Good to see Wallace back again missed your knowledge, hope you are well, regards Allan

Martin, As a UK reel restorer I have had similar issues with the clicker on the 300S, I ended up with a large collection of spools half of which had intact clickers, I binned a few plastic shallow spools once I had removed the line, cracks were found, even had one buyer of a 300S exchanged the click...

Hi, I am a UK mitchell reel restorer. My wife ordered the new Mitchell book as a birthday present, I am looking forward to receiving it, do not be put off, if like me you are in the UK. I for years relied on the museum site for information until it was trashed, Wallace Carney`s book helped fill the ...

Hi Sorry no photo`s, was pretty certain it was the end for the head, so went ahead as there was nothing to lose, thought after a few pictures would have helped. Allan

HI, I have restored several thousand reels and today tried and learnt something new. I recently purchase a 440A as spares repair which looked fairly unused, after many hours trying different things it still sounded like a cement mixer no matter what I did, reluctantly I decided it was the worn and d...

Hi All,

I never left and always hoped the MRM come back to life and return some day, thanks for the past work and good luck for the rebirth of a Mitchell icon, Allan

Hi, the 330 and 300 are different reel sizes although they look the same, the 330 has a different length front spindle ie longer where the spool is fitted, this requires a longer spindle what the spool attaches to, its the same for the 440a the spindle you have to use is stamped OTO, you can fit a 3...

Hi, The 300 is the easiest, the 410 has different gears in the same order plus two bearings and are fairly straight forward, the match and 440a and all the auto bails a little more complex around the bail trip area, I find the 300s tricky, took a while to get the hang of them, the half bail is a fid...

Hi, I moved on from the 300 a few years ago for carp fishing to the 400 Roller bearing, which takes some beating for modern fishing almost the same as the 300 Pro except for the handle, it comes with a silent AR that can easily be changed for the clicker type AR if that's your preference, high speed...

Hi, I have seen the pyramid indent on many heads, but not for years, of course to make it a first version it can not have a red undercoat and must have the alum gear, also other signs in the head, the first version study is a good starting point, for this fascinating reel, Allan

Hi All, When I am repairing, restoring or servicing an old fifties reel, I think to myself I was a baby when this was made or being used, if its pre fifties I was not born, sixties a teenager, a strange feeling some times when I identity a year that means something to me. I have always loved the Mit...

I have to question the difference in the counterweight pictures between yours and the one from Wallace's study. I see a screw in yours. Far from being anywhere beyond a novice, but feel I have to ask. Still a beautiful find. Wayne Hi all, Whilst i agree with all the comments I have had many 2nd ver...

Hello, Just a few photos to show the differences between the latest version of the 300A (1988) and the 300 Made in Taiwan. The mechanisms are a little different, some less thick on Taiwan. Note a foundry marking (CY on the body) on the Taiwan, FL on the 300A. Best regards, CL 300A TAIWAN .jpg 300A ...

Hi, thanks for posting the pictures, I have had many 2nd versions and many 1st version heads some bodies, normally referred to as using up old stock or transition reels, nice to see the real thing, never seen a complete and real 1st version on eBay in the UK in my time of restoring 11 years, I have ...

Hi All, As a UK angler in the early 1970s to three years ago, I used three Sportex rods with three Mitchell 300 reels, I never really had a issue with the set up catching big carp until three years ago the sportex rods were bending double and it was hard to control double figure carp, I changed over...

Hi Ted,
I have used Jeff for years, you will get his contact email details off eBay under seller information, you will get a
better deal that way, Allan

Hi, I always found schematics gave me a a idea how and where the pats fit in relationship to other parts which helped visually, unfortunately some moron wrecked this site that held schematics and other helpful things, try googling for a schematic for your reel, hope this helps.

Hi, I use three 300 reels and the anti reverse (AR) clicking not only irritated me but also other fisherman close by, modern reels more often than not are silent, not everyone finds the AR clicking noise pleasant. I changed to three 400 roller bearing reels as they have a silent AR as standard so do...

It is easy to understand if the reel is plated or solid gold, I use tools such as portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometers every day. I have also been able to observe the variations in the type of aluminum used in the first 300 versions, we can easily distinguish the fakes from the originals . I b...

Hi, As each month goes by it seems less likely the museum will be returned to its former glory, as a restorer I used it for many years practically daily and miss its schematics and model pages for the unique information it contained, it has of course been more difficult to restore reels to there ori...

Thanks, that helps Allan

I recently purchased two 810 reels, the 1980 had a red gasket the other no readable serial number or gasket, the one that had no gasket run well the one with the gasket sounds awful, so I took it out and it runs much better, been trying to find a schematic, very hard since the museum site got trashe...

Hi, memories are personnel and can be made with any reel, the same as yours was with the CAP 304, Mitchell have made many small reels for small hands, my youngest son 44 memory reel is a 300 with a high speed round red logo handle, when I taught him to fish I had a 300 and a match reel, he had mixed...

Mates, This bail "snipping" thing has been my mind this weekend. I understand these reels being created for just displays, but it seems another method of display could have accommodated not doing that. Maybe, it's just an obsession of mine. I get over it. It's just a fishing reel, just a ...

Now you mention it Ted
I can see what you mean, the silver reel looks the same, I do hope the bail is complete and goes in the backing on both reels, Allan

SHIMS, does anyone know about shims, some seems to be copper, some brass. I have a new Mitchell green printed packs 81012 which has brass shims, and some red printed packs 81012 that are copper shims, the red seem to be the more common packs, the less common brass, I have accumulated a mixture of us...

Hi, I was up to the early hours trying to resolve the bearing issue, the screw was not obvious before I cleaned the area now its clear (Senior Moment), thanks for all your help now I am able to dismantle the 308 service and clean one, once again the site proved to be a valuable source of information...

Thanks for the replies, I got as far as removing the pinion gear which let me take out the main gear, the two bearing race`s and balls all came out as well, the remaining bearing assembly logically would need to come out to reassemble the two race`s and ball bearings and pinion gear, I cant see a sc...

Hi all, I have seen a seller in France has bearings listed on ebay for the 308, and I have a main gear, what I can not see is how to get them out, of the body, help anyone, Allan

Wallace, I have followed your site for ten years and have your book and as stated before used it, for the same period as identification of the reels I restore, part numbers and pictures to keep the reels I acquire close to as possible when they are completed. All the information I see and use, is to...

I did try a home chrome kit for bail arms a complete failure I sent it back for a refund. I have had lots of motorbike parts re-chromed which was an expensive job, bail arms or parts would have to be acid dipped to clean, polished and then nickel plated, threaded holes blocked and then chromed, I of...

UK site user and fan. For ten years since I retired I have been restoring and repairing mainly Mitchell egg shaped reels. I have the book that goes more in depth on the 300 so using the book and the site has been a valuable reference point, I use it almost daily to get a reel as close to original as...

Hi, I find a lot of Mitchell reels (all models) I get have a bent bail arm, an easy check is to remove the screw from the small end easy to do and try the bail arm if it works gentle bending to shape, if that does not work you have to dismantle the trip mech check and clean debris both sides includi...