Star drags on freshwater baitcasters

[Steve]

Guest and I had a quick discussion about Rudolph Kilian's claim that his reel was the only "freshwater reel" with a star drag, ca. 1950. The claim wasn't strictly accurate, as some larger reels usable for freshwater trolling had star drags, e.g., No. 850 Perfectoreno, Pflueger Rocket, Penn No. 49. And we're not talking about the adjustable brakes on Indiana reels.

"Fishing Tackle Digest" for 1948 shows lots of baitcasters from almost everyone--Pflueger, Bristol, Ocean City, Shakespeare, Bronson, Heddon, Sport King, Kalamazoo, South Bend, J. C. Higgins, Fraser, Gulf, Langley, Ranger, et al.-- and not a single reel has a star drag.

Could the Kilian have been the first "conventional" baitcaster with a star drag?

[john elder]

i may just be fuzzing out on a friday, but I think I have a Bronson with a star drag...it's much like the Shakespeare Service, which also has a star drag...at work, so can't verify and will probably feel silly for making this post when I get home...but then, that would not be a novelty

[Harvey]

FYI:
The 1934 Shakespeare catalogue has the #1944 Service listed as having a STAR DRAG. That is the first year that the 1944 service was listed. The 1932 version was the smaller version with no drag. No service is listed in my 1933 catalogue so it looks like they started listing the 1944 Heavy freshwater/Light saltwater in 1934. Going by the production list that is avaiable thru our library, The first model was a "HG" which is 1934. The production dates listed say that it was produced from 7/7/1933 till 12/28/1933 thus it would have been listed for the first time in the 1934 catalogue. I think somebody was trying to pull the ol' "Wool over the eyes" trick with the Kilian's 1950 reel.
"H"

[Reelsptsmn]

the much loved langley white cap tight lines, bruce

[John Wozney]

What about the J.A.Coxe 65c Do All

[john elder]

yes, John...that was the reel I mis-remembered as a Bronson...Coxe 65C---don't know re dates, tho

[orourke]

J. A. Coxe 65C Do All was Also produced as a Bronson Do All 65. I have advertising that goes back to atlest 1949 on the Coxe 65C.

[Steve]

Could one of you post a pic of the Do All, please?

If the Service can be lumped with the "larger" reels, so far it sounds as if star drags didn't appear on the "average-size" (say, Meek No. 3-size) baitcaster until around 1949.

[john elder]

here you go...the summit on the right is added to give an indication of the Do All's size.

[Steve]

Thanks, John. Am I right in thinking the Do All also could be included among the larger, "heavy" freshwater reels, at least some of which were also suitable for "light" saltwater use? Which would suggest that maybe Rudy Kilian wasn't exaggerating too much.

[john elder]

I'd agree that I haven't seen any freshwater reel the size of the summit with a star drag. I always pictured the Do All and the larger Service as something for bigger trout or Great Lakes fishing...but I imagine pulling in 65 lb catfish in the '40-50s would have been a bit easier with this reel. I would guess the name "Do All" was supposed to imply you could throw it in fresh or salt. To me, both the Coxe and the Service reels feel "cheap"...light and tinny...however, to give them some slack, I think the makers were trying to keep them lightweight to appeal to freshwater fishing. The Do All is right between the Penn 9 and 209 in size and weighs about half as much as the Penn 9. In fact, it only weighs slightly more than the Summit.

[Steve]

A J.A.C. of all trades!

[Harvey]

Steve,
Boy, you'r on a roll this morning!
"H