What's your pleasure?

[JoeW]

When you find a new that comes with what appears to be an age-appropriate line on it, do you display the reel WITH line or always without? Is it OK to add line from another reel to it?

If you're hoping to pass the reel off to someone else, do you offer it With the line, or without?

Been laying awake at night for months now trying to decide! I kinda like the old reels WITH a correct line on it, but is that against the rules? Opinions welcomed all! Thanks. Best---- Joe Walkowski (WNYTC, ORCA)

"To line or not to line- that is the question."

[wrong99]

Joe,
The very first thing I do after finding a new reel is to strip off the line. When selling a reel, I want potential customers to be able to see the condition of the spool. Only my opinion, but I can't see anything good coming from leaving old line on a reel that could potentially do damage to the reel itself. Especially salt water reels. However, re-lining it for display is a personal choice, as long as the line is in good condition.
Mark

[john elder]

+1

[Roger Schulz]

I have 600+ reels and I don't think any have line on them.

Roger

[Midway Tommy D]

+2 on Mark & John's opinion.

I have 450+ reels and within 30 minutes of entering my adobe all line has been removed and deposited in the waste basket. IMO, if someone wants to display a reel with period correct line, which I absolutely do not, there really isn't much harm in relining it with brand new, never again to see water, line. Some do, but personally I would not, wash and dry old line and reinstall it for display. I doubt that 100% of the possible contaminants can effectively be removed.

[Bill Muth]

+3

[Reeltyme]

The spool, in my opinion, is part of the beauty of the whole thing. A shiny spool on an equally beautiful reel housing makes the display. I have NEVER seen beautiful line! Strip it off!

[Paul M]

I once dealt with a collector of antique fly reels. He removed the fly lines and displayed them neatly coiled up next to the reel from which each was removed. It looked nice, permanently separated the line from the reel but preserved the find.

[jimbofish]

Couple of reasons to line a reel IMHO:
Cover up a less-than-perfect spool for display. Obviously not ethical when trying to sell to someone.
A reel that one intends to use occasionally so it's ready to go.
A period-correct line, especially if the reel is mounted on an appropriate rod and the line is strung, makes a nice display.
With a line on, one can actually practice using the reel to see how well a reel performs or doesn't.

Disclaimer: I do have line on many of my reels and have not had any problems, however I don't have any reels that are particularly valuable or have been used in salt water.

[Mike N]

I agree that nothing good comes from leaving old line on a reel. But about 1/3 of the reels in my collection have fresh vintage line. I like the look. It’s how an antique reel should look when displayed.

I use inexpensive sewing thread as backing and then cover it by adding a few yards of actual vintage line (the good looking braided linen line isn't cheap) to top it off.





Mike N

[Tom R]

What is the best way to clean & dry vintage line?

[JoeW]

Thanks all for your thoughts and opinions! I appreciate that! Seems like a lot of thoughts are shared by all, and some aren’t. Been considering everything that’s been said- here’s my personal plan:

I’ll remove old line from all reels I acquire. I usually do, just to clean them up, but some that are in real good condition and if the line is age appropriate, I’ve left it on. No longer! All line comes off!

A) if the reel spool has been damaged by the line in any way, or if it’s mono or that typical black nylon (dacron?) line, it gets thrown out!

B) if reel spool has not been damaged and the line “looks good” on the reel, then
1) if I plan on keeping the reel, line goes back on with periodic checks of the spool.
2) if I plan to possibly get rid of the reel by sale or trade, then line gets wrapped around a rectangle of cradboard and gets offered along with the reel- as per Paul M’s reply.

C) If I switch lines from one reel to another, I'll make certain that it caused no damage to the first reel before switching. (Note: I had originally posted I wouldn't switch lines, but I've changed my mind. What's the use of leaving a nice, clean, speckled, salt-n-pepper line on a beater?)

This sound good? Any additions or suggestions?

Yea, I’m with Jimbo, Mike, and maybe a couple others--- I like the looks of an old reel WITH line! It just looks complete that way, IMHO. An old reel without line is like a ’55 Chevy with no dice hanging from the mirror.

Well, I do have some old timers I’m selling/trading that I left the line on. It’ll take a while, but I will be taking it off and coiling it separately.

Thank you all most kindly for your thoughts- they helped me “get my mind right”. Any more contributions- keep posting them! Like Tom R’s question about cleaning old line. Best---- Joe Walkowski (WNYTC, ORCA)

[jimbofish]

Other than fly line, coiling 50 yards or more of any other line is asking for a miserable tangle, IME. I wrap it around something like an empty line spool, which also makes it easier to wind back onto the reel when the time comes.

BTW the "nasty" black nylon braid would be period correct for many reels. I clean it by running the line through a folded sponge with soapy water a couple of times.

[arley]

Every spinning reel I get I try to remove the line. The Abu spinning reels have a habit of cracking due to line expansion .

