MITCHELL SKISH REEL

This is a article about a masterpiece created by a French " mind" in the 70's.

Casting is still a populair sport, and new reels are used today, but compared with the older reels they are not of the high level as we have seen them in the late 60's and 70's.

Mitchell made, during that period, the best reels ever produced worldwide.

Here is a article about a "Master-reel" created in FRANCE and in my opinion, the best reel ever made.

It is a work of ART,  and if you see the pictures I think you will agree, never seen such high quality in a spinning reel.

This reel is based on the Mitchell 300, but with a extra gear to rotate "clock-wise" as we look at the reel from the front.

Picture of the reel , good to see the extra gear just above the Mitchell logo, this reel  has no number, just Mitchell engraved on the coverplate, the housing is standard Mitchell 300, Rotor 301 and a 301 Bail set-up.

When we open the reel we see the gearing, it is a "hybride" gearing 300/350, the maingear is put together from two parts that were used in a 300 maingear and a 350 maingear, this gearing is only found in TOURNAMENT reels.

Than we have the extra gear that sits between the maingear and the piniongear, there is just space enough for this little gearing, because they used a Mitchell 350 Coverplate and a the biggest gear,  of the maingear was from a  Mitchell 300, the space that was created that way made it possible to add a extra gear, so the reel could rotoate the other way. I think this was the result of a lot of thinking, but it worked out  fine.

See picture below for the possition of the extra gear.

This extra gear is made of Bronze, and in the picture you can also see the "anti reverse" dog placed in position, but this anti reverse part is also " customised" by Mitchell, a normal 350 anti reverse dog will not fit because of the special anti reverse handle pawl they added to this reel, so they made a small modification to this part also. I studied the part and all the work is "hand" done, to fit in the best way.

Here a picture of the anti reverse dog.

And here a picture of the anti reverse pawl on the inside, good to see the grinding that is done to make things fit 100%, with the anti reverse dog.

For people who think this is ADACADABRA  for me, the best is still to come.

The drive train for the spool, it is MAGIC, this drive train is also found in the Wedding cake Tournament reels Mitchell made, but those reels all have a long axle and this reel has a short one.

Mitchell made also a reel like this with the extra gear but those have a normal Mitchell 300 axle/ slide set up, that reel is  rated as very rare, but I think this version is the best they ever made.

Here it is in all it glory, made of bronze, steel screws, and a special shaped  " pivot gear " for the axle, I think here we can say,  this is high quality craftsmanship, this is a miracle , and I wish I could meet the man who invented this, and I think I could talk for hours with him.

In my opinion so creative,  and so durable made, this reels could last a liftime.

Here the special " pivot gear "  made of Bronze, fitted with  steel screws I think the part is totally custom made,  to fit this reels, when we cranck the reel the hartshape bronze part will slide amongst steel pins screwed in the axle, those two steel pins have a very precise position to make the motion so smooth, better than the normal Mitchell 300 slide, I wish they had fitted it in all their reels. In the gear is also added a bronze bushing for smooth action.

This is a spinning reel with a "HEART" , and if you are a Mitchell lover your heart will beat faster when you see the shape of this "pivot gear " from the other side.

Last things I want  to show are the SLIDE totally made of BRONZE and the axle, those parts are also custom made, the axle has two small screws  for guiding the heartshaped " pivot gear ".

For me this is the best reel Mitchell ever made, I know it was "custom" made in the MITCHELL  factory in France, for a Swedish Tournament Caster, but the parts and the design is so outstanding,

This reel has two more special "custom " modifications, I do not want to reveal them here, but if you are a Mitchell lover and want to discuss this reel with me feel free to email me through the "CONTACT" button.

Maybe my heart carried me all through this article and my mind did what the heart wanted, please understand, I LOVE THOSE MITCHELL REELS.

Jan Haanstra    "CONTACT"