Original grease question

[Chuck750ss]

Wasn't sure where to post this question, but since I spend most of my time here in the egg beater section I am posting it here.
From a collector standpoint should one leave the original grease in a reel? I never have. But I just picked up a near mint 712 greenie and the question crossed my mind.
I have purchased several reels that were really stiff due to the old clay based grease. Some to the point of almost not operating at all.

[Midway Tommy]

I don't know of any collector that would have a problem with someone maintaining an older reel. About the only exception to that is a couple of Cargem Italian reels that I have that are NIB plus they're in a sealed plastic bag with a gold band on the bag. Removing that gold band and opening the bag would devalue their collectability by about 50%.   What most collectors don't like is repainting, modding & other things that divest in their originality.

[Chuck750ss]

Thanks Tommy. That is the way I have always viewed things. Just curious if some would like to see original lube in reels they bought.

[festus]

I've run across a couple of reels that had grease so soft and clean that I was tempted to recycle the old grease but I didn't.

If the grease is clean and still soft enough to be effective, sure, why not use it again?

[Midway Tommy]

I've run across a couple of reels that had grease so soft and clean that I was tempted to recycle the old grease but I didn't.

If the grease is clean and still soft enough to be effective, sure, why not use it again?

My attitude is similar to Fred's. I only have confidence in what I know and I only know what I put in there. If I haven't purchased and installed it I really don't have any trust about how it will work, or how long it will last.