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Post 29 Nov 2020, 06:47 • #1 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
This is going to be a two-part story (wasn't intended that way), and with today's rain, have time to write the first part.

Made the switch to 20-lb braid on my Lew's Super Duty, and happy with the result for 1/4+-oz lures on my MM rod.
Have my Lew's Inshore in ML 1/8-oz niche, but wasn't at all happy with my braid result - the reel laid the braid slightly skewed to one side. Probably going to rescue that braid for another spool and switch the Inshore back to 12-lb fluoro - it was ready for line, the old fluoro was there since I bought the reel.
Here's the rod application, my 13Fishing Omen Green ML, really a jewel, freakishly light-in-hand, moderate Toray graphite.

Found an ebay vendor with discounted price on Lew's new shallow-spool SP - the reel is gorgeous, barely 6 oz with wear-treated alloy drive gears, and the slickest Lew's i've ever fondled.
Noteworthy, the weight is within 10 grams of high-dollar BFS reels from the big 3.

The only thing I don't like is the 8.3 gearing, which I improved for my fishing with a longer-pitch handle. (Avail titanium knob spindles further lightens from the already light stock handle).
My parts order from Japan Tackle (3-day DHL) included two sets of Hedgehog Kattobi BFS spool bearings for Lew's, which are half-price right now; the Avail handle, Avail knobs, and Avail handle nut keeper (already had the Avail knob caps, titanium handle nut, and plenty of 3x7 mm bearings).

The Air BFS bearings are freakishly light - micro stainless bearings kept in sized barstock housings.
Hedgehog says they're 50% lighter than stock bearings, but they're much lighter than that...
Hedgehog also shows these bearings are optimized for 1/8 oz.


The narrow and shallow spool is by far the lightest-weight Lew's has ever offered.
No significant effort to replace the palm-cap bearing.

I also learned the P2 pinion gear is held in alignment by the wind-side bearing, and that bearing can't be replaced without opening the gears - too much work for a new reel.
But this mass is not involved in the spool during casting (look at the spindle gap in the 3rd thumbnail below), and this winding-load-point is where you want a full-size bearing.


I did notice even the single bearing swap made a difference.
The stock spool would spin for 7 seconds, and just replacing one bearing with the Air BFS, the spool free-spin increased to 12 seconds.

But the 5x11-mm spool bearing, behind the pin...
A normal pin tool can't get to that pin, it's so small and close to the recessed bearing and spool rim, and the 32-mm spool diameter won't shoulder the normal pin tool.
Hedgehog states their pin tool won't work on Daiwa Air spools, and I'm guessing this design matches that.

After digging on youtubes, found Plat video on using the Daiwa SLP Works pin tool - the tool design has a really slick removable anvil that will reach just about anywhere.
So I went to Hedgehog to order the Daiwa tool (just shipped Fed-Ex last night).

I also saw the Lew's SP spool anodize is orange rather than gold, so also ordered the Avail nut retainer and knob caps in orange anodize. But this will get the reel finished out the way I want, and will post final results next time.

I mentioned on another thread, braid's tough to get in the US right now. Japan is doing better. My first Japan Tackle order also included my braid, YGK X-braid Upgrade. The line changes color every 10 m, and marked every meter. It's also freakishly thin even with a thick coating. The 22-lb test is PE (Gou number) 1, 0.17 mm (0.007") diameter.
The shallow spool capacity should accept the full 200 m, and still be a low-mass, low-inertia BFS spool.


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 05 Dec 2020, 07:21, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 29 Nov 2020, 08:53 • #2 
Guide
Joined: 03/08/14
Posts: 243
Location: US-MO
Looks great, following and looking forward to the next follow up.


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Post 29 Nov 2020, 11:11 • #3 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
My parts made it to Memphis early am - slated for Tuesday delivery, though should make it tomorrow.
My schedule is tenuous, but will have this finished up in a few days...

Should add that before springing for the new reel, talked with the good folks at Lew's parts & service about retrofitting the SP spool to another of my reels. A major question on all baitcast forums is how do you get a shallow spool onto a Lew's, and one that's sending a lot of buyers to Shimano.
I learned the spool design is specific to the SLP frame size and with P2 pinion, so definitely won't fit my larger LHS-frame reels or my SLP Inshore with the old style pinion. The other Lew's reel that meets this spec is the titanium-spool Custom Lite SLP, making SP the cost starting point.
They did send me a handful of 10-mm bearing retainer springs gratis, for the ones that got away.

