Wooden grasp replacement

You got 'em, we know how to clean 'em
Post Reply
User avatar
Paul M
Ultra Board Poster
Posts: 2200
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 9:10 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada
Contact:

Wooden grasp replacement

Post by Paul M »

I picked up this Terry reel at the first ORCA Convention I attended about 15 years ago. Being a newbie at that time and eager to score a deal on an old reel, I picked up this Terry reel that was offered at a relatively low price because the grasp had been replaced with a piece of roughly shaped cork. The rough condition had been bugging me for years and I was reminded it was on my shelf when David Lehman came to visit a few weeks ago. So, now that our weather is warm enough to get into the garage I finally decided to do something about it. I made a nicer looking grasp on my lathe using some African blackwood. Of course it cracked as soon as I peened it back onto the crank arm :bash: but the cracks aren't that noticeable and it looks kind of authentic that way. I may make another just for practice.

New grasp assembled onto reel:


Before:



Taken down:


On the lathe:

My process was to secure a wood blank in the headstock, turn it into a cylinder, drill a hole for the pin, then start shaping from the base up to the tip, sanding well before it got to the tip. The central hole makes it part off a bit too soon so additional hand sanding is required after it comes flying off the lathe :lol:. I ended up re-mounting between centres and shaping some more as my initial attempt resulted in a grasp that was a bit too short. I guess it is still a hair too short which is why it cracked when I re-peened.



New grasp made:
Paul Manuel

Member since 2006
User avatar
RonG
Super Board Poster
Posts: 1468
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2003 8:49 pm
Location: Frostproof, FL
Contact:

Re: Wooden grasp replacement

Post by RonG »

Beautiful job Paul.
User avatar
Midway Tommy D
Star Board Poster
Posts: 3135
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:23 pm
Location: Eastern NE

Re: Wooden grasp replacement

Post by Midway Tommy D »

Nice, Paul! Murphy's law, right?
Love those Open Face Spinning Reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco)

Tom DeLong, NE
ORCA Member - 2027
User avatar
john elder
Star Board Poster
Posts: 8541
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2003 2:44 pm

Re: Wooden grasp replacement

Post by john elder »

Very nice, Paul! That’s pretty wood! I've never worked with that one. Will have to check it out!
ORCA member since 1999
Honorary Life Member

Specializing in saltwater reels...and fly reels...and oh, yeah, kentucky style reels.....and those tiny little RP reels.....oh, heck...i collect fishing reels!...and fly rods....and lures
User avatar
Mike N
Star Board Poster
Posts: 3763
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 1:50 pm
Location: WV

Re: Wooden grasp replacement

Post by Mike N »

john elder wrote: Thu Mar 17, 2022 11:47 pm Very nice, Paul! That’s pretty wood! I've never worked with that one. Will have to check it out!
I’ll keep my eye out next ice storm on my property…. Seriously though, great work, Paul.
Mike N.
ORCA Founder, 1990
Paul Roberts
Super Board Poster
Posts: 792
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2020 1:35 pm

Re: Wooden grasp replacement

Post by Paul Roberts »

Very cool. Very pretty.
ORCA 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Reelman2
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 302
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:00 pm
Location: Deland, Florida

Re: Wooden grasp replacement

Post by Reelman2 »

I am wondering how you made the back side of the shaft on the handle flat again. I have often had reels nwhere the shaft was loose and would turn. I just could never quite seem to figure out hoe to make them tight so that the knob would still turn.
Collect mostly Ky style reels; Meek, Heddon, Horton, Pflueger Redifor and Worth, etc.

ORCA Member
User avatar
klonder
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 203
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2021 3:22 pm
Location: Jersey

Re: Wooden grasp replacement

Post by klonder »

Nicely done.
I would suggest not peening the grasp shaft back onto the crank but use a bit of jbweld or some such to reattach. No peen=no cracks.
User avatar
reelsmith.
Ultra Board Poster
Posts: 1715
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2003 11:08 am
Location: Connecticut
Contact:

Re: Wooden grasp replacement

Post by reelsmith. »

.
Well done, Paul.

Can we all start sending you reels that need knobs ? :lol:

Dean.
Wanted: Kosmic Items, Small Leather Fly Reel Cases, Early Fishing Related Bottles, Fly Reels and Pre-1900 Angling/Casting Medals.

http://www.tackletreasures.com/
User avatar
kyreels
Super Board Poster
Posts: 1147
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Louisville, Kentucky

Re: Wooden grasp replacement

Post by kyreels »

Send all wood knob restorations to Paul. Please estimate the length of the knob slightly longer than the original.
Matt Wickham
Collector of Casting Weights, KY Reels and KY Tackle
User avatar
Paul M
Ultra Board Poster
Posts: 2200
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 9:10 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada
Contact:

Re: Wooden grasp replacement

Post by Paul M »

Ha! I forgot about this post. Any overhang is easily removed with a grinder or file. I’m more into free form artsy wood tuning these days. I’ll post some in Everything But Reels.
Paul Manuel

Member since 2006
Post Reply