Help with recent reel finds

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Ray Hencken
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Help with recent reel finds

Post by Ray Hencken »

Here are three bait casting reels that I recently acquired. A Tournament Free Spool 1740 Shakespeare Model FK Nickle Silver, an E-Z-2-Part Ocean City Mfg.Co Phila., P.A., and a No. 257 "Symploreel" Level Winder Non Backlash, stamped Stanton Street, Newark, N.J. Pat. Pending.
All of them are in Ex- condition. Can anyone opine on vintage, value and scarcity. I am primarily a fly reel collector and don't know much about these reels.
Thanks for any help.
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Chad S
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Re: Help with recent reel finds

Post by Chad S »

I can only help you on one;

The Shakespeare 1740 was made in 1931? lol is a typo it's 1951 fairly easy to find reel, in my opinion it is worth $50-60
Last edited by Chad S on Sun Oct 01, 2017 12:38 am, edited 2 times in total.
wrong99
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Re: Help with recent reel finds

Post by wrong99 »

The Shakespeare No.1740 is a Model FK, which means it was actually built from 1951 to about 1956. I agree with the estimate of value. The No.257 "Symploreel" was produced by Meisselbach-Catucci Mfg. Co. from 1924 to about 1932. A somewhat desirable model, worth about $75.00 if everything is complete and working as it should (particularly the anti-backlash-control mechanism). Information on the "E-Z-2-Part" can be found on ORCA's Ocean City website.
Mark
oc1
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Re: Help with recent reel finds

Post by oc1 »

The price of those 1740's has been creeping up of late. Some have gone for over a hundred. I have several and am partially responsible but really prefer the 1744 mechanics.
-steve
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Ron Mc
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Re: Help with recent reel finds

Post by Ron Mc »

I've found with a 1740 and light braided line (4-lb), I can cast 1/8 oz on Montague Flash cane - this is a tough weight to work with a modern baitcaster.
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kyreels
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Re: Help with recent reel finds

Post by kyreels »

I just bought two 1740's at the national, and the asking price was above $100, but I got one of them for $75. The cork arbor has to be in good condition, and not strung with Nylon to the point it is ruined. I think that $50 is the parts price for that reel.
Matt Wickham
Collector of Casting Weights, KY Reels and KY Tackle
Ray Hencken
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Re: Help with recent reel finds

Post by Ray Hencken »

The cork arbor is excellent.
oc1
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Re: Help with recent reel finds

Post by oc1 »

The arbors were great with silk but a lot of them were ruined by the stretch of mono and braided nylon. They usually collapse on one side because the cork or balsa does not have a uniform density. When it starts to collapse you get a low point and the spool bounces up and down on your thumb as you cast. They work really well with modern spectra braid.
-steve
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Bill Sonnett
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Re: Help with recent reel finds

Post by Bill Sonnett »

every 1740 I have seen has a balsa arbor, not cork. Balsa eventually assumes an oval rather than round shape due to compression from nylon line and the natural grain of the wood. Once this has happened it is fairly simple to turn the arbor down round again using the reel itself as a lathe.

I have done many Coxe 25's this way. Caution: put tape over the rear pillar or it will get scratched. I have had my best luck using the flat end of a file with a strip of emery cloth stretched over the end. The trick is to not try and work too fast. The Emory cloth should barely touch the wood. It will seem as if nothing is happening but soon sawdust of flour-like consistency will start to pile up under the reel. 15 minutes should do it in almost all cases. I mount the reel in an old handle and clamp that in a vice for the entire operation. Try the reel out and if it performs as it should---great! If you are going to use it in water, then remove the line and give the arbor a coat of clear lacquer to waterproof it.
I love to get old reels, work on them until they run as smooth as silk and the take them fishing using pre-1960 plugs, mostly surface fishing for Largemouths after dark.
oc1
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Re: Help with recent reel finds

Post by oc1 »

The older 1744's were cork.
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-steve
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