Ambidex Casting Reel
Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 2:39 pm
Ever since acquiring and reading Rupe Attwoods excellent book on J.W.Young & Sons reels I dreamed of sharing his excitement in opening a reel to see if it was one of the early hand engraved versions. Having acquired a reel earlier this year when push came to shove I could not bring myself to open it and resolved instead to take it to show Garry Mills who's knowledge of all things J.W Young has to be witnessed to be believed. I had the reel with me at this years Barbel Society show and Garry did the honours (deciding not to access it myself was a pretty good idea as it turned out as getting the handle off - which had clearly never been removed before was a tad troublesome to say the least. Though Garry made short work of it I think I would have bodged it up).
Anyway it was indeed one of the hand engraved versions and though I have chosen not to declare the number in this post I have included a few photographs for my angling brothers to see the reel:
Brass single side plate, chrome lettering in very good condition - set up for right hand wind
Right hand wind - note the chrome nut on both sides. Black crinkle paint finish generally very good (most paint loss evident on the handle which I understand was an issue with the plain black paint)
Front view showing the lettering on the spool tensioner "THE AMBIDEX CASTING REEL" - bail arm a little pitted. The line drum bears the Allcocks SA 24 part number and the JWY 170 part number too.
A shot from the reels underside shows the only real paint loss from the crinkle finish
All in all a lovely little reel. Hand made, hand engraved inside on the side cover and on the reel body. I have not checked the flyer or the gear wheel but see no reason why the numbers would not be there. According to Rupe's book - reasonable to assume that this reel was made before 25th November 1946.
Anyway it was indeed one of the hand engraved versions and though I have chosen not to declare the number in this post I have included a few photographs for my angling brothers to see the reel:
Brass single side plate, chrome lettering in very good condition - set up for right hand wind
Right hand wind - note the chrome nut on both sides. Black crinkle paint finish generally very good (most paint loss evident on the handle which I understand was an issue with the plain black paint)
Front view showing the lettering on the spool tensioner "THE AMBIDEX CASTING REEL" - bail arm a little pitted. The line drum bears the Allcocks SA 24 part number and the JWY 170 part number too.
A shot from the reels underside shows the only real paint loss from the crinkle finish
All in all a lovely little reel. Hand made, hand engraved inside on the side cover and on the reel body. I have not checked the flyer or the gear wheel but see no reason why the numbers would not be there. According to Rupe's book - reasonable to assume that this reel was made before 25th November 1946.