xvigauge 0 Report post Posted July 27, 2019 I'm not sure, but I don't believe there are too many guys on this forum who use older (I prefer to say "vintage") rods and reels. Vintage rods and reels are all I use (I am also a collector). I have about five or so Hardy clone reels in my collection from various manufacturers. I have found them to be very good reels, they hold up well, and you can't beat their drag system. While lining the spool on one of them, when I started to put the spool on the reel, the little leaf spring that presses against the spool release lever broke in two. I looked in my reel parts box and looked for a small piece of metal that could be shaped like the original spring and then have some springiness to it. I finally settled on a paper clip. I used the small end, bent it just a little more to fit into the lever, and installed the cover. Anyway, it worked. The spool is now solidly in place. I don't want to stress the clip spring too much by constantly removing and replacing the spool, and there is really no need to do that anyway. Just thought I would pass it on. Joe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted July 27, 2019 Yep it works. I did that year ago to an old Bronson reel I have. Nothing wrong with Macgyer'ing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted July 27, 2019 Good job fixing an old reel. Safety pins have springier metal and can be found in various wire diameters. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted July 27, 2019 The only problem with too springy/non flexible metals is that sometimes like on my Bronson you have to actually wrap it around a screw. So I dunno if a safety pin would be bendable or not. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted July 27, 2019 True. Paperclips it is, then !!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xvigauge 0 Report post Posted July 27, 2019 In this particular case with this particular reel, I think a small safety pin would work very well. The coil part on the safety pin would have to be small enough to fit in the spool release lever curved section and it would have to be shortened some, but it would work as long as the wire diameter was not too small so that it would slip under the spool release latch cover. I would have tried it but I don't have any small safety pins lying around. Joe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dadofmolly 0 Report post Posted July 27, 2019 I'll have to remember that fix for the future. I have a couple old reels that I have collected plus the one from my grandfather in the 60s. I seldom use them, if at all. Have them because I just liked them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt Bob LeMay 0 Report post Posted August 6, 2019 Next time.... consider using stainless steel trolling wire to form that spring.. Each size designation is a different wire diameter so you can go up or down in wire sizes until you get the spring tension needed... Isn't working on reels fun? Here's the book that was my bible all those years ago when I was learning to make my own lures, rigs, etc. TACKLE CRAFT by C. Boyd Pfeiffer, 1974 It even shows how to make forms for bending wire into complex shapes... Doubt it's still in print but you might be able to find a copy on E-Bay or Amazon... Hope this helps Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
