Polished the drag surface on my bantam when i first got and this is what it looks like after countless bass and quit a few large rainbow and walleye.

Kinda what one would expect it to look like I think.

The drag contact area is no longer polished and has worn like an unpolished one would. 

 

Edit - Actually ... now that I think about it the big ring rides on the top so the part that looks worn/hazy was not making contact with the drag washer ... 

I wasn't expecting it to look any different as I have been polishing my drag surfaces on most my reels for a few years. I was posting so people could see what it looks like after use. 

6 hours ago, garroyo130 said:

Edit - Actually ... now that I think about it the big ring rides on the top so the part that looks worn/hazy was not making contact with the drag washer ..

The Bantams drag washer only makes contact on the inner portion of the gear the outer 3/16" is exposed 

Do you polish the teeth as well? I've heard of people doing that for added "smoothness"

16 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

Do you polish the teeth as well? I've heard of people doing that for added "smoothness"

I've done it on a few reels I honestly don't think it makes anything necessarily smoother it just ads a little bit of glassiness to the retrieve. 

Let's get down to the nitty gritty.  Does the reel work ok now or not?  

20 minutes ago, matbellon3 said:

don't think it makes anything necessarily smoother it just ads a little bit of glassiness to the retrieve. 

not smoother but it is more glassy.   What's the difference?

How do you go about polishing a drag? ?

6 hours ago, HaydenS said:

How do you go about polishing a drag? ?

I use a similar method to Tackle Advisors video. I think it is fun to do but it is in no way necessary to do. With a polished drag  surface the drag is noticeably smoother and has a more consistent startup. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfHrLUsl5Lo

 

6 hours ago, MickD said:

Let's get down to the nitty gritty.  Does the reel work ok now or not?  

not smoother but it is more glassy.   What's the difference?

 The reel never stopped working. As for polishing the teeth of the gears it doesn't make a super noticeable difference in smoothness of higher end reels but on say on a Curado or Tatula it does make them feel slightly smoother. But with the bantam and antares I've done it to it just makes them have a slightly lighter start up on the retrieve.