I have a couple of older Pflueger Supremes with felt drag washers.

What's you're thoughts on replacing the felt with carbontex?

It's about 8 $ for each reel from Smooth Drag, other wise the reels are in good working condition.

I have Daiwa, Abu and Penn reels with Carbon drag washers, which work great with those drags with a real light coating of Cal's grease.

I like them a lot.  Definitely not a waste of money.

Contact Smooth Drags, give them your reel make, model and year they make Carbontex drags for all reels.

Tom

Yes, I’ve used these on multiple occasions.  I coat mine with Shimano drag grease or Cal’s grease which definitely helps with startup inertia.  Prices, including shipping, are much better going directly through Smooth Drag.

Every single reel I own has Smooth Drags in them. Almost all of the many hundreds I serviced had them added as well. I run my cranking reels and spinners with a vapor thin coating of Cal's. All others are run dry. After speaking with Dawn, there actually is a proprietary coating that allows you to run them dry. I wouldn't do this with carbon washers that are from the factory. They almost always require some grease. 

I’m a proponent of Carbontex drags in general. Replacing felt is a no brainer. 

I always run mine dry. No clue if that’s standard but feel like it locks down better. In the slop I fish in drag slipping is no bueno. 

I run my stock Shimano ones, if they wear out before the gears do I’ll replace them (baitcasters) spinning is a bit different they will likely need replaced considering light line and considerably more drag usage. Again it will be with OEM. Saltwater stuff is different. 

I agree that switching out the felt for carbontex is a no brainer...but considering I'm on a tight budget I just picked up some carbontex sheets and made my own. Tools I had....I figure my cost was about $2-$3 a reel when all was said and done.

2 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

I’m a proponent of Carbontex drags in general. Replacing felt is a no brainer. 

Well, that's that, no brainer is right in my wheelhouse 

Thanks guys, I was going to do it, I've ordered from Smooth Drag before for my salty stuff.

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

I agree that switching out the felt for carbontex is a no brainer...but considering I'm on a tight budget I just picked up some carbontex sheets and made my own. Tools I had....I figure my cost was about $2-$3 a reel when all was said and done.

Where do you buy your sheets and how do you cut the material?

20 minutes ago, cadman said:

Where do you buy your sheets and how do you cut the material?

I got mine off of Amazon, but it looks like they're not selling them anymore.

 

This place out of Michigan has 4"x8" sheets of either 1mm or .75mm (two most common thicknesses for drags washers) for $26.49. Considering that washers are usually around 1" or less diameter, you'd get 32 from one sheet if you cut perfectly...2-3 washers per stack and Bob's your uncle.

https://stores.tunasreeltroubles.com/carbon-fiber-drag-washer-sheets/

 

Any decent compass circle cutter will do the job...I just happen to have razor cutters that fit into my Helix compass...though I'm running low and I can't find the replacements - so I may have to buy a dedicated circle cutter.

13 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

I got mine off of Amazon, but it looks like they're not selling them anymore.

 

This place out of Michigan has 4"x8" sheets of either 1mm or .75mm (two most common thicknesses for drags washers) for $26.49. Considering that washers are usually around 1" or less diameter, you'd get 32 from one sheet if you cut perfectly...2-3 washers per stack and Bob's your uncle.

https://stores.tunasreeltroubles.com/carbon-fiber-drag-washer-sheets/

 

Any decent compass circle cutter will do the job...I just happen to have razor cutters that fit into my Helix compass...though I'm running low and I can't find the replacements - so I may have to buy a dedicated circle cutter.

Thank You very much for the info. Much appreciated.

@MN Fisher where are you finding the specs for the drag washers? Do you just mic the ones out of the reel?

15 minutes ago, GRiver said:

@MN Fisher where are you finding the specs for the drag washers? Do you just mic the ones out of the reel?

Yep - that's what the calipers are for.

18 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Yep - that's what the calipers are for.

Got it…. Kinda figured that, but wanted to check …

So .75mm-1.mm will cover spinners and baitcasters, or most of them.

2 minutes ago, GRiver said:

So .75mm-1.mm will cover spinners and baitcasters, or most of them.

So far that's been all of them...from my cheapie Mitchell Avocet spinners to my Pflueger President XT baitcaster, eveything's been one of those two. I've heard of some that are 0.5mm, but I haven't come across any in my upgrading.