Best reel lube...

[stevenm]

Can we agree that some oldtimers used yeti snot and pine sap mixtures as reel lube?!

[1badf350]

LOL i would agree with that

[john elder]

Hey, that snot worked for wheel bearings so why not reels?! classic case is that some thought the screw in the back of a mitchell 300 was a grease gun fitting!

In their defense, a lot of the early lubes that when freshly applied, served well, but over time just turned to wax....and that's what we now are dealing with in a lot of those "finds"..

[Midway Tommy D]

In their defense, a lot of the early lubes that when freshly applied, served well, but over time just turned to wax....and that's what we now are dealing with in a lot of those "finds"..

One positive is that it scrapes out in big chunks pretty easily. Now that film left behind is a little different story, it usually takes a pretty good degreaser.

[stevenm]

classic case is that some thought the screw in the back of a mitchell 300 was a grease gun fitting!

the visual of someone hooking up a grease gun is too much...

[Midway Tommy D]

classic case is that some thought the screw in the back of a mitchell 300 was a grease gun fitting!

the visual of someone hooking up a grease gun is too much...

Heck, the serious reel techs these days have refillable 3oz grease guns that they use all the time, usually with some sort of marine grease, especially when the reels are subjected to salt water. They even have special cone fittings for packing bearings. Most fresh water guys don't go quite that far, although many use Penn or some sort of blue marine grease like Yamaha, etc. Personally, I prefer Super Lube, but I don't do salt water reel service.

[escharfie]

Best Grease: Anything with a PAO Synthetic oil and an Aluminum Complex soap.

Best Oil: 5W20 Mobil 1, or Reel X

[arley]

Since I no longer have a source for 'hot sauce' I now use Ardent. Nice thing was last year BPS (overpriced tackle store) had kits of lube and grease on close out for $4 each. Bought all 5. It's The only thing I have bought at BPS (overpriced tackle store) in years.

[Reeltyme]

Yeti snot is old school. Now go to Home Depot and get the new Gorilla Snot! Now you have “reel” protection! On the other hand, Penn’s Blue Grease used in the correct amount, (not the entire case as I have run into) works great on salt reels. Of course, this is my opinion. Oil where needed and grease where needed. Reels work great or another 40 years!

[Bill Sonnett]

I think we have been through his discussion before. I will not comment on saltwater reels. When it comes to actually fishing with vintage baitcasting reels. I settled long ago on Hoppes oil when it comes to bearings and levelwind threaded shafts. Gear grease has proved more problematical. I have tried many that have been recommended on this site. Some work better than others. The main quality that I look for is a somewhat thin grease that does not inhibit the cast yet does not fly off the gears due to centrifugal force as the gears in older non-freespool reels are spinning at warp speed during the cast. This is not a concern on modern baitcasters in which no gears are turning during the cast. The other quality that needs to be considered is viscosity during cold weather. Anyone who has ever used Vaseline as gear grease on a vintage reel knows that casting slows to a crawl on a cold morning.

[john elder]

Colonel Milt used to always swear by Quantum Hot Sauce due to the point Bill brings up about grease flying off. I have been using it for the past several years and have had no trouble other than using too much and getting complaints from wife Linda about that red stuff all over everything. Their oil is also very good but is too good for me...it’s like The Alien’s blood...you cannot keep it contained! Invariably, I will store it unsupported so it gets to that little cap, which cannot contain the stuff and prettty soon, it’s on everything!

...and yes, Bill is also right that a search here will turn up quite a few entries on this subject, with pretty much the same diverse opinions.

[stevenm]

...and yes, Bill is also right that a search here will turn up quite a few entries on this subject, with pretty much the same diverse opinions

Apologies, i sometimes get a giggle when cleaning a reel, and its full to the brim with crusty stuff, hence the post.

I'll back Bill here on the Hoppes oil. I even go as far as doing a little mixing with that, and gear grease to build some of the consistency i seek for certain parts. No guarantee that someone wont be cursing my name in 70 years....

[Bill Sonnett]

WOW! --- never would I have thought of mixing oil with grease to achieve the desired consistency. Kind of like the wheel----"I would have thought of that if I had never seen one before" ---- LOL
Hoppes oil is water clear and the viscosity I am looking for. I have been using it for 60 years at least on guns and reels and have never seen it dry up, change color or go bad in any way.

[oc1]

it’s like The Alien’s blood....

LOL. To get the viscosity that low they use a lot of volatile stuff that can easily work it's way around the flimsy cap. I had it crawl out of the bottle too but didn't like the oil because it needs to be re-applied every few hours when fishing.
-steve

[Midway Tommy D]

Best Grease: Anything with a PAO Synthetic oil and an Aluminum Complex soap.

Best Oil: 5W20 Mobil 1, or Reel X

Ed's examples are right on the money. There have been so many advancements in lubricants over the last decade that some of the old standbys are almost archaic in these times, and with synthetics it is easy to combine the two when a lighter consistency grease is optimal. I do it all the time.

[Patrick Z]

WOW! --- never would I have thought of mixing oil with grease to achieve the desired consistency. Kind of like the wheel----"I would have thought of that if I had never seen one before" ---- LOL
Hoppes oil is water clear and the viscosity I am looking for. I have been using it for 60 years at least on guns and reels and have never seen it dry up, change color or go bad in any way.

Isn't this what Charles Fox recommended doing in "Advanced Baitcasting?" It's what I have been doing ever since reading the book on your recommendation. Or did I miss the sarcasm in your post above?

