What is "Diamolite?" (Pflueger Medalist Reels)

[troutbert]

I have 2 old Pflueger Medalist reels sitting around. And I noticed that both have "Diamolite Line Guard" stamped on them.

But, what is "Diamolite?"

Is it a real (or reel) thing?

The metal looks like typical shiny reel metal. Maybe stainless steel?

Was "Diamolite" just some marketing hype?

Kind of like "real Corinthian leather?"

 

[DGC]

For tackle history junkies only:

Fly Tackle Metallurgy Article

See a few pages in for Medalist details.

 

[afishinado]

troutbert wrote:
I have 2 old Pflueger Medalist reels sitting around. And I noticed that both have "Diamolite Line Guard" stamped on them.

But, what is "Diamolite?"

Is it a real (or reel) thing?

The metal looks like typical shiny reel metal. Maybe stainless steel?

Was "Diamolite" just some marketing hype?

Kind of like "real Corinthian leather?"

It's a gem!...ask G. He knows all about it!

 

[troutbert]

DGC wrote:
For tackle history junkies only:

Fly Tackle Metallurgy Article

See a few pages in for Medalist details.

Wow, that's quite an article.

Interesting stuff.

 

[greenghost]

Whoa. This article is a fly-fishing metallurgist's wet dream.
pcray needs to see this.

 

[gfen]

troutbert wrote:
The metal looks like typical shiny reel metal. Maybe stainless steel?

Was "Diamolite" just some marketing hype?

It's steel, and since the earliest Medalists were using round guards, it was a replacement for an agate guide.

Since a stainless steel ring isn't nearly as attractive or upscale as an agate, it got a fancy name to make it more appealing.

And Afish, Gems were a different line than Medalists. Single pawl only, and a smaller, square, lineguard w/o the Diamolite name.

 

[afishinado]

gfen wrote:

troutbert wrote:
The metal looks like typical shiny reel metal. Maybe stainless steel?

Was "Diamolite" just some marketing hype?

It's steel, and since the earliest Medalists were using round guards, it was a replacement for an agate guide.

Since a stainless steel ring isn't nearly as attractive or upscale as an agate, it got a fancy name to make it more appealing.

And Afish, Gems were a different line than Medalists. Single pawl only, and a smaller, square, lineguard w/o the Diamolite name.

Actually, the Medalist was introduced in '28, and the Gem in '33 - they shared the same internals (and all Medalists were click-pawl then). The difference was the latch, foot, and line guard, and the Gem was always a single check (very likely '33 was when the Medalist added the spare check to differentiate it).

When the patent drag came on the market in '37 ('38 patent), only the 1492 (and later 1492-1/2) Medalists retained the click pawl. The patent-drag Medalist also lost the alloy foot and incorporated the brass Gem foot.

In '35 the Gem changed from the horseshoe latch to a thumbscrew. Some time around then, also went to a larger drag gear. These are really smooth (especially with the spring tweak). In the long run, the Medalist latch is an advantage for spindle wear.

 

[krayfish2]

So what you're saying is that it holds fly line....right? AKA fly reel

 

[gfen]

afishinado wrote:
Actually, the Medalist was introduced in '28
(words words words deleted) advantage for spindle wear.

See, your abillity to operate the googlemachine is why

 

[afishinado]

gfen wrote:

afishinado wrote:
Actually, the Medalist was introduced in '28
(words words words deleted) advantage for spindle wear.

See, your abillity to operate the googlemachine is why