FELT VS CARBONTEX IN SPINNERS

[LTM]

Guys,

Ive noticed that Okuma uses "Japanese oiled felt" drags in their spinners.  Considering all of their (Okuma) efforts in creating the fantastic Mak series and the Andros and all of their testing of "carbon fiber" drags would lend one to think that they would opt for carbon vs felt drags.
Can anyone help me out understanding this for Im considering replacing my felt factory drags with carbontex in my spinners?

Leo

[Clem]

Hi Leo

I suspect cost has a lot to do with it, I do a bit of work on Shimano spinners and upgraded many with CF washers..Felt has a much shorter lifespan than CF. If you are upgrading just be aware of the thickness of the replacement CF washers. They are "generally" a little thicker by default and will compress less than felt once you start to tighten the drag.

These are not show stoppers but you just need to be aware as the combination of factors above will increase the potential drag setting (possibly beyond what the reel was originally designed for), easy to mange though and worth it in my opinion 

[JGB]

Okuma uses the
Japanese' oiled felt drags because of the market down under and Japan. Here in the USA the oiled felt drag lost it's following a long time ago. If you look at Okumas new offerings you will see them moving over to Carbon fiber drags which are superior with higher drag settings. Oiled felt works very well at low drag settings (like a couple of pounds of drag).

Jim N.

[LTM]

Thanx Guys,

Thanx for the clarification.

Leo

[maine guide]

what would the performance be of the felt drags if you put Cal's or Shimano drag grease on them?

[Clem]

Hi

As Jim mentioned, Felt washers are better suited to lighter drag settings...In most of the reels I have serviced, the felt washers have compressed significantly or in some cases disintegrated. I don't believe they would work well with Cal's or any other grease due to its heavy viscosity (compared to oil). Best with light drag oil and light drag settings..

[LTM]

Guys,

In regards to the "couple pounds of drag" statement; for my light line spinner applications (2-8#), as long as my felt washers are in good shape (which they are) the felt washers are better for the "smoothness" factor?  Now lets add to this particular application; the surf/rock-hopping environment where I use these reels.

In regards to "Japanese light oil"; Ive been using Shimano grease on felt washers (ie SLOSH etc).  Should I go lighter like TSI 321 and what would you use to clean grease from washers with?

Next, I also at times fish 10-12# line in the same surf/rock-hopping environment.  Is this still in the "low drag setting" range as well?

I know this sounds like really skimping (why dont I just buy some carbontex drags and be done with it); however Im attempting to service and upgrade 30 of my personal reels (which all need upgrades of one or more each) and its a matter of economic priorities as to which reels get what upgrades at the present time.

Thanx for your feedback guys,
Leo

[Clem]

Hi Leo,

I would consider your settings as "light" and therefore you should be fine - In my experience and from what I have seen when servicing, felt is only a problem at the highest settings...1 or 2 turns off max drag..(for extended periods). I recently had a Stradic 5000 FI where the washers had almost disappeared.

Also a Saragosa 4000F where the felt had compressed to a point where the base of the drag knob came into contact with the top of the spool...

In both cases, these reels were being used at the extreme end of what they were designed for...Unless you are are using yours like that I would continue with felt until they naturally wear out and then change to CF.

In regard to grease, I have not seen grease used before on felt..(I would of thought it would of been a bit heavy)..still smooth but a little slower than oil.

[LTM]

Clem,

Thanx for your response/feed-back.  In regards to using "grease" on felt drags; Ive been using Shimano "Star drag grease" on my felt washers for decades; its no-where's as thick as "Cals" drag grease its nice and buttery instead.  I initially starting using Shimano drag grease on the felt washers in my SLOSH series of reels and when I saw the felt in my spinners I just naturally "assumed" (you know what that really means) "hey this looks like the same stuff in my SLOSH reels" and used it on my spinners as well.  Oh well; the felt is still good after many, many years (dont use spinners that much).

So, if I switch to oil how should I clean the grease off and would TSI be a good oil to oil them with (not the solvent based TSI)?

Leo

[Clem]

Leo,

I would stay with it if its working for you, as I say I haven't used a reel with greased felt before - only oiled. From what you have described there is probably not a significant difference between the two. It would probably be a difficult task to clean the grease from felt..may damage the felt in the process?. I would stay with it and drop a dab or 2 of oil on them when required.

If you end up going to CF, just a thin coat of Cal's will do the trick...just remember the effect of the thicker washers..

[kenwahoo]

The effect of carbontex being thicker than original felt washers is easily overcome by combining thicknesses. Typically Daiwa spinners felt washers are about 0.7mm thick so with 3 altogether is 2.1mm. Using one 1.0mm plus 2 of 0.5mm gets you close enough.