[Patrick Z]

Best Grease: Anything with a PAO Synthetic oil and an Aluminum Complex soap.

Best Oil: 5W20 Mobil 1, or Reel X

Ed's examples are right on the money. There have been so many advancements in lubricants over the last decade that some of the old standbys are almost archaic in these times, and with synthetics it is easy to combine the two when a lighter consistency grease is optimal. I do it all the time.

I haven't had much luck with the aluminum complex grease in spinning reels. The tube of trailer bearing lube (I've long since thrown the tube away, but it was one of the generic brands that Ed had mentioned on one of the Mitchell forum posts) separated badly and the reels became increasingly stiff over time. I still may try one of the other brands (Yamaha?), but am still using up my tubes of Super Lube until then. Although on the thin side for grease, I have found it to actually improve the quietness of a Mitchell 204 with use over time.

[Bill Sonnett]

No sarcasm on my part Patrick --- just an ever poorer memory as time goes by. Sad but true---LOL

[Phil M.]

We all have our favorite lubes, I'm sure, but Bill Sonnett has made a very good point. Cold weather viscosity is very important in parts of the country. I use a synthetic grease that is used on the suspension of snowmobiles and heavy farm equipment in states like Wisconsin and Minnesota where temps can go to -20F. It's called Arctic Synthetic Grease and is made by Amsoil. Sometimes, the nice 55 degree day turns quickly to a 40 degree day when the sun goes over the horizon. I don't want my reel to feel like it's been lubed with mashed potatoes in those circumstances, and with this lube the reel still spins freely. Put 2 reels in the refrigerator (37 degrees) for 20 minutes, one with this lube, and one with some other type of lube. When you take them out, compare the feel of one to the other. Another point on spinning reels is that when you get finished rebuilding the reel, it should not spin freely yet, because of the packed lubricant. IMO, if the reel spins freely right away, you have used too thin of a lube and I wouldn't put the reel into any type of hard service. The innards of the reel should need a load put on them for a while (catch a fish) before the reel starts spinning more freely. I use Amsoil throughout the reel but use Permatex Spark Plug & Electrical Connector Dielectric Grease (thick and clear) on the handle knob shafts because it won't run out on hot days and is ok on plastics. Like I say, we all have our favorite methods and there were some good points made on this thread.

[Ron Mc]

I ran across two carded sealed tubes of Hot Sauce in my stores a few weeks ago. And yes, they're here to stay
Communications with Zebco returned that they're looking for a new supplier to make Hot Sauce again for them.

[Midway Tommy D]

I've always felt that Hot Sauce was somewhat over rated, plus expensive. It was fine back when there weren't many other good synthetic grease choices, but there are a host of them now that are just as good, if not better, and much more reasonably priced.

[Skip]

Seems like every old reel I pick up that is stiff is full of old grease that has congealed into a solid mass and was probably more suitable for a tank track or transom mount hinges for an outboard motor in the first place.

I use q-tips and toothpicks to get as much of that crap out of there as I can and penetrating oil and foaming silicone spray to try to get the rest out. Sometimes I have to completely disassemble the drive train to get it cleaned up.

My background in guns leads me to use the least amount of lubricant possible. Excess lubricant only attracts dirt and grit. Many lubricants get stiff when they get cold and the more lubricant the stiffer it gets.

I use a small amount of silicone reel grease on the gears and light oil (like sewing machine oil or mineral oil) by the drop on bushings and bearings. Lately I've been experimenting with gun oils. Break Free LP, designed for use on semi-auto actions works well on spinning reel spool oscillating gears. Hornady One Shot HD Extreme seems to work really well, isn't affected by extreme conditions and is corrosion resistant.

Pics are of an Abu 505 I got that was completely non-functional due to congealed grease and an antique oiler I use to dispense mineral oil by the drop.

[Midway Tommy D]

Seems like every old reel I pick up that is stiff is full of old grease that has congealed into a solid mass and was probably more suitable for a tank track or transom mount hinges for an outboard motor in the first place.

I know what you mean.



Sometimes I find them like that and sometimes not quite so bad, but all get an overnight lacquer thinner soak on all the non-painted metal parts, then a burnishing with a wire brush or white 3M polishing pad, an Original White Goop scrub and Dawn wash to all painted and plastic parts and this is what I start reassembly with.



With some sparingly and strategically located Super Lube (my favorite) and some synthetic oil, here is the end result, like new and ready to go back to work.




Than old petroleum and wax based grease is a nightmare , but nothing is worse than the old graphite based grease as far as removing all its residue.

[Skip]

That's the way to do it, Tommy. Very sanitary.

I've been thinking about trying this stuff: NSR 4609 https://www.professormotor.com/product-p/nsr4609.htm

Fifty years ago when slot cars were in their heyday I was a serious competitor. I know there is a minor resurgence in the hobby so I went looking and sure enough there are some modern lubricants for the drive trains.

BTW I use magnetic bowls to try to keep those little parts from getting away from me. Cheap (sometimes free with a coupon) at Harbor Freight. Also use a vacuum base articulated vise to hold parts I'm working on. Chucking the frame foot in the vise with pads on the jaws makes disassembly and assembly easier.

[Midway Tommy D]

I neglected to mention that I never use grease or oil on bail springs. All those do is collect dirt, gum things up and slow the bail function down. I have found that ArmorAll, or similar protectants, provide much better lubrication there and don't draw as much dirt and grime. That makes it easier to just add a little more if things slow down rather than taking the entire mechanism apart and cleaning everything.