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[redmeansdistortion]

11 hours ago, Eric 26 said:

I may not be able to break down/rebuild a reel

It's never too late to start.  I used to be a big gear head in my teens and 20s and spent a lot of time wrenching on and modifying cars, reels are much simpler by comparison, and a heck of a lot cheaper too.  What I spent modifying my cars back in the 90s and 00s, I could've bought my entire tackle collection many times over.  That's not counting the tickets for driving like an idiot either lol

[bulldog1935]

@Eric 26 Especially Ambassadeurs - they're just so much fun to work on, everything is simple and makes sense, and large enough to handle without tweezers and Ott magnifier. 

[Eric 26]

1 hour ago, redmeansdistortion said:

It's never too late to start.  I used to be a big gear head in my teens and 20s and spent a lot of time wrenching on and modifying cars, reels are much simpler by comparison, and a heck of a lot cheaper too.  What I spent modifying my cars back in the 90s and 00s, I could've bought my entire tackle collection many times over.  That's not counting the tickets for driving like an idiot either lol

 

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

@Eric 26 Especially Ambassadeurs - they're just so much fun to work on, everything is simple and makes sense, and large enough to handle without tweezers and Ott magnifier. 

First off I’m out of reactions so those will have to come later. More importantly I appreciate the words of encouragement as far as working on these reels, as I’ve said before my first foray into taking apart/maintenance on my reel resulted in all the parts being put back but a reel that just wouldn’t operate properly. Although an inappropriate rant, as for the Abu reel I’m referencing this is one of the many reasons I no longer speak to my sister in law due to my brothers fishing collection being promised but never delivered to my family after his death. Seeing all these cool looking round reels on here has me thinking I may have to keep my eyes open for one after all.

[redmeansdistortion]

10 hours ago, Eric 26 said:

Seeing all these cool looking round reels on here has me thinking I may have to keep my eyes open for one after all.

I see you're a fellow Great Lakes area guy.  I can guarantee that if you went hopping around estate sales and garage sales, you would find some really nice stuff.  I've seen quite a bit over the years, and Ambassadeurs and Calcuttas come up very often for significantly less than you'd pay on eBay.  That reel you saw on eBay for $100 could've very well come from a garage sale for $10 or $20.  Parts and donor reels are abundant, they're simple to work on, and you can get them for dirt.  Browsing online listings, while convenient, can also get expensive.  

[bulldog1935]

Been slow about matching my custom 4500CT surf reel with a rod. 

I have these long feet on other barstock CT frames matched on two other reel seats, one with a split seat on a custom lure-ML surf rod, and saddle clamps on a long H bait surf rod. 

 

I bought an Abu finesse shore jigging rod, knew the seat probably wouldn't work on the long foot (70 mm)...

Took the new rod to the coast for a week matched with my Zillion Silver Wolf, and it came home with mojo. 

Decided not to cut on the mojo rod and break up this combo, it was still the taper I wanted to cast with the finesse CT, and ordered a 2nd rod for $90 from Japan - I'll cut on this one - cheaper gamble than a custom rod.  Here's the trouble, this extended trim-piece had to be cut out to give the reel seat enough L3 to accept the reel foot. 

It worked.  A machinist buddy has promised me a split-knurl ring to add to the cut end on the front of the reel seat hood. 

 

 

editing with cast trials - I got out to cast the Abu/CT combo, first with 2 g jighead. I couldn't get a long-enough cast or control the windage - the ML surf rod (rated 7 g min) actually cast the 2 g better, because of a moderate mid taper.
So I went digging for a 3-g jighead and found the ahh... spot. I'm going to do some more trials here to optimize the mag brake stand-off for 3 g as min. But I expect the real sweet spot on the combo to be 5 g, which was my target.

[bulldog1935]

Holy cow, FishingShop.kiwi tried to give this rod away. 

E-mail from Kirill this morning

Quote

Subject: Order #10010904
Hi, Ron!
ABU GARCIA Salty Style Super Light Shore Jigging SSJC-892L-KR happened to be out of stock unfortunately, we have to make the refund. I am very sorry for the inconvenience!

