Maintenance

The Nottingham Reels forum.
Pickerel

Re: Maintenance

Post by Pickerel »

Shellac varnishes dry quickly and gave the Victorian manufacturer a cheap, quickly applied, attractive finish. I have not seen any attempt to fill the grain as they would have when coating walnut and mahogany furniture. Unfortunately shellac is water soluble so not the most robust coating for a fishing reel. A single pot , oil based polyurethane varnish applied thinly ( not thinned) would give better protection and for the purist, can be easily chemically reversed unlike some two pot (catalysed ) polyurethanes.

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Crucian
Eel
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Re: Maintenance

Post by Crucian »

You might consider using boiled linseed oil, a couple of light coats should do the job.
The problem with wax finishes is that they have no resistance to moisture...

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Chris Bettis
Crucian Carp
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Re: Maintenance

Post by Chris Bettis »

The best thing to use for both looks and a durable finish I think is one of the oils used for gunstocks. Have a visit to your local gunshop and see what is on offer.

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Match Aerial
Arctic Char
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Re: Maintenance

Post by Match Aerial »

I would just wax it, look like it has a finish already on it
Try Briwax it will polish up lovely

Jeremy Croxall
Zander
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Re: Maintenance

Post by Jeremy Croxall »

On a product like this, it has to be an oil to penetrate and protect the wood from excessive moisture or indeed drying out and splitting. Think garden furniture and boats, the traditional way to preserve timbers in both cases was oil and to my mind this still beats varnish as its easier to maintain over a long period. I doubt it has varnish on it presently but if it has strip it off and apply a good quality oil. On boats I have always used Deksolje (not sure if that is the correct spelling) which is expensive but extremely good. You may have to buy a large tin though? The oil used on gun stocks sounds like a sensible suggestion, although I have no experience of it and is probably more readily available. Nice reel by the way!
"Oh for want of rod and line I'd fish this stream serene, sublime".

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Match Aerial
Arctic Char
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Re: Maintenance

Post by Match Aerial »

I agree it would have been soaked in linseed oil originally.

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Ryeman
Roach
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Re: Maintenance

Post by Ryeman »

If the reel has no varnish on it, Danish oil might be a good bet. This is a sort of halfway house between linseed or teal oil, and varnish. A couple of coats of Danish oil will give some protection against water, but still not be too shiny because it will soak in below the surface of the wood. More coats can be applied resulting in even more protection and even more shine and surface build-up. when you get the degree of shine you are happy with, let the finish go hard, then you can apply one of those wax finishes you use to waterprood leather boots.
Danish oil is very user-friendly - just follow thee instructions on the tin- and is readily available from hardware shops.

Alan

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Ryeman
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Re: Maintenance

Post by Ryeman »

I should have said, before coating with Danish oil, give the reel a good clean with oooo wire wool dipped in White Spirit.

Alan

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