A Perfect with a brass(?) line guard

dugdan · Post by **dugdan** » 07/17/10 07:23

I picked this Perfect up about a year and a half ago, and it has sat on my desk, waiting to be lined. Why the delay? I have been intending on posting some photos here to find out more about the line guard material, its date of usage by Hardy, and any other information that you might be interested in sharing. And then in a few days it will be paired with a Heddon #17, 9' 2F for an also delayed trip to the Eastern Sierra. Please share!

Doug

cdmoore · Post by **cdmoore** » 07/17/10 08:01

A nice one though. My reasoning is circumstantial. First, no history of such published by Hardys that I know of. Second, there are a few other such reels with variations on this metal LG theme that are known repairs / replacements. Third, agate LGs are known to crack somewhat easily, making such a repair likely in the life of the reel, especially a well-loved one like that. Fourth, it's doubtful that Hardys would have left such a large gap between the top surface of that line guard and the frame of the reel.
Just my .02

FWdB · Post by **FWdB** » 07/17/10 08:06

Agreed, I wouldn't be able to add anything useful to what Chris just said.

dugdan · Post by **dugdan** » 07/17/10 08:39

So Chris, it is probably a replacement,and if so, definitely not Hardy-done? I have some replacement parts myself, so it's not something that bothers me!

Another Perfect with a similar, if not the same, line guard sold recently on ebay. The seller made a reasonable case, well maybe with a bit of reaching, for its originality, citing a war time lack of agate rings, and the initials "TA" (Thomas Appleby) as indicators. Thoughts?

cdmoore · Post by **cdmoore** » 07/17/10 09:14

I'm on the road so would have to look up Appleby's employment range, but certainly, war time shortages did affect things at Hardys. Purportedly, the best agate rings came from European areas in and around Germany & Austria, so that would make sense. It would probably have been easiest to source rings from another manufacturer rather than develop a new process for making them in house, especially with only a few makers on hand due to employee shortages. So maybe one of the other tackle makers in the UK. I think a round ring argues against a Hardy product here, too, as making them from tube stock in a shape like Dingley would have been easier. But I'm not a reelmaker so that could be a crap theory. And, I still buy into my own theory that the gap between the outside edge of the frame and the LG is not very Hardy like. It's possible if the frame was taken from existing parts and had already been drilled out to receive the LG. But again, I think a Hardys maker would have fitted an LG with a more precise fit. I don't recall if NS was in short supply at that time, but it seems Hardy would have gone for NS, which they already knew from the Salmon reels, or one closer to the foot material over creating a new one as shown in the pic, especially being shorthanded...unless someone was pretty disappointed in the abrasion resistance of those metals.
Curious, does the foot seem original to you?
I guess I'm going to lean on Einstein and say that the simplest answer is probably the most likely: a non-Hardy ring replacing a broken agate original, probably done at a local tackle or metal shop (jeweler, gunsmith, etc.). It would have been expensive to post it to Alnwick and have it repaired there.
Would that these reels could tell their own stories...
Chris

Stefan · Post by **Stefan** » 07/17/10 10:44

The reel is post 1950, this straight line logo was introduced then along with the dropping of the Dup MK II logo.

enigma309 · Post by **enigma309** » 07/17/10 23:41

stefanduma wrote:The reel is post 1950, this straight line logo was introduced then along with the dropping of the Dup MK II logo.

Combine that with the fact that Tommy Appleby left in 1947 . . . . . . .

"Curiouser and curiouser" said Alice . .

MFRS · Post by **MFRS** » 07/18/10 00:33

Doug, could you post close-ups of the studs (both sides) together.

dennis · Post by **dennis** » 07/19/10 04:01

May be the photo or me -- but the rivets holding the line guide and the tension adjustment look to be the same.

Dennis

dugdan · Post by **dugdan** » 07/19/10 04:47

Some close-ups of the rivets attaching the line guard, both sides.

MFRS · Post by **MFRS** » 07/19/10 05:49

Thanks Doug, the line guard rivet looks later than the tensioner riverts, in age, on the spool side. To me is the best location to see if the reel had any alterations as it is usually not covered with oil so the rivets age evenly.

dugdan · Post by **dugdan** » 07/19/10 06:59

Good detective work MFRS! I will remember to look at the spool side rivets if I ever have again the delight of owning such a puzzling reel.

But look again- in reflected rather than direct sunlight, don't the rivets seem to have aged evenly?

MFRS · Post by **MFRS** » 07/19/10 08:06

Yes Doug, they do look to be the same age in this picture. When you look at it at all angles what do you now feel about the rivets with respect to age because I am unsure with just two conflicting views..

MFRS · Post by **MFRS** » 07/21/10 02:29

MFRS wrote:Yes Doug, they do look to be the same age in this picture. When you look at it at all angles what do you now feel about the rivets with respect to age because I am unsure with just two conflicting views..

Doug, this is an honest qestion, as you have visited since my last post don't take my question to mean anything more, you replied that you get the connection with the rivets and aging so I assume you can now judge reasonable well.