NO refund required.  Received this order last week, delivered by DHL. 

The whole point of buying the 2nd rod was not to destroy the mojo the 1st rod brought home, paired with Nyu-kon and the Silver Wolf. 

Nyu-kon 入魂 is Japanese mojo, and literally means the item "doesn't know what it is" until it's properly broken in. 

Last thing I want to do is destroy this rod's mojo (self-awareness?) by literally stealing it.  

I'm targeting big snook on it this winter. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

On 11/6/2022 at 5:42 AM, bulldog1935 said:

Been slow about matching my custom 4500CT surf reel with a rod. 

I have these long feet on other barstock CT frames matched on two other reel seats, one with a split seat on a custom lure-ML surf rod, and saddle clamps on a long H bait surf rod. 

 

I bought an Abu finesse shore jigging rod, knew the seat probably wouldn't work on the long foot (70 mm)...

Took the new rod to the coast for a week matched with my Zillion Silver Wolf, and it came home with mojo. 

Decided not to cut on the mojo rod and break up this combo, it was still the taper I wanted to cast with the finesse CT, and ordered a 2nd rod for $90 from Japan - I'll cut on this one - cheaper gamble than a custom rod.  Here's the trouble, this extended trim-piece had to be cut out to give the reel seat enough L3 to accept the reel foot. 

It worked.  A machinist buddy has promised me a split-knurl ring to add to the cut end on the front of the reel seat hood. 

 

 

editing with cast trials - I got out to cast the Abu/CT combo, first with 2 g jighead. I couldn't get a long-enough cast or control the windage - the ML surf rod (rated 7 g min) actually cast the 2 g better, because of a moderate mid taper.
So I went digging for a 3-g jighead and found the ahh... spot. I'm going to do some more trials here to optimize the mag brake stand-off for 3 g as min. But I expect the real sweet spot on the combo to be 5 g, which was my target.

Man those are some killer reels, I LOVE that carbon fiber handle on the Zillion.

 

Got any more pics of gucci'd out Daiwas?

[bulldog1935]

@AlabamaSpothunter  Everyone has seen them. 

Zillion SV-TW with Ray's Studio SV spool, ZPI machined star drag, Momo zero adjust, and Avail STi2 handle. PE#1.2 braid in full-time ML

Steez SV-TW, low-geared reel with 88-mm Studio Composite RC-SC+ handle and Roro-X spool,

fishes salt finesse on Yamaga Blanks BCIII-82/B rod and PE#0.8

and bass finesse with Valleyhill rod, Ray's SV spool and PE#1.2

 

here's the ZPI carbon handle on the Silver Wolf, which is matched with AMO braid spool and PE#0.8 on the Abu shore jigging rod in the first post with the rat red. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

4 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

@AlabamaSpothunter  Everyone has seen them. 

Zillion SV-TW with Ray's Studio SV spool, ZPI machined star drag, Momo zero adjust, and Avail STi2 handle. PE#1.2 braid in full-time ML

Steez SV-TW, low-geared reel with 88-mm Studio Composite RC-SC+ handle and Roro-X spool,

fishes salt finesse on Yamaga Blanks BCIII-82/B rod and PE#0.8

and bass finesse with Valleyhill rod, Ray's SV spool and PE#1.2

 

here's the ZPI carbon handle on the Silver Wolf, which is matched with AMO braid spool and PE#0.8 on the Abu shore jigging rod in the first post with the rat red. 

Wow, those are wicked cool.    You have the most custom and gucci stuff I've seen on here.    Thanks for sharing it.      

[ska4fun]

Kastking Kestrel Elite BFS reel. Got it for less than $100. 

[redmeansdistortion]

I think I'm set on round BFS reels for a bit.  It wasn't the bait monkey that got me, but the bait gorilla.

 

[bulldog1935]

Of course the Ambassadeur level winds take a lot more effort (and money) compared to slicking up a new low-profile baitcaster.  @redmeansdistortion has done really well scoring great mini Ambassadeurs for relative peanuts to start great projects, then built at least one from just parts. 

