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Rare Alvey Wanted


Green Hornet

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4 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Did you score this gem off an Alvey FB page? If so I think we spoke about it on there.

Ironically I had just discovered and applied to join that page, took 3 days to be accepted and when I logged in saw this reel and had just been sold. Lucky for you bummer for me haha.

Thanks for the tip about the numbering. Hopefully I can find one one day.

Hi Green Hornet yes it was a package deal with a 650 C3 Cedar/Rosewood, but I took it as I've been searching for the Rosewood 50A5 for ages. I didn't realise it was you but I remember the messages.

I was lucky enough to meet ex Alvey spool turner Barry L about 15 years ago and he made me quite a few new spools in different timbers like White Onionwood, Poplar, Beefwood as well as the Cedar in plain and Rosewood stain. I gave him a heap of 2c coins which he was using to make  the back 'nut' on his reels, which are also easily identified by the brass handle-side washer (as opposed to stainless)

One of the members on that page posted some shots of his spools, he had the entire collection of reels around the walls of his workshop under his house. Sadly, he stopped making them after repeated break-ins. He was in his eighties then and still cutting cane by hand also.

I've got a mate up north that does come across them at times, but he refuses to pay much for them- I'll ask him to let me know next time he sees one and I'll message to see if you're still interested- there are heaps more wooden reels around the far north coast/Qld than down your way, the Blackie reels are the hardest to find from my experience

Regards Waza

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Small world hey Waza.

I thought of sourcing a bit of cedar and getting the local Men's Shed to possibly turn a spool up for me, but It just wouldn't be the same as an original, plus I'd still have to source the other parts.

After all the treasure you showed in the "Old Days" thread, I would have bet good money you had a dozen of these things laying around haha.

You're right, there's not many Alvey advocates down here on the south coast and definitely not as many as there was 20 or 30 years ago. I guess its kind of a double edged sword, the further north you go the more Alvey users but the l fewer blackfish fishermen, once you cross the border.

It would be terrific if you could let your mate know to keep an eye out. I'm more than happy to pay what it takes to obtain one in good condition.

Thanks for your help

Pete

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2 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Small world hey Waza.

I thought of sourcing a bit of cedar and getting the local Men's Shed to possibly turn a spool up for me, but It just wouldn't be the same as an original, plus I'd still have to source the other parts.

After all the treasure you showed in the "Old Days" thread, I would have bet good money you had a dozen of these things laying around haha.

You're right, there's not many Alvey advocates down here on the south coast and definitely not as many as there was 20 or 30 years ago. I guess its kind of a double edged sword, the further north you go the more Alvey users but the l fewer blackfish fishermen, once you cross the border.

It would be terrific if you could let your mate know to keep an eye out. I'm more than happy to pay what it takes to obtain one in good condition.

Thanks for your help

Pete

Hi Pete it really is a small world!

I have heaps of wooden Alvey's unfortunately just not the one you need. I've already rung my mate to see if he has one but he sold the one he had along with a heap of others during the Alvey "frenzy" when closure was imminent. He said he'll ring me next one he comes across, which might sound a bit patronising, however as he is a "semi-professional" ebay seller who is looking/buying 2nd hand stuff at least a few days a week, he does come across them- just hates paying more than about $50-60 for anything fishing, however, as I want it he'll ring with a price. There are always wooden reels up his way at swap meets, pawn shops, garage sales and bric-a-brac spots and that's where much of his collection came from.

When he took me to Barry L's at Kyogle, he didn't buy a thing- just traded some old Mitchell's for a couple of nicely turned large handline spools. I bought 3 grand worth of mint condition reels, which he shook his head at. Having said that, I always wanted a nice collection of wooden reels and over the years, had only picked up about 8 in Sydney after many years of looking- they just don't 'surface' like up north and are often in antiquey-type shops with a ridiculous price tag on them.

We're always looking so one will turn up- he got an absolute bargain today from the tip shop- a Penn Inter 30TW on a full rollered custom built game rod virtually brand new for get this $30- I immediately offered him double for just the reel and he said yes, plus I can have the rod, so I'm extra glad I rang to enquire about the Alvey!

Regards Waza

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That's karma for you Waza, glad I could help haha.

As I said mate, I'm quite happy to pay good money for the right reel. So if he sees a nice one going for more than what he usually likes to pay, I'll make it worth his while.

I only have a small collection in my home office but all  centrepins and sidecasts in nice condition.

I recently moved house and in the moving process came across and old creel I hadn't seen in years. Opened it up to find an old 4 inch bakelite C series Alvey, a Steelite centrepin and sidecast, an old Alvey tackle box and a couple of oyster bottle poddy mullet traps. 

The mullet traps bought back good old memories, because as a kid I grew up on the banks of a coastal lake and it was one of my daily chores to keep them checked and baited before and after school.

Pete

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22 minutes ago, wazatherfisherman said:

 

The oyster bottles bring back memories for me too- haven't seen one for years, used to be fun getting poddies in them

Not trying to hijack the thread, I remember people used to wind Line around the Oysters Bottles and use them as a hand caster.

They were long and thin with a concave centre would hold line and cast well.

Yes “Younger People” people used to fish off the Beach, Jetty, Whalf  or wherever they could with only hand lines. .....  Now where’s the old Man Emoji.

