Flick-em perfection centrepin

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Barbel Lad
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Flick-em perfection centrepin

Post by Barbel Lad »

Any one got any knowledge on these pins. flick em perfection 3 1/2 inch picked it up pretty cheap last week seems a very nice little reel never seen one with the ratchet lever like this though
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Vole
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Re: Flick-em perfection centrepin

Post by Vole »

I mention mine in post #9 on this thread: viewtopic.php?f=279&t=760&p=8059&hilit=swift#p8059
and in the next post, Nobby says that Swift Engineering converted some to lever checks.
Lovely reel, well bagged! Didn't know they did a 3 1/2" version, though, mines just a tad under 4. (Total fluke, bagged for either £3 or £5 in a seized-up state. End-float screw out, penetrating oil in, wait 24hrs, out she comes, nice as new!).
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Hemingway didn't have to worry about accidentally hitting "submit" before he edited.

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Lea Dweller
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Re: Flick-em perfection centrepin

Post by Lea Dweller »

So far as I am aware the lever ratchet is pretty common on these reels, although they were ‘badged’ by a number of retailers. I seem to remember Wal saying that the early one’s tended to get ‘line trap’ issues more than the later one’s? I think that this was to do with lighter lines being used? I believe Wal also said that he had a high regard for these early ‘flickem perfections’, a more pleasing appearance than the later one’s with a paint or crackle finish. Over to you Wal, I can only remember so much! :surrender:

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Wallys-Cast
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Re: Flick-em perfection centrepin

Post by Wallys-Cast »

Thanks Ted, they are a favourite of mine. I don't think I mentioned line trap Ted, I have never had a problem with light lines on my reels.
I always think of them as an inside out Aerial.
The lever check versions seem to fetch a premium, probably because they are a little bit easier to engage and disengage the check.
I like the fact they have no plastic bits to break or crack.
To me they are probably the best versions of the improved Homer flick-em reel ever made.

Wal.

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Olly
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Re: Flick-em perfection centrepin

Post by Olly »

I have 2 early(?) ones. One with lever - one without.

One owned by Sir Maurice Kausman OBE - https://huntingdon.ccan.co.uk/content/c ... ce-kausman
The first to receive an honour for Angling.

!980 OBE Civil List:- - Maurice Arthur Kausman. For services to Angling.
Same year as Emlyn Hughes and Cliff Richard got theirs.

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Duckett
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Re: Flick-em perfection centrepin

Post by Duckett »

Wallys-Cast wrote: Sat Dec 07, 2019 2:05 pm Thanks Ted, they are a favourite of mine. I don't think I mentioned line trap Ted, I have never had a problem with light lines on my reels.
I always think of them as an inside out Aerial.
The lever check versions seem to fetch a premium, probably because they are a little bit easier to engage and disengage the check.
I like the fact they have no plastic bits to break or crack.
To me they are probably the best versions of the improved Homer flick-em reel ever made.

Wal.
Have you seen the “premium” someone is currently asking for one on a certain site Wal?

I’ve got one of each size and really enjoy using them. Both have button operated checks. I’ve seen claims that the lever check version is less common but I’m not at all convinced. Many I’ve seen do seem to have suffered suffer from line digging grooves in the cage frame though.

Phil
From "... the wilds of the Wirral, whose wayward people both God and good men have quite given up on ...".

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Wallys-Cast
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Re: Flick-em perfection centrepin

Post by Wallys-Cast »

I have seen really bad line cuts in some of these caged reels Phil and quite often they show the reel was used with the line coming through the wrong window or on wrong side of the pillar for the way it was being used.


Talking of line windows, if you look at the windows on the Flickem reels you will notice that one window is wider than the other three. See below.
Image

It's actually a bit less than 2mm difference on this 3 1/2" version but this shows these reels were intended for right hand wind use. Every one I have ever seen is this way round. It doesn't stop them being used left hand wind of course and for the amount of line generally used for trotting it really wont make any difference, it was just an observation I made and thought I would share as I hadn't seen it mentioned anywhere before.


Wal.

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Duckett
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Re: Flick-em perfection centrepin

Post by Duckett »

Wallys-Cast wrote: Sat Dec 07, 2019 8:01 pm I have seen really bad line cuts in some of these caged reels Phil and quite often they show the reel was used with the line coming through the wrong window or on wrong side of the pillar for the way it was being used.


Talking of line windows, if you look at the windows on the Flickem reels you will notice that one window is wider than the other three. See below.

It's actually a bit less than 2mm difference on this 3 1/2" version but this shows these reels were intended for right hand wind use. Every one I have ever seen is this way round. It doesn't stop them being used left hand wind of course and for the amount of line generally used for trotting it really wont make any difference, it was just an observation I made and thought I would share as I hadn't seen it mentioned anywhere before.


Wal.
The odd think about that narrow window Wal is that, aside from telling us it’s right hand wind, I honestly don’t see what it achieves! I’ve also noticed that it’s one of those ‘pins with a far stronger ratchet right hand than left hand wind, if you see what I mean. Also it can’t easily be changed round like the later Rapidex.

I do wonder of one of the grooves in mine was caused by someone having the ‘pin on top of the rod for retrieve and holding the line down with the thumb? Much like you might with a multiplier with no level wind?

Phil
From "... the wilds of the Wirral, whose wayward people both God and good men have quite given up on ...".

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Wallys-Cast
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Re: Flick-em perfection centrepin

Post by Wallys-Cast »

I suppose the three narrower windows add a little more strength to the cage overall but it wasn't carried over to the Rapidex so really made no difference.
The pawl would really need to be reground to work left handed but altering the spring angle on the pawl and reducing the tension slightly can help a lot.

I think you are probably spot on with the line grooves theory.

Wal.

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Lea Dweller
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Re: Flick-em perfection centrepin

Post by Lea Dweller »

Wallys-Cast wrote: Sat Dec 07, 2019 2:05 pm Thanks Ted, they are a favourite of mine. I don't think I mentioned line trap Ted, I have never had a problem with light lines on my reels.
I always think of them as an inside out Aerial.
The lever check versions seem to fetch a premium, probably because they are a little bit easier to engage and disengage the check.
I like the fact they have no plastic bits to break or crack.
To me they are probably the best versions of the improved Homer flick-em reel ever made.

Wal.
Sorry Wal, somebody definitely told me that line trap was a problem with early Flickem’s, because the tolerances were changed later to allow for finer line? If it wasn’t you, it was definitely a TFF member who likes these early reels? P.s I have also never noticed the difference in the ‘window sizes’ on these reels, although I must have handled loads over the years! :Hat:
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