REELS AND THEIR CARE 53 



The easiest way to polish the frame is with 

 a buffer, but chamois skin and tripoli will re- 

 move all harmful dirt from smooth surfaces, 

 while the angles may be reached by folding the 

 leather over a sliver of soft pine and rubbing 

 with this. The bearings must not be touched 

 with any abrasive or polishing substance. They 

 should be cleaned thoroughly with benzine but 

 do not light your pipe during this operation. 

 An old soft toothbrush and benzine should be 

 used on pinion, gear, and all bearings, and in 

 order to be sure that the parts are cleared from 

 gummed oil, examine them when they are dry 

 under a microscope. 



This inspection should be minute. A good 

 reel is to a certain extent a delicate machine, 

 and although you may not remember it, it may 

 be that you dropped rod and reel at some time 

 last summer while fishing and damaged the 

 gears. Perhaps you have wondered why its 

 song has a harsh note, but still it seems to be all 

 right. If any of the bearings show wear in 

 places where they should be smooth, or if the 

 teeth of pinion or gear have any rough spots 

 under the glass these teeth resemble those in 

 a huge saw send the reel post haste to its 

 maker. He alone can put it to rights. Other- 

 wise, when all the parts are absolutely clean, 



