Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadalovsky!

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john elder
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Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadalovsky!

Post by john elder »

Actually not a new find, this is a reel that I got from Bob Douglas several years ago (we miss you, Bob!). I had never opened it up since it was pretty nice on the outside, but I did a ground-up on it this past weekend and it turned out to be pretty interesting! The reel is a 9/0 A.J. Stead reel and as we have discussed in the past, these reels have many traits in common with LA Coxe reels...Stead was thought to be Coxe's foreman in the late '20's, so that fits. One rather obnoxious thing that both Coxe and Stead did was to put the back plate on the frame with rivets so that removing the back plate from the frame for repairs or cleaning was impossible unless you had the rivets and wherewithal to replace them. Well, I got inside this reel and everything was as expected...till I got to the back plate. Instead of rivets, the back plate was held in place with Screws! Also holding up removal of that plate from other Coxe and Stead reels was the fact that the clicker knob was press-fit through the back plate, again making it nearly impossible to remove without putting the reel at risk. On this reel, there was a set screw holding that clicker knob in place, making it very easy to remove! Finally, I thought, A.J. got it right!...but why was this the only reel I had ever seen with these modifications?? As I did the cleaning, the answer suddenly appeared, etched into the back plate!



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RonG
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Re: Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadolovky!

Post by RonG »

Nice work John. I once saw a Henshall van Antwerp reel that Oscar had put his name on the inside surface of the spool. I assume this was his way, like a lot of early jewelers, to leave their name or initials on anything they worked on. Thanks for sharing.
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54bullseye
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Re: Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadolovky!

Post by 54bullseye »

So John you figure someone brought it to Kovalovsky to repair clicker and he drilled out the rivets repaired it then made everything accessible ?? Neat back ground for reel ! You do nice work. John Taylor
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john elder
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Re: Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadolovky!

Post by john elder »

Thanks, guys! Yes, Oscar did quite a few repairs over the years for people. Bob bought it from a fellow that had Oscar do some repair...don't know what...and he put it back the way shown. Those are the perfect mods for that reel. Just worked on another 9/0 for a member and sure wish that would have been the setup on that one. I really needed to get in that back plate and couldn't without drilling the rivets and i just wasn't willing to do that on someone else's reel.
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Midway Tommy D
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Re: Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadolovky!

Post by Midway Tommy D »

john elder wrote: I really needed to get in that back plate and couldn't without drilling the rivets and i just wasn't willing to do that on someone else's reel.
What the heck, John? It sure doesn't look like it bothered Oscar very much. You could have left your autograph, too. :P
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john elder
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Re: Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadolovky!

Post by john elder »

Ah, Tommy, but Oscar had a drawer-full of those screw-back "rivets"... Gotta find a source for those. Thats a lot of lathe time to make them! I have brass ones I use in woodworking. Push comes to shove, i guess I could nickel plate them. He must also have had a small gear puller that helped get that clicker knob off without putting pressure on that back plate....yet another tool i need in my belt!
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Jonathan P. Kring
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Re: Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadalovsky!

Post by Jonathan P. Kring »

How about a battery terminal puller to use for a gear puller? I think they still make them.
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john elder
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Re: Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadalovsky!

Post by john elder »

Good thought, jon! Will investigate!
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Brian F.
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Re: Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadalovsky!

Post by Brian F. »

That is very cool. When you unzipped that one, you certainly unzipped a whole lot more than just a reel!
Nick in NY
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Re: Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadalovsky!

Post by Nick in NY »

All comes down to math. Measure the thickness of the nickel rivets then drill out the head of the rivet where it meets the inner nickel plate...but before you start use an awl to mark center rivet. Now for the hard part. It's not easy tapping a shallow rivet but screw that is inside must be larger than hole to keep things together. No easy. Nice job! I've a little background in machining among other things. Tight Lines Nick in NY
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Paul M
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Re: Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadalovsky!

Post by Paul M »

Love the grasp, too!
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john elder
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Re: Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadalovsky!

Post by john elder »

Nick, I can't be sure, but a doubt that he tapped the original rivets, but rather, just drilled them out and tossed them, then replaced with these:




I'm concerned that the wall thickness might not be sufficient on the rivet to allow drilling and tapping. However, I could see how what you describe might work.
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m3040c
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Re: Latest Saltwater reel find...9/0 Steadalovsky!

Post by m3040c »

John,

In my world that is relatively standard hardware know as a Chicago Bolt or Screw. They are available in many different styles, finishes and base metals.

https://www.google.com/search?q=chicago ... 29&dpr=0.9

Love the Steadalovsky,,,,,,,, a super history. :shock: :shock:
mike cass,,, if you can't collect it, it must be food
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