Reels

[salmonid1]

Does anyone know who makes the newest black machined Orvis CFO III. Made in the USA but would like to know who contracted to produce it for Orvis. If anyone knows, please drop me a line. Use my email please. clisella@aol.com

[G-ManBart]

Does anyone know who makes the newest black machined Orvis CFO III. Made in the USA but would like to know who contracted to produce it for Orvis. If anyone knows, please drop me a line. Use my email please. clisella@aol.com

I'm piecing together multiple things, but it appears Orvis may have purchased the facility that was making the Mirage line and that is where the new CFO reels are being made. The most recent catalog has wording along the lines of "our new facility" and shows pictures that match those from an article about the Mirage reels. They pretty much have to be the same facility.

These are from the latest catalog I've received:





Look at the pictures in Cameron's post:

http://thefiberglassmanifesto.blogspot. ... -made.html

[Caneghost]

That is the kind of move Orvis has made in the past. Of course, they aquired British Fly Reels back when I was a dealer and made CFO's and Battenkills there for a number of years bnefore they decided to go to the Pacific Rim for their reels.

Even though I have my personal grudges against Orvis, I am glad to see them investing in an American company and producing reels here.

[Random Casts]

Just noticed on the Orvis website that the new CFO’s shipping date was moved from 04/08 to 04/29. Let’s hope this is not a harbinger of more delays. I have had one of these reels on order since they announced the manufacture of the new CFO.

Richard, the patiently waiting Pole

[G-ManBart]

Just noticed on the Orvis website that the new CFO’s shipping date was moved from 04/08 to 04/29. Let’s hope this is not a harbinger of more delays. I have had one of these reels on order since they announced the manufacture of the new CFO.

Richard, the patiently waiting Pole

Over on FFR Tom from 406 Fly Lines posted pictures of his new, black CFO III that he just received (I think yesterday). I don't remember what Orvis first gave as an expected ship date, but that sounds pretty close. I'd bet you have yours pretty soon. I have a new Superfine Glass that's going to be getting a new CFO soon....

[tabrods406]

My post from FFR:

Well just got my new CFO III and am looking at it now. Really nice looking reel in a deep black matte finish. Was not expecting the color but it's very nice. I'll post some pictures tomorrow morning.

As promised, new CFO III. Rivets instead of screws for click and pawl, otherwise pretty much the same as the rest.. Very nice perforated neoprene reel case. And looks like delrin handle instead of wood like Abel version.

, , ,

[NewUtahCaneAngler]

My post from FFR:

Well just got my new CFO III and am looking at it now. Really nice looking reel in a deep black matte finish. Was not expecting the color but it's very nice. I'll post some pictures tomorrow morning.

As promised, new CFO III. Rivets instead of screws for click and pawl, otherwise pretty much the same as the rest.. Very nice perforated neoprene reel case. And looks like delrin handle instead of wood like Abel version.

I like the color, but that foot looks rather large. How does the foot compare to the 70's versions?

[Random Casts]

Ok so now the shipping date has changed to 05/06. What goes?

Richard, the impatient Pole

[G-ManBart]

My post from FFR:

Well just got my new CFO III and am looking at it now. Really nice looking reel in a deep black matte finish. Was not expecting the color but it's very nice. I'll post some pictures tomorrow morning.

As promised, new CFO III. Rivets instead of screws for click and pawl, otherwise pretty much the same as the rest.. Very nice perforated neoprene reel case. And looks like delrin handle instead of wood like Abel version.

I like the color, but that foot looks rather large. How does the foot compare to the 70's versions?

In another discussion we had measurements from Hardy, BFR and Abel CFO III feet, then compared those to the new gold anniversary reels and the Abel and gold reels were nearly identical and actually smaller than the Hardy or BFR reels in every way except riser height. If the new black reel foot is the same as the gold foot, which it appears to be, it should be fine. The riser height and the foot profile is largely an optical illusion making the Abel/Gold reel foot seem bigger...it's not when you put calipers to it.

[G-ManBart]

Here's a link to the thread/post on the foot dimensions I referenced. Now we just need someone to get a set of calipers on the new, black reel foot to see if it's the same or not. It's hard to imagine them changing, and it looks to have the same profile, but stranger things have happened for sure.

viewtopic.php?t=140256&start=40#p938125

[tabrods406]

Here's a link to the thread/post on the foot dimensions I referenced. Now we just need someone to get a set of calipers on the new, black reel foot to see if it's the same or not. It's hard to imagine them changing, and it looks to have the same profile, but stranger things have happened for sure.

viewtopic.php?t=140256&start=40#p938125

Just checked the the new CFO III and it appears, according to my rusty caliper skills, to be identical to the measurement at the end of the reel foot of the Abel CFO III which was 0.155". Should fit anything the Abel CFO does.