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47 minutes ago, Blackfish said:

Not trying to hijack the thread, I remember people used to wind Line around the Oysters Bottles and use them as a hand caster.

They were long and thin with a concave centre would hold line and cast well.

Yes “Younger People” people used to fish off the Beach, Jetty, Whalf  or wherever they could with only hand lines. .....  Now where’s the old Man Emoji.

Yes we had a few oyster bottle hand lines in the basket too

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I'll get a photo of the bottles and post here tomorrow. 

Funny thing Mr Blackfish, I never noticed they were concave until you mentioned it and I checked.

At times I used to get poddys in old fluorescent light tubes as well. They weren't as good as the oyster bottles, but being white you didn't have to bait them.  

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on a side note, are these rare at all? i have one at home and have never gotten around to using it (have not seriously tried fishing for blackfish yet). 

 

On 12/3/2019 at 12:12 PM, Green Hornet said:

The Alvey 50 A53 I'm chasing has a spool diameter of 5 inches and a width of 1.25 inches.

Very similar to this reel (50 A5E) but with a cedar spool.

4X9A0692.jpg

 

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1 hour ago, SquidMarks said:

on a side note, are these rare at all? i have one at home and have never gotten around to using it (have not seriously tried fishing for blackfish yet). 

 

 

Hi SquidMarks the one in the picture hasn't been in production for a fair while but was a big seller for both Luderick and Bream fishers. In my opinion a better Bream reel is yet to be found

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7 hours ago, SquidMarks said:

on a side note, are these rare at all? i have one at home and have never gotten around to using it (have not seriously tried fishing for blackfish yet). 

 

 

You don't see too many hanging off rods these days, but I'd take a guess and say they're not rare, they're just sitting in sheds.

In the town I grew up and learnt to chase blackfish in 4 out of 5  guys owned them.

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looks like the 50 A5E is a keeper then for when i decide to dip my toes into the dark art of blackfishing (or bream fishing using the alvey!).

PS: Im a big fan of alveys, own (and use) a 700c5, 650a5, 650c5, 2 x 6500bcvrr, 600a, 550a5 and a 650grbc. (though i must admit, the grbc feels a bit like you are winding up an air raid siren, but once that inertia is overcome, the line starts laying on thick and fast!)

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17 hours ago, SquidMarks said:

looks like the 50 A5E is a keeper then for when i decide to dip my toes into the dark art of blackfishing (or bream fishing using the alvey!).

PS: Im a big fan of alveys, own (and use) a 700c5, 650a5, 650c5, 2 x 6500bcvrr, 600a, 550a5 and a 650grbc. (though i must admit, the grbc feels a bit like you are winding up an air raid siren, but once that inertia is overcome, the line starts laying on thick and fast!)

Very nice but we would love to see them :thumbup:

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  • 4 months later...
4 hours ago, mickpigg said:

Green hornet I might have the Alvey reel for you. It is within your descriptions. Is this what you are after. Hopefully you can see the photos attached.

FEF5D8CB-4BF8-46CD-8128-4A61E3D308BA.jpeg

6CC3567B-40C9-49AF-85A1-623B04FBDEDF.jpeg

If you had read through the entire thread you would know that is not the right reel!

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Hi mickpigg

Thanks for going to the trouble of taking photos and posting, but sorry, that is not the model I'm chasing.

Although the spool you have is the same diameter, the one I'm after is only 30mm wide. Similar to Alvey's modern day blackfish reels.

Thanks again
Pete

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thought I may have had one but finally checked today and it is a plastic spool not cedar..model looks like 50 AIE7

but yes is a very good luderick/bream reel which I use with my Butterworth 4144MT

Jim

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51 minutes ago, mickpigg said:

Thank you sorry it’s not the one your after. Could you relay some of your knowledge on the reel I have from my grandpa.

The information is in the numbers on the back!

Alvey Model 500/A3

If you want to take the time to read through this thread you might get to know & understand some of the Alvey history.

https://www.fishraider.com.au/topic/90241-show-us-your-alveys-aussie-to-the-bones-proud-of-it/?tab=comments#comment-666313

Edited by kingie chaser
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1 hour ago, mickpigg said:

Thank you sorry it’s not the one your after. Could you relay some of your knowledge on the reel I have from my grandpa.

Sure Mick. The "500" means its 5 inches diameter, the "A" means its a direct wind (no drag) and the "3" gives you a rough idea of the age and spool material (yours being Australian cedar). I'd take a stab at 50's or 60's.

Good for light beach and estuary fishing and being your Grandpa's you should keep and treasure it.

 

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thank you green hornet after discovering this reel from my grandpa I was intrigued about Alvey reels. I only recently started fishing mainly lures on light gear with my son. After deliberation I bought a 12” rod and 650 Alvey reel which I hope to enjoy after covid19. Thank you for your patience and time for this noobie 

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11 hours ago, mickpigg said:

thank you green hornet after discovering this reel from my grandpa I was intrigued about Alvey reels. I only recently started fishing mainly lures on light gear with my son. After deliberation I bought a 12” rod and 650 Alvey reel which I hope to enjoy after covid19. Thank you for your patience and time for this noobie 

 

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