Some time back I did a restoration on a 25 yard Hendryx hard rubber fly reel. It cleaned up better than I expected, but it had a missing screw. The reel measures 1 3/4" diameter.
Before cleaning.
After cleaning with its big brother the 40 yard model.
From what I have researched the same screws were used on many different models including the casting reels.
The screws on this reel measure, overall length 267/1000s, threaded stem diameter 100/1000s and head diameter 112/1000s. The screws are N/P brass with most of the plating gone.
I didn't clean or polish the Hard Rubber. When I received the reel I gave it a good spraying of Boeshield T-9 to loosen the screws before I attempted to remove them for fear of breaking them off. When the Boeshield T-9 dried it left the Hard Rubber in its current condition and the screws came out very easily. All metal was given the Vinegar treatment and then polished with Never -Dull wadding, which removed the flaking Nickel plating.
I received two screws that Paul (canesterdf) was kind enough to provide me with.
The screws were of proper size and thread pitch but the top half of them was not threaded and when I tried to use them they stopped short of full seating, with the screw head above the surface of the reel plate. I did not have a die of that small size to cut new threads on the un-threaded section, so I decided to cut the un-threaded portion of the screw down to allow it to enter the threaded hole of the reel foot and seat the screw head in the reel plate. I domed the flat top of the screw to match the other screws and add some patina to match them as well.
I am quite pleased with the results.
25 yard Hendryx hard rubber fly reel restoration
- Ghstrydr164
- Stickleback
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25 yard Hendryx hard rubber fly reel restoration
***Always looking for Reuben Heaton Reels less then 3" in size!***
- Barbelseeker
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Re: 25 yard Hendryx hard rubber fly reel restoration
Well done - a complete transformation
- Scott
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Re: 25 yard Hendryx hard rubber fly reel restoration
Very nice job. I've never seen a rubber reel before. Will you fish with it?
- Ghstrydr164
- Stickleback
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Re: 25 yard Hendryx hard rubber fly reel restoration
Ebonite is a brand name for a material generically known as hard rubber, and is obtained by vulcanizing natural rubber for prolonged periods. Ebonite may contain from 25% to 80% sulfur and linseed oil. ... The material has also been called vulcanite, although that name formally refers to the mineral vulcanite.
Over hear we refer to it as Hard Rubber. I probably will not fish it but I like to collect small reels.
***Always looking for Reuben Heaton Reels less then 3" in size!***
- Liphook
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Re: 25 yard Hendryx hard rubber fly reel restoration
That's both an unusual reel and a great restoration
- Ghstrydr164
- Stickleback
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Re: 25 yard Hendryx hard rubber fly reel restoration
I have never seen another 25 yard Hard Rubber Hendryx fly reel and only one other in the 40 yard size in over 20 years of chasing fly reels online.
***Always looking for Reuben Heaton Reels less then 3" in size!***
- Champ
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Re: 25 yard Hendryx hard rubber fly reel restoration
A first class restoration! .