The Board

Spent some down time recently performing maintenance on my fly reels. I have both fresh water and salt water reels. Didn't discover any issues, just some fresh lubrication and cleaning.
Like to know what lubricant others use, and any preference to oil or greese?

Thanks
Lou

Hi Lou,

I used to use motor oil until a guest gave me a bottle of Loon reel lube. I lost that when my flipped over in a storm. I haven’t gone as far to actually replace it but now use grease instead of oil.

Cheers, Paul

Paul
Any specific grease?

Not for me. Just a tub of multi-purpose grease I picked up for when I next have to change the impeller on the outboard.
Mind you, you are talking to someone who thinks preventative maintenance is something one does after it’s broken

Hi

I like to use the oil from Loon, that Paul also mentioned. Otherwise I use some oil and grease designed for weapons, that I purchased in a hunting goods store many years ago.

/Bendix

Funny thing...

Just last week I was helping a friend move some stuff and were on our way to a few beers afterwards. We were talking about getting our equipment ready for the upcoming season when he suddenly pulls over into an automotive garage and says to wait a moment.

A few minutes later he walks out with a big smile and two "empty" oil cans from their trash. The cans had held the new 0W (zero weight) fully synthetic motor oil commonly required in modern high end cars. The most highly engineered lubricants in the world today... according to him.

He said it was a tip for helping him, and that there would be enough residue in one can to lube my reels for the rest of my life. He is a oil industry engineer so I expect he knows what he knows.

But I still made him pay for the beers.