Little help with Early Ocean City reel, please!

[john elder]

Also found this Ocean City Ike Walton 300 yd reel today. I'm finding that these early reels are pretty impressive in how they were put together and the finish (nickel-silver or nickel over brass?) is a pleasure compared to the later plated reels. However, I've not seen enough of these to know what's right and what's not. The drag nut looks a lot like the early B Ocean knob, with the shallow clefts in the "star". the handle looks likely wrong to me...it's alot like a Penn that's been stuck on, although the knob is narrower than the Penns that I have. also, the corners of the thumber are rounded off instead of squared...are these original parts or has it been stirred up a bit? thanks!

[Tony Malatesta]

Hi John! Heres some pictures of the version that i have. I do believe that your handle was a add on from much later models of Ocean City, although, i've not seen that particular star drag before. canadian

[john elder]

Thanks, Tony...that handle on yours is certainly more what I would have expected on this reel and although my handle might be OC, it's likely as you indicated, much later. As for the drag knob, I'm clueless. The early JVH B Ocean reels had this sort of drag nut, although it's not identical to mine. In an optimistic moment, I thought maybe the connection with OC taking over VH might have resulted in this drag knob being legit. However, I need to look around for more pics...I'll be breaking it down to clean this evening, so maybe will find something useful on the back.

[Brian F.]

Well, here's a very similar star drag on the Montague Imperial (maybe a little more "pointy").



All of the Imperials that I've seen have them. I forget if Montague and Ocean City have some relationship. (vom Hofe makes sense but, Tony, I thought those stars were put on Julius vom Hofe's B Ocean reels? )

If it is someone else's handle, maybe it just fit - I don't know but it looks neat on that reel. Right on the money about the handle. I may have an older one for you.

[Tony Malatesta]

Hi John! Hers another Ocean City with the original handle, and 1 with the same handle as your reel, minus that particular drag. Checked my collection of OC and can't find any similar star drag on any of them.

[Reelman]

Here is a Ocean City in my collection. Same drag knob. Not sure if it is the original handle. It is a Ike Walton 300 yard reel.

[john elder]

thanks, Reelman! That makes my day! Glad that drag knob is right and looks like the nut that holds on the handle is correct, as well! Should be no prob to put back a handle of the right vintage.

I unzipped that reel this AM and, at risk of inspiring interest in these old OCs, they are incredibly well engineered! For those that have not had one apart, I will take some pics this evening and do a post. I think if they hadn't cheesed out on the plating, everything this company made would be comparable to vom hofe.

[Jeff Johnson]

Ocean City made some fine reels although it seems they are not sought after by many collectors. I imagine because they (Ocean City) made alot of cheap/low quality reels also. My Ike Walton 250 yards (middle reel) has a star drag and is all german silver and bakelite. The other 2 reels are old Ocean City reels but not Ike Waltons. They have a similiar drag but not the same as yours John. Mine look like at the factory they actually ground the star drag down to this shape. I know the 1st one I got I thought an oldtimer modified his reel but I have seen several so that rules that out. I would say John your handle is not original at all but would think you could pick up an old Ocean City free Spool for cheap and switch the handles and probaly the nut as yours look like plated brass. Your leather drag looks like it should probally come off as well.
Thanks for all the great pics from everyone!

[john elder]

Here's the inside apart, for those that haven't seen it. Good, solid, and simple...just my type the frame has pressed fit cross-members and one-piece construction, including the rod seat. Note the anti-reverse pall is set deep and pinned with a screw. The drag gear has an inset for drag washer on both sides...drags that are in mine seem really under-powered, but could likely be replaced with ones with a bit more meat.







and back together again:

[Steve]

Here's a page from a 1932 OC catalog. The "Now Chromium Plated" indicates the IW had been around for awhile. Were earlier models German silver or nickel-plated brass?



(No, this pic wasn't copied from the current eBay listing for an IW reel.)

[Jeff Johnson]

Although I have no catalog to reference I would say its safe to say the earlier models were the german silver reels. I have had several different of the plated Ike waltons and they were not the same quality reels as the german silver ones. I ended up re-selling my plated ones as they were just not up to par. Some have the common Ocean City medalions on the head plate that say Ike Walton and some are just still marked on the foot as the earlier reels.

[SWIM JIG]

cool-thumb jump yay-banana jump usa John, if you start to colect ocean City reels, well you are in for some thrills! Your drags I see out there are RED? looks as if someone took out those miserable hard as glass and shatter like glass, If you do find a reel with black drags compare them to Von Hoffs, same thing, also the gears are Hobbed the same way, Some folks say they are low end, My granfather and dad and uncles used them all the time in chesapeke bay for comercial fishing! Unless you can trace these reels, most have had serious use and parts are changed out for the beter! (note there is a new lube on the market Carol gave me to experment with called (Syncopen) Synthetic penetrant, by Supper Lube, web site (www.super-lube.com) I have found this to take off corosion thats salt water intruded, without a lot of damage to the reels! It also cleans and lubes bearings and other parts! No galvonic action that I can find, and t dosent hurt hard rubber or bakelite plates! As for ocean city reels, they made some very decent casting reels with a decent 4.5 to one gear ratio. My thoughts on this, get these reels while they are resonable, just make certain the plates are good, or use them for future parts reels! I see these as the next surge of colectables, I only have 87 of them now, I hope to triple this in 2 years! John, when these reels are tuned up, they are a nice item! Your Ohio Conection On Lake Erie Col. Milton lorens aka SWIM JIG