Pflueger Medalist upgrade

tbrom

tbrom

Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2008
Messages
37
My kids just got me some new parts for my old medalist for Father's Day. The reel was pretty rough. A little elbow grease and a couple new parts and I really am pleased!



 
Wow, very nice, did you strip the housing and replace the handle and badge?
 
Yes. I didn't know if I would like it "nude" but I do. The reel was inexpensive and had little to no sentimental value. It is a 1950's model. Now that my kids bought the reel cap and handle for it is priceless. I turned the pawls around and fish the reel backwards without using the line guide. I plan to pick up a cabelas 6'2" 2wt glass rod and fish a #3wt line. It may be a little heavy for that.
 
It'll be too heavy for a 3wt for sure, but find yourself a nice classic Fenwick or something. Give that reel a proper glass rod to sit upon!
 
I put it on a Cabelas 2wt 6'2' CGT and the balance point isn't that far off from what I like. I am yet to have fished it to really get a feel for it.
 
I have a 50s model also. I have it set up lefty for the grandson to use on an old glass Fenwick. Your clean up and remodel looks great. I thought about doing that to mine too but he keeps trip'n and fall'n with it so between the mud, blood and gravel and down the road the beers.... It can stay as it is. I keep tell'n him beer makes the world go round... He keeps tell'n me, no grandpa... It's chocolate milk that makes the world go round! And ya know what? At his age (9) he very well may be right.
 

There are ways to clean it up without removing the paint and wrecking it; the key is not to use soap, not even a mild soap, but a mild vinegar and water solution.

Also, the only way to reverse the pawls on a 1492 are to knock out the pins, reverse, and then re-pin it. The early '50s models with a drag plate are not reversable without a replacement plate as they weren't cut for the washer that holds it in.

 
Wrecked it? Its hard to replace paint that is already gone and get it close to original. The "key" is to find one that was never fished and then keep it in a box in the closet and only pull it out when it matches your outfit and you line. Unless you like to fish. The 1492 has always been a click pawl drag.
 
tbrom wrote:
Seriously?
Click to expand...

Seriously. You took a fine example of a WW2 era 1492, stripped off the proper wear and patina and ruined any long term collector and "historical" (such as it may be) value by destroying its original finish.

You also failed to use the proper screws for the reel foot.

I understand replacing the nameplate for something a lttle more functional, and I'm willing to concede if the handle was that deteroriated from age that a replacement was needed, but you have not completed a restoration, you've basically thrown any value your 75 year old reel might have had out, completely.

You should've just bought an AK model off of Ebay and tarted that up, instead.
 
Thanks. Try starting something with someone who cares what you think or that you exist! The reel was made between 1952 and 1959 making it 62 years old at the oldest.
 
Think his point is that a lot of people see it like coin collecting or any other antique for that matter. As soon as someone takes a steel brush (or any other cleaning method) to an aged coin it ruins any collecting value.

As for the reel, i like the well earned wear but there are plenty of medalists out there. If it makes you happy that's all that matters.
 
Changing the subject slightly, I was looking through my "stuff" and found that I have 2 Pflueger Medalist reels and a spare spool in a box. (How they got here I don't know!)

I don't see any model numbers on the reels. They both say Made in USA. One is somewhat large, the other medium.

The spool box says No. 498. And for Medalist Reel No. 1495.

How do you go about figuring out the details of these reels and approximate value?

Is there a reliable website for all things P. Medalist?
 
tobewan77 wrote:
Think his point is that a lot of people see it like coin collecting or any other antique for that matter. As soon as someone takes a steel brush (or any other cleaning method) to an aged coin it ruins any collecting value.

As for the reel, i like the well earned wear but there are plenty of medalists out there. If it makes you happy that's all that matters.
Click to expand...

His point? I was trying to be nice I thought he was a girl. I don't see much "collector" value in a reel that can be had for $20 or less. Now that reel is priceless to me because as I stated earlier my kids bought the new hardware to replace the old deteriorated, miss matched screws that had the original patina on them. I will never sell it. I collect old coins so I do understand the concept, the point being made was to try and start something. IMHO.
 
Awesome you got something with a connection to your family.

I got some one pfoot parts myself. Very nice pieces for a classic reel.

Cheers
 
Some history here. There are many other sources of information. But this should give you a start.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/oldflies/part287.php
 
tobewan77 wrote:
Some history here. There are many other sources of information. But this should give you a start.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/oldflies/part287.php
Click to expand...

Thanks. Good info on the Pflueger Medalists.
 
Hey Squatch, I just LOVE my 1492 on my Eagle Claw 4/5 6'6" glass rod! :-D
 
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