How to operate a 1919 EVH universal star 4/0 621 reel?

[sea ghost]

greetings fellow ORCA members,

Does anyone have or know how to properly operate a 1919 EVH Universal Star 4/0 621 reel?

Does any one have the instructions or properly know how the front plate and back plate shifters work on this reel?

My first question is what positions should the shifters be in to put my reel into free spool?

thank you,
seaghost

[john elder]

Hi, you have an early version of a reel that EVH made and sold for a long time...very popular model 621. Yours has the push-button clicker, which they stopped using in 1922. You operate the free spool by pushing (rotating) the rim control on the face plate side forward, which pulls the gear away from the spool (shown here, in gear):



Note that the mechanism often gets gunked up by old grease and may or may not act as intended. If you don't get any free spool by turning that knob, the reel needs an overhaul.

The rim control on the back plate operates a "soft drag" that acts on an adjustable saw-tooth gear on the back side of the pool. The tension on that gear can be adjusted, but you have to remove the back plate to do it. When engaged, you can see how the arm controlled by the rim control will apply resistance on an outgoing line:

[sea ghost]

Thank you Sir for the information......

seaghost

[Richard Lodge]

John, you are amazing! It's like the old expression, "I asked you for the time and you told me how to build a Swiss watch."
Meant only in the best way! I loved your how-to on this one.

[Ray Hencken]

John, Excellent description, directions and pictures. Well done!

[john elder]

Thanks! At this point, i have gut shots of about every reel we run into. Perhaps i should resurrect a column called “ a look inside…” .