Tom

[munsey w]

Tom- please bring that reel to Townsend so we can check it out in person! It looks really nice!

[ffftroutbum]

I don’t have an Abel CFO or the new CFO for comparison, but it appears to me that new CFO has a foot that fits far worse. The new CFO appears to share the same foot as the Mirage LT. Below are some pictures of the Mirage verse a BRF CFO disc (which has a slightly thicker fitting foot than my Hardy made CFOs).

Below, is the Mirage on a Bellinger .69 slide band seat. It does not fit on the seat at all and easily falls off. Below that is the BRF CFO and how it sits on the same seat which fits fine. I could post the REC CRN slide band seat as well but the Mirage does not fit on it either.

[tabrods406]

Tom- please bring that reel to Townsend so we can check it out in person! It looks really nice!

Hi Munsey,

Oh yeah it'll be there. I'll bring the Abel CFO also to compare. Bringing My new VR reel made in Ukraine just before the invasion. And a Ron Kusse Leonard style reel. Lots to look at and handle.

Tom

[G-ManBart]

Just checked the the new CFO III and it appears, according to my rusty caliper skills, to be identical to the measurement at the end of the reel foot of the Abel CFO III which was 0.155". Should fit anything the Abel CFO does.

Tom

Thanks! It wouldn't have made sense for them to change anything, but stranger things have happened.

[G-ManBart]

I don’t have an Abel CFO or the new CFO for comparison, but it appears to me that new CFO has a foot that fits far worse. The new CFO appears to share the same foot as the Mirage LT. Below are some pictures of the Mirage verse a BRF CFO disc (which has a slightly thicker fitting foot than my Hardy made CFOs).

Below, is the Mirage on a Bellinger .69 slide band seat. It does not fit on the seat at all and easily falls off. Below that is the BRF CFO and how it sits on the same seat which fits fine. I could post the REC CRN slide band seat as well but the Mirage does not fit on it either.

I don't have a Mirage LT, but do have a regular Mirage and the two appear to have the same foot. The Mirage foot is very different from the one on the Abel CFO. The only thing they really share is a similar riser height. Where the Abel (and new CFO) foot measures .155" tall out at the toe of the foot the Mirage is .175" tall...quite a bit different if you're trying to use a sliding band setup. I just measured my BFR CFO III and got .160" at the same point.

When I put the Mirage next to the BFR, Hardy and Abel seats the Mirage has a steeper angle down so it gets thicker faster...almost a belly to it. The others are flatter and probably why a sliding band can get on them enough to stay secure.

It would be a wonderful thing if reel manufacturers would all standardize on dimensions!

[davemaine]

This is from an article in the Brattleboro Reformer from 2017. Not sure if this is still who is making the Mirage and CFO, but it's a good possibility:

"G.S. Precision also is involved in a host of other activities, including a relatively new product: The company is making fly-fishing reels for Vermont-based outdoor retailer Orvis."

[Random Casts]

According to the Orvis website they’ll start shipping the new CFO May 06th. So today April 01st I received my new Orvis CFO.

Ok, first observation….it’s black…no really…it’s black…not charcoal…it’s black!

Second observation, and in answer to other I queries here, yes the feet of the reel are thicker than all my other CFOs from various years including the Abel made reel. There are some similarities to the Abel CFO in basic architecture but the execution is a little less refined. Machining marks are evident on the reel foot, a few minutes on a polishing wheel would have cleaned that up. The release housing for the spool could have been polished, instead it is a matt silver.

Here’s a side by side comparison. British made on the left, new on the right.



None the less it is a nice addition to the CFO family AND it’s made in the US.

Richard, the somewhat impressed Pole

[Mike1227]

I received the new CFO III on March 28. I have 4 other III's, 2 screwbacks, an Abel, and a 20th anniversary (silver color, which I am assuming is a Hardy). All of the reel feet measure 2 13/32 (approximately, my tool is not precision), and the new one is 2 15/32. That extra length makes it harder to hang on my H.L Leonard, but I already have the 20th anniversary model spooled with a Sylk DT6F for that rod.