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Cardinal Problem

Dan Birkett

Dan Birkett

Senior Member
Help!

Had my Abu Cardinal 54’s serviced in the closed season, everything was going so well, bail arm springing shut, drag smooth as ever.... until I hooked a fish. I was fishing tight to some snags so once I got the 4 foot twitch I clamped the spool to stop the fish bolting into the snag, once turned, the fish was played on the drag in open water and this is when the problem started. When playing the fish I could turn the bail arm to retrieve line, I’d turn the handle but the bail arm wouldn’t move, this only occurred when the reel/rod was under some tension, I ended up having to lift the rod and then wind in the excess line when the tension was decreased. It seems to me that the handle spindle that runs through the centre of the reel is not engaging with gears inside and just slipping when under load – the spindle is circular and has been greased! Anyone got any knowledge of this or suggestions to the problem?
 
chuck it in the bin and get a shimano....
sorry,
best to get it looked at again, it's clearly not right, send it back!
 
Then you had a bad shimano Dan, I have a couple of very good 54s and 55s but would not put them anywhere near shimanos, even the cheaper shimanos on quality or clutch performance...........
 
We shall see how the Shimano is doing in 30 years Crooky shall we. :)

I would say somethings not been put back right Dan.
 
Tony,

I don't buy them to last 30 years, I buy them for how well they operate, considering changing the 5000 XTEAs for a pair of 4000d reels now as they are even better. I also have old Cardinals, old pins, etc...I also have an old MG but I would choose my air conditioned BMW anyday if making a long journey........Cardinals, pins, "Two Canes" are for people stuck in the past in my opinion, nothing more, you guys probably have pre-transistor radios and crossply tyres too..........:p :rolleyes:
 
Silly boy Crooky, its now to do with being stuck in the past, its about enjoying what you do and I am sure you enjoy what you do just as much as I do.

Why do you have an old MG then? I bet its because you like it, yes?

Tackle dont catch fish, anglers do. All tackle catches is anglers.
 
Dan,

To be more helpful, you will probably find that the hexagon inside the handle has rounded.

The main gear has a shaft protruding from it with heagonal sections at the ends where the handle fits (either left or right hand side) the round pin then goes through the middle into the handle and tightens it all up, it is however very common that the handle, which is a fairly soft casting wears and the hexagan goes round.

You will need a new handle, which you can get here:

http://jimsreelshop.co.uk/shop/arti...al-54-Handle.html?shop_param=cid=7&aid=11443&
 
I've got several old Shimano baitrunners still going strong, I've also got a couple of early shimano match reels (ex3000) which are fine other than the bail arm springs are broken and I've not got round to making new ones but despite being fine reels in their day I'll carry on using the newer replacements because they are easier to use, smoother, lighter and just a better tool.....Which is what my rods and reels are to me, tools for catching fish.

Having said that if you want to use cardinals you carry on, mine were knackered and one of the spools had collapsed but someone with rose tinted glasses and a longing for the past bid them up to a silly price on ebay two years ago and left me great feedback.....Bless him...and all the other romantics who keep the price of this old junk sky high.

I've got a Mitchell 300 with a match head on it if anyone's interested.....with the one touch bail arm it's a great trotting reel and with the lower gearing of the 300 it will cope with those specimen barbel no problem. offers by pm please.
 
Try the Anglers Workshop on 01782 561515, he used to sort my Cardinals out or the Tackle Box in Kent.

I have a pair of mint 54's, sold all my 55's, i only ever use them for fishing for silvers or trotting on the river.
 
I do like all this talk of people stuck in the past....... I’m 35!! My glasses ain’t rose tinted yet and when the cardinals first were produced I was 4 years old....... as I said earlier I think (in my own humble opinion) that the clutches are better on the 54’s than on shimanos and they suit my style of fishing down to the ground, each to their own and all that!

Thanks for the links, pointers and contacts, I will have a good look at the reel tonight
 
Dan Birkett said:
I do like all this talk of people stuck in the past....... I’m 35!! My glasses ain’t rose tinted yet and when the cardinals first were produced I was 4 years old....... as I said earlier I think (in my own humble opinion) that the clutches are better on the 54’s than on shimanos and they suit my style of fishing down to the ground, each to their own and all that!

Thanks for the links, pointers and contacts, I will have a good look at the reel tonight
Click to expand...

Yeah but you do live int Bradford! :D

I am sure i have got one of those somewhere Dan - along with a couple of Mitchell Match - to be honest they were my dad's but i can't say they have been used for 15 to 20 years...i'll ask my mum if she has still got the gear - if we have you can have whatever you need from it/them. I'll PM you.
 
Dan Birkett said:
the clutches are better on the 54’s than on shimanos
Click to expand...

Surely that depends on which Shimanos you are comparing them to?:confused: Cardinals are nice enough, proven but long in the tooth. I'd not contemplate swapping a mint unused Cardinal for a 4000D.;)
 
I have used a variety of Shimanos (GTE-5000B, 5000 XTEA, various other cheaper models) and also have a couple of Cardinal 54s and a 55.

If it weren't for the baitrunner facility, I'd be more than happy using a 54 over any of the Shimanos - the clutch is better than any of them, except possibly the XTEA. Modern reels are nice enough, but they're not necessarily better than older reels.

Anyway, more importantly Dan, where did you send them in the first place? (so we can avoid having our reels trashed!)

R.
 
that's because cardinals of that era were made in Sweden where they know a thing or 2 about fishing.
 
Robin Bowes said:
Anyway, more importantly Dan, where did you send them in the first place? (so we can avoid having our reels trashed!)

R.
Click to expand...

Hi Robin,

For the money, the XTEA is not all its cracked up to be – its ok in a flood on a bigger river – plenty of cranking power, but too heavy for stalking on smaller streams hence why I like the 54’s!

I sent them to Steve Bouncy (?) he’s done a sterling job to be fair, I sent them to him as I have a trudex (sits back and awaits further abuse!!! ;-) ) too that needed servcing and he’s done a cracking job on that, it spins forever now 

David, spot on things used to be built to last, not any longer I’m afraid....... I have a 5000 GTE-C too thats only a few years old and has minimal abuse and that is in a not too brilliant state anymore....

At the end of the day it comes down to personnel preference, I can honestly say that the cardinals have never cost me a fish due to the drag not kicking in or snatching
 
Chris Bracey said:
Yeah but you do live int Bradford! :D

I am sure i have got one of those somewhere Dan - along with a couple of Mitchell Match - to be honest they were my dad's but i can't say they have been used for 15 to 20 years...i'll ask my mum if she has still got the gear - if we have you can have whatever you need from it/them. I'll PM you.
Click to expand...

cheers Chris!
 
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