What's inside a Slater latch?

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Vole
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What's inside a Slater latch?

Post by Vole »

I must take this little baby out more:
Image
It spins very well, and is more comfortable in the cold than an all-metal reel.
I'm told that the hollowed-out back of the spool marks it out as a Sheffield reel:
Image

One thing has always troubled me, though: what's inside that latch?
Do bits ping out at all angles to be lost forever, if one is rash enough to unscrew the cover?
Does anyone have any pictures or diagrams of the innards of a Slater latch?
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The Sweetcorn Kid
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Re: What's inside a Slater latch?

Post by The Sweetcorn Kid »

I'm afraid I can't help you, but must say I do like your reel a lot!!! :thumb:
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Re: What's inside a Slater latch?

Post by BlackSheep »

What a glorious looking reel, simply quite lovely.

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MGs
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Re: What's inside a Slater latch?

Post by MGs »

A lovely piece of timber but it would appear that the Slater latch is an enigma
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StalkingLuke
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Re: What's inside a Slater latch?

Post by StalkingLuke »

A nice reel is it made from walnut?
I've always taken everything apart but often regretted it!
I still would though just to see what's in there take pictures as you go along.
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Vole
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Re: What's inside a Slater latch?

Post by Vole »

Sadly, the only timbers I can make a stab at identifying are beech and oak, and its neither of those!
Haydn, any ideas? Anyone?

If I knew it were safe, I would indeed consider a stepwise disassembly, but I'm not risking it! There's a spring in there, and I remember trying to reassemble bicycle freewheel blocks... if we'd had a swear-box, I'd be rotting in a debtors' gaol...

This new "Tiny" device makes uploading pics really easy, doesn't it? Good find!
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Mark
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Re: What's inside a Slater latch?

Post by Mark »

It looks like a light mahogany to me Luke but I'm not 100% sure.

Glad you like the tinypic uploads Vole.
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Vole
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Re: What's inside a Slater latch?

Post by Vole »

Right; this is what's inside a Slater-style latch, not the real deal, but close; I bought a doer-up cheaply enough to take a gamble (and the rivets looked reassuring...) Image

Simple, but effective.

And an internet first for the forum, I believe. The only inside shot of anything like a Slater Latch, unless someone's posted one up since I started this thread!
"Write drunk, edit sober" - Hemingway.
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The Tuesday Swim
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Re: What's inside a Slater latch?

Post by The Tuesday Swim »

This is my Slater Latch but with the alloy back rather than the all wooden construction.


Image

Image

Image

And a recent catch, still nothing wrong with these reels...I'm a big fan...

Image

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Nobby
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Re: What's inside a Slater latch?

Post by Nobby »

That's lovely Tadpole..a real/reel transition job!

The latch, when revealed, is much like the earlier 'telephone' latches under a dust-cover.

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