I'll also add the knowledgeable parts guy agreed with me that workhorse Super Duty G (LFS frame) is Lew's best buy.
It was my first low-profile baitcaster, has served longer in the salt and out-fishes my Inshore, maybe except for that 1/8 oz niche.
The 60-mm-pitch Livre handle was my answer to the 8.3 gears in this reel.
Image
While it normally stays mated with this 7' MM Crowder, I fished it first with braid at Arroyo on my 8-1/2' Lami MTC, and that combo fished 1/8 oz quite well.


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 07 Dec 2020, 23:47, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 29 Nov 2020, 12:56 • #4 
Guide
Joined: 03/08/14
Posts: 243
Location: US-MO
I live an hour from the Lew's factory if you ever need a liaison, have been to their showroom and museum.


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Post 01 Dec 2020, 12:55 • #5 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Hey, this worked out - jury duty was canceled today, and my Fed-Ex from Tokyo delivered in 2-1/2 days.

First off, here's the Daiwa tool - it's a beauty, with two anvils and pin-drivers set at two different heights. You use the flat side of the anvil to drive the pin up to the spindle, then rotate the anvil to the pin driver to finish it through the spindle.
Note, the pin is tapered, and made to drive out only one way.

The tool set to drive the pin out, and the tapered pin removed from the spindle (new Air bearing in place)

Driving the pin back in - you have to final position the pin, but the taper makes a pretty good bump stop

The final result

and my correct orange-anodize trim


I'm going to make a separate post on lining this thing -
- while a lot of people complain about starting their spools with mono and tying in braid, this is a perfect place for it, to fill the groove in the spool with the mono (25-lb fluorocarbon)
_______________________________________________________

There are probably easier ways to do it, like simple arbor knot in the groove, but I used 3 of the holes through the spool to make my arbor knot inside.

So my 25-lb fluoro backing was coming straight out of the spool

My Allbright knot to the braid, and a series loading the braid
Should point out, I run my braid through a phone book with weight on top to keep it tensioned, and so I can walk away if I want a break

The 200-m braid spool would exactly top the shallow SP spool, but I left out the last 10 yds of purple, so I could finish with green.

I also like the camo effect, and the visibility of this tiny smooth braid


My Allbright knot to 20-lb shock tippet
Noteworthy, this is the densest, roundest braid and with hardest, smoothest coating of any I've seen.
You can't get much traction to spin the knot loops, and it tightens them quick and hard
and perfection loop to paper clip and lure


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Post 01 Dec 2020, 19:39 • #6 
Guide
Joined: 03/08/14
Posts: 243
Location: US-MO
That tool is cool, how does the new bearing feel?


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Post 02 Dec 2020, 18:31 • #7 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Super light, super free-spinning. It didn't improve on my 12-s free spin - matched it - but that alone almost doubles the stock free spin.
Also consider the spool lost more than half of the bearing mass, which lowered the spool inertia, making it not want to keep spinning. So with the inertia/mass loss and the same spin time, it says the bearing improved the spool spin.
Lowering spool inertia is the whole point here - most backlash occurs from the jerk of starting the spool - it takes greater force to start the spool than to keep it spinning.
Less spool + line mass, slicker-starting bearing, means those two forces are closer together, giving you better backlash control on light lures.

I can't first cast until the weather improves, but have loved the tinkering. I'm also really impressed with the line. The density and smoothness must make it come off the spool easier than any other line I've ever touched. Unlike other braids, you can't tell there's a braid texture.
Sufix 832 in this same diameter is 10-lb test, and this line is 22-lb. Plus, the surface is notably smoother, and even the surface coating seems tougher.
___________________________________

edit with first cast result
the weather man was wrong predicting rain today - clear and sunny - got in my first casts with my target 1/8 oz lure.

It zings - 150' easy - farther than I need to fish. I was able to use end tension on the light side, and as light as my loaded spool is, there's a wide difference between one click on the end-tension adjustment.

The ACB centrifugal brake adjustment needed to be just in the orange zone - when I backed it out to about 4, was fighting minor backlash.
6-1/2 to 7 was perfect on the setting, and should be very reliable fishing. There, it cast virtually without thumb - my spool stop is an involuntary reflex action, and I used a little braking thumb to modulate cast distance. I have room to spare on the ACB if I want to try lighter lures.
My other target lure would be a 3/16-oz Pins minnow, but don't need to throw a double-treble plug in the grass.

Tom asked me about the ACB centrifugal brake, and I have been negligent not showing that side of the spool.