[oc1]

I collect old line and have more than one reel that were bought just because I wanted the line. Mono goes in the trash. Braided nylon is kept if it was made by Ashaway. Braided Dacron is kept if it was made by Gudebrod. Silk and linen is kept. Also horsehair if you were ever so fortunate.

You really need to make a small line dryer to handle it. Transfer line from the reel to the line dryer then put the line dryer spool in a bucket of soapy water. I use Dawn dish detergent but don't know that it matters. Then let it soak a bit and shake the heck out of it. Water will dissolve the salts, the soap will cut the lipids, but Cuttyhunk especially will tap some mineral grit too. Then do several changes with tap water to remove the soap. Let the spool dry then put a big wad of line in your mouth to taste it. If you can taste anything (perhaps salt or soap or mildew) then do it again. When done, transfer the line to a small spool for storage or back onto the reel.
-steve

[JoeW]

Other than fly line, coiling 50 yards or more of any other line is asking for a miserable tangle, IME. I wrap it around something like an empty line spool, which also makes it easier to wind back onto the reel when the time comes.

BTW the "nasty" black nylon braid would be period correct for many reels. I clean it by running the line through a folded sponge with soapy water a couple of times.

Actually, couldn't think of a better word than "coil" for wrapping the line around a 10" X 3" rectangle of cardboard with a V-notch cut in both ends to send line to buyer with reel.

No doubt that black braid is appropriate for a lot of reels! What I usually find is worn, fuzzy, faded, kinked, etc. and that doesn't really add much to a reel's appearance. Taking it unused off an original spool would be better fer sure. I'll change "nasty" to "typical", how's that? I still prefer a speckled line, or a lighter colored one- something different.

Arley-- oh yea, I throw out all mono. I've seen it leave cut ridges in plastic spools. I heard that mono actually absorbs water and can swell and crack spools?

Thanks all for the input. Best---- Joe Walkowski (WNYTC, ORCA)

[Reeltyme]

Steve, While I admire your determination in cleaning your line, No way am I “eating” it! You go through an awful lot of work to clean your collection while I just spend several days cleaning down to the threads of the smallest screw on my reel collection? Much easier! If you give out your address I will mail you tons of old line! No guarantee on the condition! Just joking, I never realized that devoted individuals like yourself went to such lengths for old fishing line! Cuddos’ to you. From what I could ascertain from your comments was that you can tell the maker of the line by looking at it? If that’s so, hats off to you! I am in awe!
Randy McConnell
Reeltyme
I still stand by my comment, remove old line!

[Stef Duma]

I have some reels with lines that are 80 to 100 years old. They look spectacular on the reels but they are in many cases stuck in a lump. I realise that in some cases full silk salmon lines are expensive.

Any suggestions advise or help as to what I should do with them.

[oc1]

I'm not a fly guy, but think that solid lump of line is because of the dressing, not the line itself. I came across a baitcasting reel with line which had been dressed too. Silk fly line was originally dressed with animal fat to repel water and make it float. The animal fat was later replaced with petroleum-based waxes. Never tried it, but solvents like isopropyl for animal fat or naphtha for petroleum-based waxes should loosen the line so it can be unrolled. You would not want the solvent to be in contact with the hard rubber side plates for long though so it's probably better to remove the spool first.
-steve

[jimbofish]

Here's a link to cleaning old fly lines. I've used it and it works very well.
http://www.overmywaders.com/index.php?cleaningsilk
and
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=15519&p=71022&hilit=fly+line+cleaning#p71022

[Stef Duma]

Thank you very much I will try and do something on at least one line.

The problem I have is that with more than a dozen reels with silk lines on them, that I will never fish with do I leave them as is or do I take the lines off clean them and put them back on or simply clean and store alongside the lines.

The majority are on 4 to 5 inch brass salmon reels or brass and alloy salmon reels.

Its a dilemma I will have to face this month, I have a 4 inch Dreadnought Test reel with a full line on it that needs photographing for a forthcoming project.

Stef

[Paul M]

I started loading up a line dryer with braided lines and just kept adding. Gives my antique line dryer a purpose in life.

[reelsmith.]

I remove all lines as I want to inspect the spool and arbor ...and I'm not fond of the look of a lined reel.

With one exception ...



Picture from Ron Gast's site.

An attractive line on a Billinghurst floats my boat.

Dean.

[john elder]

The overmywaders site mentioned above will have you soak the line in a sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) /warm water solution, which will pull out all the old mucilin and loosen things up. I would think it would work to drop the whole spool in the solution and let it soak...likely won’t take more than 30’ to one hour. Test the line by giving it a ginger tug to see if it’s rotten. If so, then strip and toss. If still good line, it’s worth finishing the restore on the line since it’s worth some bucks!

[big hoss]

I remove old line and often get shocked by the damage I find hidden. I would recommend the removal of old line as it can actually hide a rare spool which could increase the reels value quite considerable when selling on Ebay or through an auction house. I am looking for an Abu Ambassadeur 6000 with a bright aluminium arbour - rare and it could be hidden under a lot of old line.... get that line off if you are selling please.