The stuff you can accumulate and forget about over the years can be mind boggling.

The other day while digging through all my old stuff, I can across a tupaware container that has a vintage fly reel in it. I remember buying it at a flea market 15 years ago for 15 bucks. The reel itself is in great shape and works. However it is completely void of paint. I think someone stripped it down to restore it.

Come to find out it's a rare and scarce fly reel. A Shakespeare Burdick 1886 model HF. I I'm currently in process of doing a 75 percent restoration in it.

Beautiful reel. Bet it will look sweet on my Cummings rods.

Will do once it's done.

It is a pretty reel no doubt.

it's something to be proud of

very nice - looking forward to photos with the rod

I painted one spool myself, a postwar Heddon 125. I used Krylon BBQ grill paint which was pretty tenacious on the aluminum.
Wayne had good results on a prewar duralumin Young.

The nature of AA2xxx aircraft alloys makes it almost impossible to get anything to stick to them, and you should probably leave your vintage Medalist the way you find it.
I hope this thing is on.

Everyone's reel is theirs - they bought it - and do with it what they choose, but learning from other's mistakes rather than duplicating them is divine.

To me, the biggest problem with refinishing is the risk of destroying something nice, which has happened on all these forums with results like a mottled blue St. George or Perfect from tinkering with commercial aluminum blackeners. After getting the specific warning in a forum discussion, there's something profane about following through and destroying the reel. Coaches that cheer you on have nothing to lose.
If one is such a perfectionist they need their vintage reel to look new, then they should buy a new reel.

This is a $500 reel left this way.

Well done!

Well whom ever owned this reel prior to me really left me with little risk in a restoration. There was only metal to preserve and if the paint didn't work out, just strip it back down.

Like I said normally I wouldn't do this but I think with all to gain an nothing to risk, it was a good choice. Especially since it's turning out well.

Funny side note, I squabbled with the flea market guy every Friday for 4 weeks until he took my offer of 15 bucks.
20 I felt was too much
As far as clear coat, I'm not sure yet but I'll post it when I share more

that makes total sense - I've seen more than a couple of reels that were badly painted.
I definitely wasn't protesting what you did here, it looks nice. There are just way too many variables in vintage alloy reels to expect them to all behave the same, and most of what I've seen people wanting to refinish were just fine to fish as they were.
It kills me when someone wants to paint an early arsenic-bronzed Medalist. No matter what they look like, the finish feels so silky nice.

It makes me laugh. I look at that thing and I feel like I own an old peerless that is worth thousands.

But it's just a fancy tuna can.
To me, and after having it forever, that makes it just as valuable

Nice thanks!

She looks great already. Very nice job! $15 (plus your time of course) very well spent.

Great restoration job.

Nice!

If I was you, I would use a mineral oil light scub to remove any rust. But only after cleaning it very very well.
You chose a good paint. I would get the matching primer.I don't bake but do a 7 day cure.

When I spray I stand back almost twice the recommended amount. I still feel using a light coat, then dry 10 mins, then spray again, etc... is key.

Good luck! If you do it, let us see it. the great thing about a project like yours is, you have nothing to lose.

If it needs a part or 2 to get it working internally, if consider it for that reel.

I get to finish my project this week.