The centrifugal brake race is the anodized ring in the palm plate
The black annular ring outside the bearing is the cam face and moves in y- when you turn the knob.
The shoes - sorry, had to use the LED light - are each on a lightly sprung bellcrank, and the springs normally relax them.
When the cam plate pushes in in on the plunger, it moves the brake shoe toward the push into the palm plate race.
And yes, I took a duster to the ACB after I saw this macro.

Noteworthy, my Custom Inshore and Tournament Pro have the same mechanism, but the parts are metal on the Custom Inshore.
Especially the light plastic plate containing the ACB shoes on the spool helps to lighten this spool and keep inertia low.


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 04 Dec 2020, 23:47, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 02 Dec 2020, 21:17 • #8 
Guide
Joined: 03/08/14
Posts: 243
Location: US-MO
WOW Very impressive and you called accused me of Gunga Din!!! Love all your pimping on your reels!


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Post 08 Dec 2020, 07:14 • #9 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
I really like this reel. My Super Duty was my favorite Lew's, and this reel So Out-Casts it.
I have the reel weight down below 6 oz, and on the light Omen rod, it's a fish all-day combo.
I'm going to have fun with it.

_____________________________________________

I wrote this pm to a friend on TKF to answer his question about how I could get away with casting 20-lb braid on my Super Duty.
Took me 3 days and 3 tries to percolate it into lucidity - gave up the first 2 - and it's good information to re-post here:

I can use the SuperDuty with 20-lb braid because the new bearings improve start-up inertia, where SuperDuty has its lowest backlash defense (no centrifugal brake).

I can use the shallow-spool SP with even lighter braid because the spool inertia is incredibly low, helping to defend against all 3 types of backlash (farther below), and it has a good centrifugal brake.

Casting is a ballistic shot - the fastest thing that happens is the lure at your rod tip, and the lure slows from there to landing.

Inertia of the spool is its resistance to change. It takes more force to start the spool spinning than it does to keep it spinning, and that causes instant spool overshoot. Inertia also causes the spool to want to keep spinning once it gets going. Lowering the mass of the spool + line lowers the spool inertia. Efficient bearings lower the spool start-up inertia.

The 3 types of backlash include start-up overshoot, described above. The 2nd backlash point occurs as your ballistic shot is approaching its max elevation - mid cast - gravity is slowing down the lure, and you'll sometimes see this backlash self-correct as the lure crosses the hump with gravity speeding it back up a bit. This is also the point your backlash is most affected by wind. Mag brakes are your best defense here, and Super Duty shines for long casts with affecting wind.

The 3rd backlash is simple - the lure stops, the spool needs to, also.

We have four types of brakes - spindle end tension is a constant load, and can defend against all 3 backlashes, but also with the shortest-possible cast.
Thumb control is a load we modulate.
Centrifugal brakes are best for controlling start-up backlash, and this is important with light lures.
Mag brake is best for mid-cast backlash and wind backlash, and that's where SuperDuty shines, especially with long casts.


____________________

Thought I'd show this, also.
This is my Lew's Tournament Pro, which got my second pair of Air BFS bearings - along with that, made the switch to 20-lb braid (Sufix 832, which I've fished on my Lew's Super Duty), and this reel is a cast champ, also with a deep spool (120-yd 12-lb mono).
It comes in a bit over 6 oz with the larger LFS frame, has the same plastic centrifugal brake as my newer shallow-spool SP.

I kept the line mass down a bit by backing the spool with 25-lb mono (25 yds). The shape of the spool makes a narrow U, and I think that makes it stack the backing better than the almost square section on my Custom Inshore spool with the same capacity in the smaller SLP frame.
From this line calculator, https://www.pattayafishing.net/advanced-fishing-reel-line-capacity-estimator/ I loaded about 180 yds 0.23 mm braid.

Similar to my longer experience with braid on spinning reels, aside from the slightly longer and easier-effort casts, what I like best about braid is the complete absence of line memory.
With braid casting experience, I'm fairly confident I can dial out all backlash on these reels.

The reel is stock except the knobs are the ebay "similar to Ray's Studio" that came from Ukraine. Not an Avail handle, but also a cheap mod to get knobs I prefer, and I like the match of the knob trim caps. 7.5 gears fit my fishing with the stock 95 mm handle.
It will continue in my back-up inshore niche.



