Thanks to everyone who suggested ways to free up the slightly rusted screws stuck inside the bone grasps of my Nightingale reel. And a major tip of the hat to retired ORCA librarian Don Champion, who suggested soaking the grasps in a vinegar solution. I did it, waited patiently, drilled out a piece of hardwood with a hole about the size of the screw head, used another piece of wood and tapped the screws out successfully. Thank you, folks!
Richard
Here they are after tapping out the screws...
And the reel, after cleaning out the grasp holes and cleaning and lightly oiling the screws so they won't rust again.
p.s. If anyone has any information, photos of reels, ads or biographical info on William Nightingale, the British reelmaker who made this reel and similar "coin" reels, please let me know. I'd love to do a piece for a future Reel News about him.
