Know When To Say When ...

[reelsmith.]

When cleaning an old reel, how clean is too clean? Should a 100-year old reel be bright and shiny? Should the hard rubber have a high-gloss finish?

For me, the answer is no. An old reel should look old ...it should appear to have age. So, when cleaning an old reel its all about knowing when to say when. Its about making the reel clean enough to show detail and craftsmanship without giving it that made-yesterday look.

Here is an example of what I mean in the way of some before and after pictures of a Montague "Trout" reel that recently passed through my hands. I did not take "before" pictures, so will use the seller's photographs:











Here is what the reel looked like after I cleaned it:







As you can see, I left a matte-type finish on the nickle-silver parts, rather than shinning them ...I even left some light tarnish in a few spots. While I did not buff/polish the hard-rubber, I brought it from its faded brown back to black. I also left the tiny nicks in the top of the foot. I could have wet-sanded them off, but these are time-honored scars and proof that the reel was fished. It always saddens me to see a great reel that appears to never have been used. What a shame.

So, what are your thoughts on cleaning reels? Do you have any examples of your work?

Thanks.

Dean.

[chrisham61]

nice reel looks good the newer looking the better i would want it to look like it did 100 years ago if i could get it like that same as with a vintage car just my opinion i have trouble getting them looking that good although i try

[Steve]

Good topic, Dean, and one that isn't addressed often enough. A lot of collectors whose reels are mostly chrome-plated don't seem to appreciate the worn-looking appearance of truly antique, nineteenth-century reels. IMHO, nothing destroys an old reel faster than a misguided "restoration."

The easiest way to ruin these things is to polish what are obviously worn, flawed surfaces to a mirror finish. First, I doubt if any looked like that when they left the shop. Second, the polishing often destroys the markings, knurlings, and other decorative touches.

Here's an example of over-polishing. Deep file marks and gouges are smoothed, but who can tell what else might have disappeared after a treatment like this? These ancient machines look ridiculous with mirror finishes. eBay is packed with reels like this, and you can often detect their badly pitted surfaces, even in the blurry photos. If someone went to this much trouble to "improve" the reel, can you trust him not to have replaced parts?



In contrast, here's a nice old Conroy with a "natural semi-gloss" finish, chock-full of "natural" scratches, dings, pits, etc. Dress those screw slots? I think not.



It's one thing to repair a part or to replace a lost one, as long as the restoration is authentic. But polishing these things is similar to stripping the original finish from a fine piece of antique furniture. To many collectors, it ruins the piece, and it should certainly slash the value. If someone insists that his reel should look all polished and "new," he should manufacture it himself.

[Jason]

Looks great. I have a couple german silver reels that have passed through your hands and they look just as good.

Too many times I've started cleaning a reel with just a vinegar water bath and end up falling to the temptation of using a little polish to get the hard stuff off. Before you know it, you can end up with a polished reel.

You should write a thread on your cleaning techiniques. What if anything would you do to this reel?

[m3040c]

Hello Reelsmith,

It was a pleasure to read your opinion about restoration work. It is supposed to be restoration and not creation!
I see this all the time on EBay and at shows. No need for me to repeat what you said, just know that I agree.

When I clean and or restore a reel, what I do is a vinegar bath and WD-40 for the dirt, then use Auto-Sol metal polish by hand only. That brings out the metal. No power buffers of any kind touch the metal or the rubber. To me, restoration work is a means of salvation for the piece and a correctly restored reel has much more collector appeal than a highly polished one.
Highly polished reels are jewelery and should mounted on a necklace.

Here is a example of how I feel a restored reel should look:

[NJFisherman]

Dean, do you care to share what you used to clean the little fly reel and what products you have used?

This is fascinating subject...I tried to clean up some fairly ugly (and expensive) reels and the result is not always whatI had hoped for.

On the flip side it would be nice if someone knew of a way to get that old patina back- I've purchased several polished reels over the years and they don't seem to fade much - especially the brass.

[NJFisherman]

Here's one that I've left alone...the first side is fine and but other looks partially polished. My plan is to leave it as is...


[/url]