The Hardy "Elarex" spinning reel

[Watermole+]

Watermole's reel might also be a first model. Mine is the same as his with the copper band under the levelwind and has the lump in the middle of the spool like yours Churchill. The only way to be sure is to remove one end plate and see if it has the bearings instead of the bronze bushing type.
Pity the oil port covers are missing from Watermole's reel too.

Tomeland-the oil port covers are not missing from my reel as they were in fact never fitted!

This one has been authentically proven to be one of the very first examples ever made, following cessation of the unsuccessful Silex Rex and was sold to me only on the peculiar condition that I would never re-sell it afterwards.
I have not used it for a couple of seasons now but it still casts as smooth as ever.
The coppery-looking metal line guide bearing sleeve is a high lead content, phosphorous bronze alloy which Hardy used extensively in many of their reels, including most of the centrepin Silexes, the Conquest and Altex models as it was very tolerant of dry running.

With regards,

wm+

One from a few years ago...

[Tomeland]

Thanks for that info.

[Watermole+]

You have a fine collection of reels there Tomeland.
The oil holes on my example are just that..plain holes! Close examination with a powerful magnifier shows no evidence at all of threading and as the nickel plating around the holes is intact it proves that no threads were ever tapped there.
The odd thing is that later Hardy catalogues I have read state that the Elarex is chrome plated, yet mine is clearly nickel and which is intact.. Perhaps this was a wartime economy measure? I have seen some much later models where the plating is badly pickled and bubbled which shows that they must have finish plated direct on to the castings, without bothering to copper plate first..

wm+

[Tomeland]

Sorry. This image shows the screws in place but not the butterfly covers. of course the holes would be plain without threading.

this shows complete with covers

[Watermole+]

Sorry. This image shows the screws in place but not the butterfly covers. of course the holes would be plain without threading.

this shows complete with covers

I do take your point Tomeland and thank you for your observations.
I have just ultra-closely re-examined my reel and can only reiterate that for whatever reason, in this case, the sliding oil port covers were never fitted.
The slots in the screws show no sign of being tampered with outside of the manufacturers. I certainly have never interfered with them since ownership and knowing the complete history of the reel, consider it unlikely in the extreme that the previous owner ever did.
There is no oil staining on the outside and no friction marks on the plating, which would be caused by covers being moved sideways, if only once.
To be honest, I cannot think of any reason at all, why anyone would ever want to remove them anyway.. not just one,but all of them?
There is only a single hole on top of the reel above the oscillating bar and no screw, so clearly, no cover was ever fitted here..

With regards.

wm+