Does anyone out there on the forum have any experience with and/or knowledge about this particular Martin? I recently purchased one on ebay to pair with a Garcia Conolon 5-star Model 2537-A for 8/9 weight line. The pairing turned out as expected as the reel (with line) balances perfectly with the rod. My intent is to use the outfit to throw a sinking line and bigger streamers.
The reel appears to be in great condition and will require only some minor cleaning. The adjustable drag works fine although I wouldn't call it the strongest drag I've ever used. There is negligible wobble but a bit (1/32"?) of end play.
The main question I have concerns the "clicker" which doesn't seem to work. It doesn't matter if the clicker is turned "on" or "off"; either way there is no "click" when I strip line off the reel and the spool essentially free-wheels when I crank the line in. (Looking through the reel papers, it seems that the clicker is only supposed to work when line is being stripped off the reel. I'm not certain if the spool should free-wheel so much on the retrieve as it's somewhat disconcerting.) With the spool off, I can see that the lever of the "on-off" click assembly doesn't engage the teeth of the gear; it seems to track either inside or outside of the gear. Does anyone (i.e. Bulldog?) have a fix for this?
My other question is can I use the vinegar-water/diluted soap/toothbrush/Q-tip cleaning method on this reel? I don't want to risk stripping any of the finish off and there's only a little grease build-up on this reel. There is some corrosion on the aluminum rim of the spool. Is there a way to get rid of it?
Thanks in advance for your replies.