DAM QUICK Finessa drag question

[Midway Tommy]

The corrosion factor, plus the cumbersome adjustment during a play and the possibility of the drag tightening or loosening via faulty drag knob while in action (had that happen a few times in my early spinning reel days) are just the reasons why I've never been a front drag fan or user. When the drag components are protected inside the body and the adjusting knob is at the back of the reel those issues seem to never come into play. At least that has been my experience, anyway.

BTW, some of the early European reel makers had roots in watch making. Carl Borgstrom started out as a watchmaker in Svangsta, Sweeden in the Halda Watch Factory. When Halda went bankrupt in 1920 Borgstrom bought Halda's tooling and founded A.B. Urfabriken (Watch Factory 🏭) with his son, Gote. They manufactured  Record Taximeters. After WWII Gote became interested in fishing reels and introduced their baitcaster and later hired Ake Murval as Production Manager and head of design. Within a year the Abu/Record 500 spinning reel was introduced and the rest is spinning reel history.

[handi2]

Thanks for the info.

I still have the Ben Wrights spinning reel bible around here somewhere.

Keith

[Bora]

The corrosion factor, plus the cumbersome adjustment during a play and the possibility of the drag tightening or loosening via faulty drag knob while in action (had that happen a few times in my early spinning reel days) are just the reasons why I've never been a front drag fan or user. When the drag components are protected inside the body and the adjusting knob is at the back of the reel those issues seem to never come into play. At least that has been my experience, anyway.

BTW, some of the early European reel makers had roots in watch making. Carl Borgstrom started out as a watchmaker in Svangsta, Sweeden in the Halda Watch Factory. When Halda went bankrupt in 1920 Borgstrom bought Halda's tooling and founded A.B. Urfabriken (Watch Factory 🏭) with his son, Gote. They manufactured  Record Taximeters. After WWII Gote became interested in fishing reels and introduced their baitcaster and later hired Ake Murval as Production Manager and head of design. Within a year the Abu/Record 500 spinning reel was introduced and the rest is spinning reel history.

Interesting stuff, I hadn't know that!

Thinking about it now I guess it makes sense that some of the early leaders in watchmaking [Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, France etc] also made some excellent reels in their day.

There was also significant watch industry in the UK and Russia [most of which operating on patents and tooling from the US] going back over a century at least. Anyone know of any notable historic reels coming from the UK or Russia? I suspect UK had a solid industry but not sure. Have no clue about Russia but I guess they had to come up with something...

[JasonGotaProblem]

Nit to derail the thread but You know what that means. Now you gotta develop an abu collection/addiction. They're also great reels.

Thank you Tommy. I didn't know that history. It kinda makes sense though, looking inside old abu reels that there's a watchmaker's influence.

[Bora]

Nit to derail the thread but You know what that means. Now you gotta develop an abu collection/addiction. They're also great reels.

Thank you Tommy. I didn't know that history. It kinda makes sense though, looking inside old abu reels that there's a watchmaker's influence.

Completely agree Jason! One of my first trout fishing reels was an Abu Garcia 'Agenda' I think it was. I also had a second-hand Cardinal 807, which I think was a very good reel. But I've never had the chance to handle some of the classic examples from back in the day. It's on the bucket list for sure.

[Midway Tommy]

Just be aware that the majority of the post 1984 Abu Garcia reels, when production moved to Asia, are not near the quality of the pre '84 reels manufactured in Sweden. There are a few quality A/G reels that were made in Japan but you need to do some heavy research to figure out which ones they are.

[Bora]

Just be aware that the majority of the post 1984 Abu Garcia reels, when production moved to Asia, are not near the quality of the pre '84 reels manufactured in Sweden. There are a few quality A/G reels that were made in Japan but you need to do some heavy research to figure out which ones they are.

Well noted, thank you sir. Looking forward to going down that rabbit hole too!

[handi2]

JMO. But I like the big multi disc drag systems found in spinning reels with the skirted spool rotors. More metal and fiber washers = more smoothness and fine tuning control. Yeah, they do add complexity, expense and extra weight. Also, I've found-out the hard way that an unsealed drag knob(either made that way, or damaged)can lead to spool corrosion from water leakage down inside those deep skirted spools.

I agree with Greg on the drags.  Particularly the skirted spool aluminum spooled ones with a LARGE drag top & under-spool.

However, these earlier models with catch fish very effectively —- and are nothing to sneeze at.

Both systems are reliable, capable, strong, and effective.

There is, IMO, a lot of satisfaction in fishing and landing large fish with these older, original reels —- that are as good today as they were 60 years ago.

There are only a handful of reel brands in the world that will weather the test of decades —- and after restoring like Bora is doing —- just keep working effectively for decades to come.

DAM Quick is one of these few brands.

Best, Fred

Yes, there is something to be said about that. I really find this satisfying, especially these days when consumer items in general are all about "better, faster, lighter" but not necessarily "longer"...

My big passion before reels was [and still is] watchmaking. And I have the same sentiments towards watches from the 50s and 60s that still do fine job telling the time, despite different designs. Lots of similarities with reels, but I'm happy about one major difference: I don't have to wear a 20x magnifying glass to see what I'm actually doing with reels

That's a niche that I find very cool. I would take apart my granny's old big bend clocks and pit them back together!

[Bora]

Nice hobby. Definitely satisfying when all the pieces come back together to make a whole. It doesn't always happen. I guess that's part of the satisfaction, likewise with our reels.

[Walter61]

I looked at my spare spool from the 280. Yes, as Fred already wrote, there is only one disc inside.



I also looked in my documents and found the spare parts drawing. The drawing shows the first model of the 280.





greeting Walter

[foakes]

Thanks, Walter!

Good photos.

Best, Fred

[Bora]

Likewise thank you Walter.

And also for the diagrams, this is a great resource.

I've checked it over and it's good to see all other components seem to be present in my reel.

By the way, any idea about when this model was first introduced? Only curious...

All best

Bora

[Walter61]

Likewise thank you Walter.

And also for the diagrams, this is a great resource.

I've checked it over and it's good to see all other components seem to be present in my reel.

By the way, any idea about when this model was first introduced? Only curious...

All best

Bora

Hello Bora,
the first model of the Quick Finessa 280 came onto the market in 1957.
My oldest booklet on the reel is from September 1956.




greeting Walter

[Bora]

Likewise thank you Walter.

And also for the diagrams, this is a great resource.

I've checked it over and it's good to see all other components seem to be present in my reel.

By the way, any idea about when this model was first introduced? Only curious...

All best

Bora

Hello Bora,
the first model of the Quick Finessa 280 came onto the market in 1957.
My oldest booklet on the reel is from September 1956.




greeting Walter

Excellent, thank you very much Walter!

Amazing to think these reels still going strong 65+ yrs later.

One of my favourites for sure,