Halcyon Pathfinder Reel service?

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HenrikBP

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I bought a used 400' Halcyon Pathfinder reel, and it's a little "rough". The locking screw in particular is kinda rusty and sticks some. But the locking screw has been "center punched", so I can't easily unscrew it for service.

It looks like the "bridge" of the handle that the locking screw screws into can be unscrewed so I'd be able to cut the locking screw off and just replace it.

Has anyone tried to completely disassemble a Pathfinder reel and can provide any pointers?

Thanks,

Henrik
 
OK, so I just went for it. The screws holding the "bridge" are secured with blue Loctite and came out with some gentle pressure and the correct size screwdriver. The central shoulder bolt holding the "spool" part of the reel came out fairly easily as well.

The locking screw has a punch mark in the threads preventing me from removing it from the "bridge". I'll try to run a thread chase on it to see if I can fix it - if not I'll cut it off and just replace it.

Next the parts are going in a mild vinegar bath to clean corrosion. Then a quick wash in Simple Green. Then everything goes back together with blue Loctite.

Question: What material would be recommended for the locking screw? Stainless or nylon?

Henrik
 
Isn't McMaster always a good alternative? :wink:
 
Isn't McMaster always a good alternative? :wink:

+1!!!!!!!
 
Isn't McMaster always a good alternative? :wink:

As long as you know what you need ...

McMaster only has 18-8 stainless, but given how the original thumb screw looks I doubt it's 316.

I'll keep you posted with progress and part numbers.

Henrik
 
You should start a blog. Royally Screwed: One man and his quest for a thumbscrew priced like gold.
 
You should start a blog. Royally Screwed: One man and his quest for a thumbscrew priced like gold.

Nice :D
 
With the reel in bits I first cleaned the parts as best I could with soap, water and a brass brush for the threads of the bolts.

I then put the parts a 1/2-1/2 water/white vinegar solution to remove oxidation from the aluminum bits and surface crud from the SS bits. Nice and shiny now. I left it all in the solution for 1 hour total, checking on it every 15 minutes to avoid removing anodizing (not I think vinegar would - but just to be safe).

Now the stainless parts are soaking in Coca Cola - including the thumb screw still stuck in the "bridge". Coca Cola is good at removing rust and at the same time passivates stainless steel to better resist rusting. This, based on experience with a cheap dive knife, can take days.

So far so good. Now to find fresh cave line. AFAIK the reel comes with either #24 or #36 line on it.

Btw. looked at McMaster for thumb screws - turns out EE pricing is pretty good after all:

McMaster-Carr

1/4" x 28. Length of threaded part: 0.68"

Henrik
 

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