# Silver Calcutta



## bragwell (Apr 15, 2010)

I was thinking about taking my old silver Calcutta and getting it supertuned. Would this be wise? It works fine, but I'd like to give it some new life.

Any thoughts or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.


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## george.maness86 (May 29, 2012)

It would be worth it.


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## Zimbass (Oct 3, 2012)

Worthwhile to upgrade any reel to give it better performance and that feel good feeling.

Don't go overboard though. ABEC 5 bearings, drag washers and a good clean is all it would need.


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## Dipsay (Apr 28, 2006)

Zimbass said:


> Worthwhile to upgrade any reel to give it better performance and that feel good feeling.
> 
> Don't go overboard though. ABEC 5 bearings, drag washers and a good clean is all it would need.


 I agree totally. No need to put the ABEC#7's in there. IMO the difference between the two are nominal except for the price. 7's run alot more. Not to mention after tuning a reel and putting the ABEC#5 ceramics in there, you'll be able to cast a country mile...Dip


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## patwilson (Jan 13, 2006)

I totally agree with this.. Well said!



Zimbass said:


> Worthwhile to upgrade any reel to give it better performance and that feel good feeling.
> 
> Don't go overboard though. ABEC 5 bearings, drag washers and a good clean is all it would need.





Dipsay said:


> I agree totally. No need to put the ABEC#7's in there. IMO the difference between the two are nominal except for the price. 7's run alot more. Not to mention after tuning a reel and putting the ABEC#5 ceramics in there, you'll be able to cast a country mile...Dip


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## TAMUGfisher12 (Mar 31, 2009)

Where would you take a reel to get this done to it? 
sent from my galaxy s3


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## ATE_UP_FISHERMAN (Jun 25, 2004)

Go with the Teflon washers too. Very smooth.


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## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Teflon washers? A drag needs to be smooth but at what point to reach diminishing returns? A drag is there to apply force by friction to slow the fish down. I just can't picture teflon being a good drag material. 

In my honest opinion I think the stock washer is fine. They are cheap and easy to service. It generates more than enough drag force for the reel capability.


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## trout250 (Aug 24, 2005)

tam mike in friendswood is close to you although i think he has moved , but he is a member on here, Dipsay will treat you right also


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## patwilson (Jan 13, 2006)

I agree with this also. I received two reels that had Teflon drags in them and the owner couldn't figure out why they didn't work correctly...sad3sm



Bantam1 said:


> Teflon washers? A drag needs to be smooth but at what point to reach diminishing returns? A drag is there to apply force by friction to slow the fish down. I just can't picture teflon being a good drag material.
> 
> In my honest opinion I think the stock washer is fine. They are cheap and easy to service. It generates more than enough drag force for the reel capability.


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## george.maness86 (May 29, 2012)

I'm in alvin


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## bragwell (Apr 15, 2010)

george.maness86 said:


> I'm in alvin


I got your pm. Just waiting on my paycheck, then I'd like to go ahead and get it sent to you. Thanks for the advice everyone.


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## MattK (Feb 9, 2006)

Bantam1 said:


> Teflon washers? A drag needs to be smooth but at what point to reach diminishing returns? A drag is there to apply force by friction to slow the fish down. I just can't picture teflon being a good drag material.
> 
> In my honest opinion I think the stock washer is fine. They are cheap and easy to service. It generates more than enough drag force for the reel capability.


I agree with ya there. Actually for Shimano's the drag washer I prefer to upgrade to is the hard Dartanium washer that came in the Ch50Mg's and some of the larger conventional reels. I've actually turned down some of those larger washers from Toriums and Trinidads on the lathe to re-size them for other reels lol.

Now, I don't think they make a size that fits the drive gear on the CT200 but for the older Cuardos, Chronarchs, Citicas, etc that use the 6.2:1 BNT1325 Drive gear I feel that the hard Dartanium is better than CarbonTex or really any other drag washer. With the stock white canvas "titanium" washer that came in the older reels there is an initial jerk when the fish starts pulling drag. With the Dartanium washer there is no jerk... it is butter smooth from beginning to end. Just my opinion.

