Lubrication

[Gene L 0]

I lubed my reels with Vaseline.  Is that a bad idea?

[niveker 0]

I use any high temp grease, whatever I have laying around from working on cars, been doing it for decades.  The only drawback I can think of with Vaseline is it won't hold up to high temps, though I doubt that would be an issue with a fly reel.  I've used Abolene without issues when I've had to clean a reel while fishing.  

[Poopdeck 0]

I use motor oil in my motors, I use axle grease on my axles, I use reel oil and reel grease on my reels and I use Vaseline to moisturize…. Well  I really don’t use Vaseline. I don’t know why you would use a skin moisturizer on your reels. I think it’s a terrible alternative. 

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

I’ve repaired or serviced lots and lots of reels since I was taught the basics at the first tackle shop I worked for more than fifty years ago.  Spin, plug, fly, even offshore gear.

Here’s what I  recommend for lubes when asked.  For reel oil I prefer good quality gun oil like Gunslik or Breakfree.. I also like Kroil.. The only oil to avoid is “3in1” oil since as it ages it turns into varnish and just hampers a reel’s operation… 

For grease I recommend any high temp grease , usually blue in color, like Kendall GT.

 

I do my best to make sure  each reel is properly lubed - and that means be sparing with grease or oil… Too much grease or oil will cause trouble sooner rather than later….

 

[Gene L 0]

On 12/30/2023 at 5:06 PM, Poopdeck said:

I use motor oil in my motors, I use axle grease on my axles, I use reel oil and reel grease on my reels and I use Vaseline to moisturize…. Well  I really don’t use Vaseline. I don’t know why you would use a skin moisturizer on your reels. I think it’s a terrible alternative. 

English shotgun cased sets include an oiler bottle especially for Vaseline.  Not motor oil or axel grease.  Possibly because it doesn't dry out like axel grease does.  It's a good oiler for applications.  So it's a lubricant as well as a skin moisturizer.  It's Vaseline PETROLEUM Jelly.

[flyflinger 0]

For many years I've used Lithium based light grease like is used for firearms.  A very light application seems to provide good lubrication and won't melt in the hot sun. It cleans up easily if it gets old or contaminated with dirt.  It also comes in syringe type containers for ease of application.  Like most lubrication, "less is more" . . . minimum amounts should be applied.   

Regards,

  

[Gene L 0]

Lithium is good, too. And it's white. 

[gadabout 0]

I used to use White Lithium grease as well, but I’ve been told that it’s not a good idea for reels.  I don’t recall the reason.

[DFoster 0]

I've used "Reel Butter" on my reels for over a decade without issue.  That said I'm trout steam guy and my stuff never sees the salt.  Each winter I wipe off the previous years gunk and re lube.  We can argue about what the best grease to use is, some are better than others but IMO the most important thing is that you apply something every once in a while.  We all know that decent fly reels are not inexpensive so a little maintenance is a good idea.  I like to go through my stuff in the coldest days of winter when I find myself longing to hear the click an pawl again.  For what it's worth I use gun oil and lithium grease on my HMH TRV vise and that advise came straight from Jon Larrabee, the owner of HMH.

[flytire 0]

i have 43 year old reels and have never lubricated any of them

[flyflinger 0]

22 hours ago, DFoster said:

I've used "Reel Butter" on my reels for over a decade without issue.  That said I'm trout steam guy and my stuff never sees the salt.  Each winter I wipe off the previous years gunk and re lube.  We can argue about what the best grease to use is, some are better than others but IMO the most important thing is that you apply something every once in a while.  We all know that decent fly reels are not inexpensive so a little maintenance is a good idea.  I like to go through my stuff in the coldest days of winter when I find myself longing to hear the click an pawl again.  For what it's worth I use gun oil and lithium grease on my HMH TRV vise and that advise came straight from Jon Larrabee, the owner of HMH.

You made a good point about the gun oil - grease is sometimes too thick for the correct application . . .

Regards,

 

[Gene L 0]

.

[robow7 0]

Some fly reels such as Lamson recommend absolutely no lubrication of any kind.  Me, I clean the internals as well as possible and use a single (OK, maybe 2 drops) of Lucas Gun Oil, never grease.  But back in the day when I was a boy we would definitely grease our Mitchell 300 reels or the sound could be deafening, ha.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

For what it's worth my usual routine when working over a reel someone has brought me... is to first handle it and find out just what if anything isn't working (this goes for any reel  - fly, spin, plug, conventional...).  My next move when breaking it down for service is that every part removed goes in a bath of mineral spirits (paint thinner it's labeled these days at most hardware stores...) then once each part has soaked for a few minutes, a quick scrub with an old toothbrush while still wet with solvent - the each part goes on a paper towel (or newspaper) to dry before anything else is done... Removing all the old lube, oil, grease, etc is a good first step every time (and that's how I was taught - all those years ago...).  A word of caution about mineral spirits - the stuff will loosen and remove any decals on a reel while busy de-greasing it... so no dunking of any part that you want the decal to remain - instead a paper towel or old cloth with a bit of solvent to clean with instead.. for that part only...

Can't recount all the times that simply removing old dried out or gummed up lubricant has been an instant cure for various internal reel troubles... and that goes double for that nasty "3 in 1" oil once it turns to varnish and gums up the works on a reel... 

[cphubert 0]

My grandfather used nye whale oil for anything he cherished including a clock on his mantel, his pocket watch, and an old fly rod ferrules & his reel. Had quite a few bottles of it as I remember wish I had taken a couple.