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Post 13 Aug 2021, 13:46 • #10 
Guide
Joined: 07/22/20
Posts: 175
Location: Ancient City, Florida
I have a couple of the Lews custom inshores, it looks like there is not a shallow spool for them? Any hands on between the lews shallow spool and the Curado? I’ve had the curado in my cart but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Looking through the reasonable priced rod options, lol…

Thanks for this right up.

As an aside, I recently started throwing the Berkley metered saltwater pro braid in 20lb. So far I am liking it. We will have to see after a big fish digs it in :(


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Post 13 Aug 2021, 17:10 • #11 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
If your goal is light weight, the Curado BFS will be ready to go.

I ended up selling both of my centrifugal-brake Lew's when I determined on the water one day my Super Duty would out-cast them with 1/8 oz (I kept the racy bearings and reinstalled the original shielded bearings).
Plus after a year and two years, with discount buying up front, in the current market, I sold both Tournament Pro and Team Pro SP each for $15 less than I paid.
There was probably a way to tune the centrifugal brake by removing brake shoes.
But after tinkering with Super Duty, Daiwa SV and a ZPI Alcance, I'm sold on mag brake for my fishing.

Don't take this the wrong way, I gave my Custom Inshore to my buddy Lou - the dual brake is a good learning tool for moderate and heavier weights.

If you visit Bass Resource forum, you'll find a Shimano fan club, especially fond of Shimano's centrifugal + mag for light weights and BFS.
I believe the Shimano centrifugal lets you select number of brake shoes externally.
If it's light lure weights your want to fish, I'd look at the Curado.

If you want to push light lures to extreme distance, Daiwa SV with aftermarket spool and bearings.
The ZPI Alcance, on the right, is a factory-raced Revo with bench-made magnesium spool and tuned mag-brake cam.
Either of these set-ups will give you blinding spool speed.
Image Image

The blue Ray's Studio spool is strictly for braid, but also for casting skill - go there when you can't remember your last backlash.
Image


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Post 13 Aug 2021, 17:25 • #12 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/12/18
Posts: 457
Very cool stuff, Ron! I have a pile of Lew's LFS-era reels, but they all have the centrifugal/magnetic or centrifugal only braking. I still love 'em. I need to pick up one of the newer all-magnetic brake models to tinker with at some point. But I'd like to try a Curado BFS first.

I got a chance to briefly try out a Daiwa Alphas Air TW20 in the back yard today. The spool is so tiny!
(I got it for $303, shipped, in less than a week from Digitaka.)

I spooled some .104mm four-strand 8lb. braid and a 6lb. mono leader. I was tossing a 1/16 oz Rooster Tail to good fishing distances easily and confidently with the magnetic brake setting down at 8 or 9 of 20. I was a bit surprised when I tied on a little Z-Man 1/8 oz. finesse jig and didn't get really the distance I was expecting from a bait that was twice as heavy as the spinner and maybe more aerodynamic...

I didn't have much time to mess with it. And it was literally straight out of the box. I hope to actually cast a lure to fish with it for a little bit this weekend and I'll see what I can tweak later on.

Have fun with the Lew's!


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Post 14 Aug 2021, 08:30 • #13 
Guide
Joined: 07/22/20
Posts: 175
Location: Ancient City, Florida
Thanks Ron,
I’ll give a curado a try. My current “trout” casting rod says it is good down to a 1/16, but……. Not near the lightweight performance of say my St Croix spinning trout rod of similar weightings.

We always want distance, ha, but looking to throw smaller Ned’s on a 1/16 or 1/10th jigheads in shallow salt. Those light Z-Mann Ned’s can really float a bit in the air, so paying attention is a must :)


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Post 14 Aug 2021, 15:18 • #14 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
I added one also, for "Texas Brook Trout" in hill country limestone creeks.

Image

The new toy, great ebay deal on Tailwalk Troutia 5'6" UL -
- before I bought this on ebay, I watched restock at both Asian Portal and Digitaka disappear in one day - both had higher prices.

Image

The rod is optimized for 3 to 5 g, and the 7-g max rating is useful.

Image

The insert is rosewood, and the metal parts trimmed with copper plate

Image

The real reason and choice new toy.

Image Image

Don made the LW extreme racy using Avail parts that removed 1/3 oz from the LW.
The worm gear includes one ball bearing. He ported and polished the opposite side, and did the same to the idler gear.
It has new gears with Avail main shaft and ratchet with twice the number of clutch dogs.
Free-spinning the spool, the LW will make 2 complete back-and-forth traverses across the worm gear.
I made it 2-g capable by swapping the shielded spool bearings for Roro 1-10-g micros.