Oh and BTW, Danny at FTU told me the origin of naming those washers Dartanium lol. Don't know if it's true but funny story either way.


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## bragwell (Apr 15, 2010)

MattK said:


> I agree with ya there. Actually for Shimano's the drag washer I prefer to upgrade to is the hard Dartanium washer that came in the Ch50Mg's and some of the larger conventional reels. I've actually turned down some of those larger washers from Toriums and Trinidads on the lathe to re-size them for other reels lol.
> 
> Now, I don't think they make a size that fits the drive gear on the CT200 but for the older Cuardos, Chronarchs, Citicas, etc that use the 6.2:1 BNT1325 Drive gear I feel that the hard Dartanium is better than CarbonTex or really any other drag washer. With the stock white canvas "titanium" washer that came in the older reels there is an initial jerk when the fish starts pulling drag. With the Dartanium washer there is no jerk... it is butter smooth from beginning to end. Just my opinion.
> 
> Oh and BTW, Danny at FTU told me the origin of naming those washers Dartanium lol. Don't know if it's true but funny story either way.


This is really the only problem I've had with this model, that initial jerk on the drag is bothersome.


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## MattK (Feb 9, 2006)

Polishing the drive gear, key washer, and ratchet will eliminate this issue if you decide to use the stock drag washer. The other alternative is upgrading the washer to a dartanium one. They have a size in the soft dartanium that will fit but there are other advantages to super tuning like casting performance yada yada yada.


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## george.maness86 (May 29, 2012)

I can't stand the factory drag on the bait casters. Every one of mine is swapped to the carbon tex and every reel I have serviced the customer has at least wanted the carbon tex. there is no shock loading "pulsing" with carbontex. They are smooth the whole way.


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## MattK (Feb 9, 2006)

MattK said:


> The other alternative is upgrading the washer to a dartanium one.


I guess I should have included the CarbonTex as an alternative also. I use them, we sell them, they are also a quality alternative. I just like to use the hard dartanium washer in the old Curados and Chronarchs but for other reels that have different size drag washers CarbonTex is a great way to go


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## trout250 (Aug 24, 2005)

trouble that we have had with the teflon washers is if any oil or grease gets on it you don't have any drag unless you really crank the star down tight, easier to just change out to the dartaium washers for the older curados, cost is problem here as you can almost get 2 sets of the smoothie carbontex for what 1 of the dartanium washers cost.

Good luck


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## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Matt-

We had a guy working here named Kevin Dart. Dartanium was named after him. It was a joke in a meeting when they were trying to come up with names. It ended up sticking, unlike the drag. 

The hard Dartanium is good but it doesn't like to get wet. Carbontex or whatever the slang name is for it, has several different grades of material. The really good stuff is expensive. This is what we use in the Tiagra, Trinidad A and some other models. Most of the aftermarket are just ok. They work in a low profile because they do not see the heat that an offshore reel will see. 

There are some slip issues on hard hook sets with this material with smaller washers. This is why we never went to it for a stock washer material on the smaller reels. I know some have never experienced it. We had found it while doing durability testing and in some field tests. Usually the only guys that will notice it are bass anglers fishing heavy grass or similar cover with heavy braided line.


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## MattK (Feb 9, 2006)

Bantam1 said:


> Matt-
> 
> We had a guy working here named Kevin Dart. Dartanium was named after him. It was a joke in a meeting when they were trying to come up with names. It ended up sticking, unlike the drag.


Ba Da Ba Chshhhh!

lol


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## Drundel (Feb 6, 2006)

Bantam1 said:


> The hard Dartanium is good but it doesn't like to get wet. Carbontex or whatever the slang name is for it, has several different grades of material. The really good stuff is expensive. This is what we use in the Tiagra, Trinidad A and some other models. Most of the aftermarket are just ok. They work in a low profile because they do not see the heat that an offshore reel will see.


Curios from the engineering stand point, what's the material or difference in the higher end ones?


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## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

The hard Dartanium is essentially a compressed carbon washer. The material we use in the Tiagra is a cross carbon type washer, similar to "Carbontex". The difference is the grade of carbon we use.


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