Green handle and drag knob on 314

[SRBILL]

Hi, I have just acquired a Mitchell 314 with a green handle and a green drag knob. Can any one tell me if the green is pertinent or is it just something that they did occasionally for no particular reason. I am sure i would have found the answer on the old Mitchell reel museum. I hope it can be restored sometime soon. Many thanks

[piscesman]

The Green handle and knob was for the European distribution of those Mitchell reels. North America and south did not have the green. Hope this helps............
Kim

[toulady6]

Hello Mates,

Kim is spot on
Here the 314 Albatros

DSCN1047.JPG (631.63 KiB) Viewed 7528 times

regards

Dries

[Ted Lanham]

Dries,
I opened a post a couple weeks ago that I deleted because I wanted to get the serial number from a green handled ,green drag knob Mitchell 358 that a friend has. Would this this European connection also apply. I'm just curious, because all the 358s I seen didn't have the green drag knob. Could the green knob have been taken off a 314 and used on a 358. I still need to get the serial number from my friends 358.


Regards,
Ted Lanham

[toulady6]

Hi Ted,

I have the full range of Mitchell 358 reels and they only have a green handle knob
the 314 is the only one with a green drag knob

regards from the low land

Dries

[Ted Lanham]

Dries,
Well, it looks like someone took a 314 drag knob and put it on his 358. I assume it fits.
Dries thanks for the help.

Regards,
Ted Lanham

[piscesman]

Would the green be for the Prince 358 reel only since there are in essence a 308? Also are 304 and 358 drag knobs interchangeable? I would not think they are because of the spool sizes and shaft.

*****************NOTE NOTE***************

After checking Dennis Robert's Value collectors guide I came across this information. Page 20, about Green Handles & Drag Nuts. Starting in late 50's to 1970's select European Mitchells were fitted with green plastic handles and drag nuts. No one to his knowledge knew why. Seems to have been more prevalent in the Netherlands and made their way throughout Europe. SOME of these models were 308, 358, 314, 304, and 350. That certainly helps clear some things. By the way, I checked my reels and did locate a 358 and 350 with green handles. No green drag nut but may have been replaced. The 350 has the 3 star drag and "louis moreann" decal on the rotor. Any ideas who he was? Distributor? Thanks
Kim

[toulady6]

The Mitchell 358 is the speedy brother of the 308 and to emphasize this difference they used a green handle knob .
the same for the Mitchell 350 'Rapid"
The Mitchell 314 had also a green dragknob to mark the difference between 304 Cap and 314 Cap super .
Only used in France -Belgium (Arca) Germany (Balzer) Netherlands (Albatros)

Dries

[Ted Lanham]

Kim,
I have never owned a 314, so I checked the schematics. It looks like part 81158 will work on 300s,308s,314s, so my buddy may have a 314 drag knob on his 358. I'll see if I can get a pic of it.

Ted Lanham

[cshannon772]

Hi Mates,

Kim and Dries are exactly correct. In addition to the aforementioned, the M34's and Prisu4 (European Distro Mitchell 340) also had green handles - as well as green bodies!

M Series 340.jpg (143.88 KiB) Viewed 7316 times

Strangely, the early 314/315s were all black handles/drag knobs and then the European Distro reels shifted to green, then the last of all of them were all black again. I don't have enough information or reels to determine when those periods occurred - Yet!
The green 314 drag knob will work on the 300/350 but the entire spool is not interchangeable as the 314 spool is of a larger diameter.
Dries, a very nice Mitchell 314 Albatros....My compliments on a beautiful find!

Kind Regards,
Chris