Image

Down the line, I'll add an Avail shallow spool - haven't decided on 1520 for braid, or 1540 of mono.
Right now, the stock spool is loaded with 5-lb Maxima Ultragreen.
I plan to fish the same trout plugs I set up for winter glass minnows, and of course this combo will never see the salt.

Image


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Post 15 Aug 2021, 19:06 • #15 
Guide
Joined: 06/21/20
Posts: 141
I see you're going down the rabbit hole on the 1500C. Recently added all ceramic bearings, Avail lightweight worm gear with two bearings, lightweight line guide, Avail lightweight gear shaft, and a two-bearing LW cog to mine. I have a 5.6G spool on the way. I can get about 3.5 traverses of the the line guide on an empty spool. Been casting 1/8 oz stuff on it recently. Should be able to go lighter with the lightweight spool. It's a sickness. The final level of sickness would be to get one of the new lower seat level frames. All these "upgrades" will take nearly 2 oz of weight off. Not sure I'm ready to go there yet. :-)


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Post 17 Aug 2021, 08:03 • #16 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
I got the last Avail frame arriving tomorrow.
My full ceramic bearings are going in the idler gear - the Roro micro bearings are good enough for the 1500C spool.
Though the nice thing about full-zirc is you never need to oil, though you may want to oil to quiet them a touch.
Avail also makes a BB pinion support to replace the stock bushing - it doesn't affect casting, but the stock bushing can be pretty stiff winding the little reel.

I'm going to add the 7-g Avail spool because it's the only matching mag brake that has stock.
I was casting 3 g to 50' last night on the stock spool - that's everything I want - maybe 10' more, and better reliability with less thumb.
Reducing the spool mass will have a huge effect, because the stock spool is a litle tank and inertia pig.

My niche for the 1500C isn't casting 120' and beyond - I already have my Daiwas for that, in niches for inshore UL (1/16), ML (1/8) and bass all-range (1/16 - 5/8).
Roro-X30 spool goes with the inshore UL.

Salt ML and bass all-range get Ray's SV-BFS spools. Both reels and the swapping spools have salt-resistant IXA micro bearings.


The Daiwa SV and BFS spool combination is extremely simple - pick the lightest thing you're going to throw, find incipient mid-cast wind backlash, add a couple of mag notches from there, and they'll never need another adjustment.


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 18 Aug 2021, 05:39, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 17 Aug 2021, 18:18 • #17 
Guide
Joined: 06/21/20
Posts: 141
I want to know what this guy is doing!

https://abuambassadeur.com/category/3-s ... el-tuning/

He has a jig to straighten the frames too. And the collection is spectacular!


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Post 18 Aug 2021, 07:03 • #18 
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Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
I already had screen snips of his history on the small Ambassadeurs. His broken photo links are kind of a shame.
I won't be collecting these - way too many fingers and wallets in that market - but will finish mine out to fish 1/16 oz reliably.

When I was chatting with Don Iovino - fun and enthusiastic over the top, btw - he mentioned all the reels on his website are show and tell. Every reel he finishes is either accounted for, or sells right away, and the market prices have mostly doubled over those old listings. The best thing about it, he offered my reel with a discount, right off his bench from the previous day. What I paid with the Avail LW parts and Don's tuning was about the same as a "field" reel on ebay.

Tthe Abu frames followed tradition, and were built for rods with lowered reel seats
Image

The Avail lowered frame makes a big difference in fishing comfort with the traditional reel on modern reel seat.


The frame swap sheds a full ounce from the reel.
It's much stiffer than the stock brass frame. In fact, my stock frame was bent just enough to make installing the drive-side pancake a chore.

Which brings up a point about Avail manufacturing precision.
When I was working on my CTs, I ran into manufacturing precision shortcoming on Rocket Reel Co. brake plate.
Don't have one to compare, but there's little question the Avail frame will have much better fit and threads than the less-expensive version from AMO Store. However, there's no more Avail stock for 1500C frames (they do have 2500C frames), and AMO has stock.

In JDM, they have Millionaire BFS and Conquest BFS, which would fit my niche for a lot less money.
(and of course LP Air BFS reels in JDM and recent USM imports)
I enjoy the tinkering, and admit to a fondness for the little Ambassadeur.
The new reels get the function right from the box, but ok, here I like the form first and also like tweaking the function.
Next part arriving is Haneda Craft titanium handle, which sheds more weight.


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