"Nothin' could be meana
Than to clean off a patina..."
To which I respond:
"Nothin' could be cleana
Than removin' a patina..."
(The anonymous poet who penned this doggerel should be bard from further postings.)
Let me offer this unpolished prose in defense of my opinion:
I've always felt that most of the "patina" on tools like fishing reels usually consists mostly of dirt and grease, rather than an oxidation product of the metal. Therefore, I prefer cleaning the reels and letting a new patina "grow" from scratch.
The two reels shown below are very similar British single-action click reels probably well over 150 years old. The reel on the left is shown just after it was cleaned, but not polished, by sonication in grease-dissolving solvents. The reel on the right looked just as bright and shiny after it was cleaned several years ago. However, it has developed a nice, even, "natural" patina by sitting on a display shelf since then. A deep patina is not necessarily indicative of great age.
Ok so hang me out to RUST! Clean? yes, bring back to original condition(if its posible) yes, to modify or beyond original condition for dollar inhancment? to decive a buyer? NO NO NO ! To start off all metal is not solid it will (pass oil air or other like substances thru it or absorb them. Our air s much more poluted in this day and age than even 60 years ago, Post atomic erea took care of that. To clean ie. remove surface dirt grime oxidation or other subs. not a part of the metal ot hard rubber or materials used on reels is (in My opion) perfectly proper! Most of use shine our cars or boats etc, wife shine the furniture and waxes the floors? Why not the reels rods lures etc? If you clean the brass reels somewhat back to when they were made fine then to geep the elements of dirty air from dulling them, we use Caruba Wax, or any wax that contains Caruba in it ( The Old Cadilac Blue Coral ) was the best, We use METAL GLOW POLISH its like semichrome, to get the impurities off the surface of metals or lures etc. WORKS ON GUNS ! If its just grease and grime we use the mineral spirts to get rid of that nasty stuf, if we didnt our (clean , lube and repair business would be a falsehood) As for pits, use cleaner and a tooth brush its a lot of work its worth it! Sulpher is our worst enemy on metal if you scramble a egg the sulpher is in the air cabbage and corn beaf? same thing, and for you tobaco users well its the worst, the tars and cartagens ruin metal and you lungs, burn wood in the fireplace? this list goes on, ato or truck fumes keak into the home and the worst polutors are airplane yup good old comecial planes they bomb you with fall outs. Humid weater and salt air thake their toll, ( Harvy you reading this?) water vapors pick up JUNK and humid air lands on you reels, ALL METAL IS Pourus, do this test ( soak a brass gear in say marvel oil or other spray oils let it set for a day them take compresed air and the blow gun wand put this to the part and forsce air into it then watch the tiny bubles come out! ( note on comercail reel gears we soak them 24 hrs in marvel oil and then a light coating of grease on the teeth, these charter reels noe hold their grear teeth up to 5years with out a replacement! The Charter captains are very happy. As to your reels rods etc clean and protect them like your finest shot gun or rifle, You will then no you done your best to preserve your part of history! Salt water? well that white powder that forms? dontuse it on your steaks, it will most liky be very bitter! Now go clean and wax a REEL it will make you feel better ! Col. milton Lorens aka SWIM JIG Your Ohio Conection a DECIDING ELECTION STATE 