The Ambassadeurs drive the LW from the spool during the cast, so the extra effort is removing mass and inertia from the LW mechanism. 

Low profile reels only need a good spool and spool bearing set.  We have Lew's original BB-1 patent to thank for that. 

[redmeansdistortion]

2 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

Of course the Ambassadeur level winds take a lot more effort (and money) compared to slicking up a new low-profile baitcaster.  @redmeansdistortion has done really well scoring great mini Ambassadeurs for relative peanuts to start great projects, then built at least one from just parts. 

The Ambassadeurs drive the LW from the spool during the cast, so the extra effort is removing mass and inertia from the LW mechanism. 

Low profile reels only need a good spool and spool bearing set.  We have Lew's original BB-1 patent to thank for that. 

One overlooked aspect of the synchronized level wind is that it functions as a brake.  Yeah, you aren't going to get 10 minutes of free spool, but you will get a very controlled cast that will still go just as far as a disengaging level wind.  Every one of my Abus casts further than my Millionaires and is about the same as my Calcutta Conquest on the same rod with the same lures and spooled with the same line.  Best of all, no adjustments need to be made between lure weights and techniques, it's set and forget.

[Columbia Craw]

New one. 

[KP Duty]

31 minutes ago, Columbia Craw said:

New one. 

 

I have that model, but built with the IM blank.  Yours looks like it has a longer handle (which would be nice)  Mine was purchased back in 2016.  

[Columbia Craw]

The shot angle distorts the handle. 11 1/4 inch fwiw.

[ska4fun]

My low-profile BFS crew. I'm more fond of round profile BFS reels, but these tiny reels have their appeal. 

 

 

[PressuredFishing]

10 hours ago, ska4fun said:

My low-profile BFS crew. I'm more fond of round profile BFS reels, but these tiny reels have their appeal. 

 

 

I see you got the krestel, thoughts?

[Eric 26]

1 hour ago, PressuredFishing said:

I see you got the krestel, thoughts?

I was thinking the same thing.

[ska4fun]

7 hours ago, Eric 26 said:

I was thinking the same thing.

 

The new braking system has a noticeable learning curve, yet when you get used to it, the reel casts very good.

I cleaned the spool and side plate bearings, the casting ones, because they were greased.

[redmeansdistortion]

I just had to get myself another Daiwa SS 700.  Daiwa stopped making them this year and it was hard to find anywhere that wasn't eBay.  Remaining stock sold quick once word was out that production was stopping.  It's a true workhorse and will be perfect for my 10 day backpacking/canoe trip through Algonquin Provincial Park coming up in May.  These things are bomb proof and I needed something that I know will withstand the wilderness since I will rely on it to eat.  No doubt there are other newer and smoother reels, but I don't want a grain of sand to get in the way of me eating trout and walleye or becoming a temporary vegetarian having to live off of mushrooms, ramps, and asparagus.  Between this and my 2500C, I'll be more than ready.

 

[mrpao]

I want to get one too before they become hard to find in good shape. Just something cool about that old school reel.

[redmeansdistortion]

16 hours ago, mrpao said:

I want to get one too before they become hard to find in good shape. Just something cool about that old school reel.

They're the best workhorse reel since the ABU Cardinal.  I'm of the belief that Shimano copied most of the design for the original Stradic back in '91.  Looking at both schematics side by side they're nearly identical, down to the level wind and the way it's all put together.  The only differences are the way the anti reverse is implemented and the internal bail trip.  

 

You can still find the 700 and 1300 sizes new on eBay for decent prices as of right now.  It was the cheapest worm driven spinner in more modern times at half the cost of the Vanford.

[bulldog1935]

I suspect Daiwa Europe will continue offering the Whisker SS 1600 and 2600 models in Europe -- or else they would be sacked and burned. 

[redmeansdistortion]

7 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

I suspect Daiwa Europe will continue offering the Whisker SS 1600 and 2600 models in Europe -- or else they would be sacked and burned. 

Yep, probably the most popular carp reel on that side of the Atlantic.  Most YouTube videos you see of the reel involve carp fishing in England and Germany.  The actually offer newer SS reels but they run double to triple what the Whisker does.