Trudex dates

[MWithell]

I now have two Trudexes. A black one bought about twenty years ago and a grey one bought recently from Baywatch.
Is colour any guide to age? My new grey one is in quite good condition and came in the remains of a box which boasts that Youngs had been in business for over 60 years. In theory that seems to date the box to the 1940s although of course it depends when they counted 60 years from.

[Dave F]

Hi Malcolm, according to “Reels” by ELWYN ATTWOOD, the Trudex was launched in 1950 and the very first versions were finished in gun-metal polychromatic. Later versions were both black and grey. Trudex reels were produced until 1969. In 1965, a 5.5” version was introduced but didn’t take off because it was heavy and unwieldy.

Nothing else is listed to help date the reels.

[Olly]

The 2022 Trudex III seems to have a following as does the previous version II.

[Wallys-Cast]

The 2022 Trudex III seems to have a following as does the previous version II.

They are nice reels Olly, still true pins, I believe. I think nearly all the newer Youngs reels run on ball bearings.

Wal.

[MWithell]

Thanks both. You've confirmed what I rather thought, Dave, that black or grey didn't give any indication of age. (Not like hair!) I'm still intrigued by the box, though, which mentions over 60 years of production. That suggests a production date of 1954 at the latest seeing the same box says, 'Established 1884', and it shows Trudex 4" on the side of the box. However, it's feasible the reel didn't come in that box originally. You say the first ones were gunmetal polychromatic. What does that actually mean? How different is that from grey?
Whatever the age of the reel, it's in quite good condition - possibly not seen a great deal of use.

[Dave F]

Malcolm, like you, I have no idea what gunmetal polychromatic means. I quoted directly from “Reels.” The Trudex reels I have are black crinkle finish and the other, silver/grey.
Both run beautifully.

[Keston]

Malcolm, like you, I have no idea what gunmetal polychromatic means. I quoted directly from “Reels.” The Trudex reels I have are black crinkle finish and the other, silver/grey.
Both run beautifully.

I dont think people generally see the Trudex finish as "black crinkle " in the same way as the early Rapidex reels ? the finish is quite different ?
Kind regards
John

[Dave F]

Keston (John):- how would you describe the black finish on the Trudex? The finish isn’t “smooth” If not “crinkle” then maybe “dimpled?”

[Wallys-Cast]

Smooth paint on a dimpled surface ?

Wal.

[Wallys-Cast]

A question I have often pondered is why the silver rapidex got a nice chrome foot but the black version was just painted. And if it's because the silver one was thought of as the deluxe version, why didn't the silver trudex get a chrome foot.
There now work that one out.
Wal.