all the conventionals and large spinners I service. Only two of those I've personally had in the salt, but they performed fantastic, grease still looks like it was just smeared on.

I started using Ardent Reel Butter Grease and Reel Butter Oil picked up at the local Academy Sports.  This is too expensive because it's only in 1 oz tubes.
Over the weekend I ordered a tub of Penn Grease and a couple tubes of Superlube.  So I should be covered for a while.

   I agree Chester...that Ardent Reel Butter seems like a good grease...but the 1 oz. tubes are a teaser! You'll love the Superlube on your spinners.

[farnorthlbg]

Interesting that festus, most general pupose marine greases used by the awesome crew here are derived from a lithium or lithium complex soap base with a hydrocarbon based lubricant (mineral oil).  They all have thier own variations of additives such as corrosion inhibitors, extreme pressure and anti-wear additives such as ptfe, dye's etc.  Wouldn't go as far as avoiding lithium soap greases, they have thier limitations but they work great!  If you're service/rebuild duration is inside a year you shouldn't have any troubles!