Shimano Calcutta Reels

[numbskull]

For nearly twenty years I quit on spinning tackle and fished conventional. Even now I don't think I could cast a squidder without opening it and using high viscosity oil to slow it. This is another reason to work on your Calcuttas.....changing the oil viscosity on your bearings is a big part of using conventional reels.

[Water Treater]

More good advice! Thanks. My friend in Connecticut/Rhode Island and a long standing member of this website told me to use 3-in1 oil, not the red can but the blue can, which is 20 weight oil, I think. I did that and it seemed to work fine, but I didn't know the reason why he suggested this particular oil. Now I know why. It's a little heavier than some oils and makes the Squidder reels better behaved.

I'm comfortable taking apart a Squidder reel but not (yet) a Shimano reel. I've only ben fishing conventional reels for the past 3 seasons and I think they're great. I don't know why I stuck with spinning tackle for the previous two decades. I much prefer conventional rods, too. Never too late to learn, I guess. Thanks again for your advice and encouragement.

[numbskull]

There ain't much inside a calcutta 400A or B.
This link gives you an idea (although I disagree with the need to change the washers, he uses WAY too much drag grease on the washers he puts in....t the regular ones only need a very thin film....and the corrosion block in the bearings seems strange to me.....I use rocket fuel yellow (or red in the TEs used with big plugs). Of course the guy fixes reels for a living so maybe I'm wack instead.

calcutta 400a

There are also links for the TE although that reel is a bitch to get all the way down. ReelSchematic - Shimano Calcutta TE Maintenance

[5/0]

I have a 700 that I have used hard for ten years fishing the canal and some back beach's,this is the first year Im sending it back for a serious cleaning and some repair(my own fault)
but great reels.