Ocean City Solid or soldered frame?

[Reeltyme]

Can anyone tell me about what year Ocean City produced the solid/soldered frame? I have 2 of the solid frame construction reels. Both are salt water reels. I checked the O.C. web site but it is under construction and the "Past Post" section had no topics that I could find. Any help would be appreciated!

[OCauto]

pictures or model names/numbers would help

[wrong99]

The Ocean City site is fine. For me, at least.
Mark

[Reeltyme]

My apologies for not being clear. The web site is fine, the schematics section is down for additions and upgrades I guess. That being said, here are some photos of the 2 reels in question. The finished one is about a 150 or 200 yard size while the uncleaned cage/frame is a 300 yard size. Both are a soldered solid setup. To take them apart the screws are removed and the side plates are pried off. Not an easy thing. They both have a completely round main gear support or bridge. It is also interesting to note that the smaller finished reel, while have the old standard 3 post cross support set up, has the top post offset of top dead center. It is set toward the front of the reel. I am not sure what the reasoning is for this either. Hope this all helps.

[Paul M]

I would guess that the bigger opening on the side facing the angler allows for the installation of a large hinged thumbing pad.

Paul M

[m3040c]

Can anyone tell me about what year Ocean City produced the solid/soldered frame? I have 2 of the solid frame construction reels. Both are salt water reels. I checked the O.C. web site but it is under construction and the "Past Post" section had no topics that I could find. Any help would be appreciated!

Those solid frame reels are introduced in the early 1920's. The completed reel in your picture is a 1922 Ocean City Free Spool model. Considered the first Ocean City Conventional reel. That model was made for many years and is fairly common; but, it is still a historically significant model because it is a first. They are problematic to restore because of the solid frame.

The larger gap between the cross bars is to allow for a thumb stall.

[Reeltyme]

Thanks for that info, that was a big help!

[m3040c]

Here is a catalog scan from the 1922 Moskowitz & Herbach catalog. They were one of the parent companies of Ocean City. In 1923, Ocean City Mfg. Co. opened it doors.



In the reels description are the official answers to your questions.

[m3040c]

In regards to the term, "Thumbing" the line. In the early days of the 20th Century, a experienced fisherman had what was known as an "Educated Thumb". His thumb was the anti-backlash device as well as the drag. Long time fisherman had very calloused thumbs from the constant burn the thumb was being exposed to from the Cuttyhunk Linen lines, which were twisted like rope and kind of rough on a finger. Combined burnt thumbs with broken knuckles from running fish causing spinning handles on reels without anti-reverse and the sport of game fishing in the early 20th Century was a sport that could cause some serious injury at times.

[Reeltyme]

And they think football players are tough? Stick your fingers in a spinning 400 yarder with a nice fat stripper on the other end and the we will see who's tough!
And once again, thank you for your time on this. This is really great!

[m3040c]

And once again, thank you for your time on this. This is really great!

Glad to be of assistance.

I never caught a Striper on a Knuckle Buster. Can't imagine trying to stop a 30 pounder with my thumb! Although when I was a kid I used to fish the bay beaches from the Carnarsie Pier to the Mill Basin bridge in Brooklyn using a Penn 155 as a surf reel. My thumb used to be pretty educated back then.