Fishing a prewar reel

[windyville1]

Should I use any special precautions when fishing an old reel? Such as avoiding getting it wet.....lubrication.....etc...etc.

[flyslinger]

Not really. I love fishing my prewar reel collection. About the best advice I could give is to buy some Boeshield. Spray your reels down with that and wipe the excess off. Let it dry overnight. It helps protect against corrosion. I use it on my modern reels as well. Keep your reels lubricated with Hot Sauce or an equivalent grease and a high quality oil. That is important maintenance for every reel you own, not just prewar ones.
I think some of the older prewar reels were made from alloys that were more brittle than later reels, so be careful not to drop them or they will break or develop cracks. Of course, if you have agate line guides on any of them that goes double.

[oddsnrods]

I suggest not wiping or coating outside of pre-war reel with anything which contains pertolium distilates as they will dissolve and remove the leading if the top lacquer has worn off. Try it on a test first, black on cloth=leading coming away. Pre war reels (in my experience) are not prone to corrosion when used in freshwater, the reason being the acid/ bronzing prior to leading effectively neutralised the metal used.

Malcolm

[snorider]

My pre WWII and WWI reels can often be found soaking in the creek after landing a trout. Thankfully it is usually spring water they are bathing in. When I am done fishing I wipe them with a soft cloth and put em away. I figure it is much better treatment than they received during the 1st 60-120 years of life. Every couple outings I’ll pull the spool and check the grease but hot sauce just seems to last forever.