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Stillwater the Severn centrepin

Graham Elliott

Graham Elliott

Senior Member & Supporter
Can anyone tell me the difference between this reel at £50 and a Okuma Sheffield at three times as much and more.

Thanks
 
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Superficially, they look similar, but there are differences. The Stillwater has a significantly more open back, spool rim in-chamfered, different handles, screw heads etc).

After that, it might come down to differences you can't see in pictures. Metals used, tolerances, bearings, QC etc. However, it's possible that these differences are non-existent or negligible. You won't know until you deconstruct them.

The price differential might suggest that there should be differences, but there may just be a huge profit margin in one and not the other. The lack of middleman with the Stillwater is always going to make it cheaper even if it were exactly the same as the Okuma. It lacks a whole layer of distribution that wants its' percentage. Not being an established and recognisable brand name will also affect the price.

Ultimately, you pay your money and take your choice, but to assume something is exactly the same, based on looks alone, can be a red herring. There's almost no chance that it'll only be a third as good as the Okuma though.
 
The Severn is slightly bigger and looks the same as a Trinium reel that was dark blue made about 6 years ago.(I think it was sold by badger).I have both a Sheffield and a trinium and they are very similar the trinium was a low priced very good reel for the money.One thing you do find on these cheaper reels is that some are a lot better than others and it pays to look through a batch and pick the best if you can
 
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At first look The Severn looks like a Marco Cortese made to look like a sheffield to me. The differences Chris points out make it look that way to me.
 
I've been told that the TFG pins, Classic and Freeflow, are made in the same factory as the Okumas.
They seem to be just as well made, more practical and a lot lighter.
Unfortunately the Freeflow is no longer in production, in my opinion it's the best available at any price.
There's a replacement in the pipeline apparently.
Sheffield 280 grams
Classic 202 grams
Freeflow 220 grams

There's not that many reel factories in China so the Severn reel may well be made in the same one as the Okumas too.
 
I agree with Paul, TFG pins are well made. My first pin was the Classic. I liked this reel as it needed only a tiny tap to get it turning. Then i bought a Sheffield another nice reel, put together well and ran smoothly straight out of the box but was heavier than the Classic. Next, i bought a Marco Cortese MK2 pin. The black one with red highlights on the rear cutouts. After washing out the grease from the bearing and some light oiling it ran as smooth as the other pins in my now growing collection. The last pin i bought was the TFG freeflow. Same as the Sheffield this ran smoothly straight out of the box and is noticeably lighter. I put this down to the amount they have cut away from the not necessary alloy. After a bit of research i have found out this pin comes standard with ABEC 7 bearings. Whilst the Classic comes with ABEC 5 bearings. From my little collection, the Freeflow and the Cortese are the only pin i use more regularly with the others just gathering dust in my man cave.
If you see a Freeflow on sale grab it, you will not be disappointed.

You ask is there any difference between a £50 pin and one costing 3 times as much. Well yes and no. Some of cheaper ones didn't have the same quality control as the do now so it was a bit hit and miss. Now it seems they have got their act a lot better. The Marco only cost me £25 delivered and is my second most used pin. The Sheffield i find no better or worse. But if i lost it ,i wouldn't replace it with the same, where the Freeflow and Marco i would.
 
Iain Tutt said:
I agree with Paul, TFG pins are well made. My first pin was the Classic. I liked this reel as it needed only a tiny tap to get it turning. Then i bought a Sheffield another nice reel, put together well and ran smoothly straight out of the box but was heavier than the Classic. Next, i bought a Marco Cortese MK2 pin. The black one with red highlights on the rear cutouts. After washing out the grease from the bearing and some light oiling it ran as smooth as the other pins in my now growing collection. The last pin i bought was the TFG freeflow. Same as the Sheffield this ran smoothly straight out of the box and is noticeably lighter. I put this down to the amount they have cut away from the not necessary alloy. After a bit of research i have found out this pin comes standard with ABEC 7 bearings. Whilst the Classic comes with ABEC 5 bearings. From my little collection, the Freeflow and the Cortese are the only pin i use more regularly with the others just gathering dust in my man cave.
If you see a Freeflow on sale grab it, you will not be disappointed.

You ask is there any difference between a £50 pin and one costing 3 times as much. Well yes and no. Some of cheaper ones didn't have the same quality control as the do now so it was a bit hit and miss. Now it seems they have got their act a lot better. The Marco only cost me £25 delivered and is my second most used pin. The Sheffield i find no better or worse. But if i lost it ,i wouldn't replace it with the same, where the Freeflow and Marco i would.
Click to expand...
£40 from Chapmans Angling !!
 
Hi Trevor.
Yes. I thought I had changed the 50 to 40.
As I said they look like a Sheffield. And it seems the spec is v similar.
If I didn't have my rarely used Raven....
 
I mentioned in an earlier post that the TFG pins were lighter and more practical than the Okumas. The reason I say that is that on the TFG pins the ratchet can be applied or not with the rod hand only. Not possible on the Okumas, it might seem a small thing but really annoyed me when I was using the Sheffield and Aventa.
Another big plus with the Freeflow is that it has a really strong ratchet, better for hooking Barbel ledgering and less liable to unwind when moving.
Spoke to Fishtec this afternoon and they confirmed that a replacement for the Freeflow is due out in April and it will also have the Abec 7 bearings. Can't wait, still using the Aventa for ledgering, still got the Sheffield on the Salmon shrimping rod, hmmm.....
I was mistakenly told that they had 3 Freeflows in stock, rapid calculations going through the head until the mistake was revealed, LOL.
 
Paul Collins said:
I mentioned in an earlier post that the TFG pins were lighter and more practical than the Okumas. The reason I say that is that on the TFG pins the ratchet can be applied or not with the rod hand only. Not possible on the Okumas, it might seem a small thing but really annoyed me when I was using the Sheffield and Aventa.
Another big plus with the Freeflow is that it has a really strong ratchet, better for hooking Barbel ledgering and less liable to unwind when moving.
Spoke to Fishtec this afternoon and they confirmed that a replacement for the Freeflow is due out in April and it will also have the Abec 7 bearings. Can't wait, still using the Aventa for ledgering, still got the Sheffield on the Salmon shrimping rod, hmmm.....
I was mistakenly told that they had 3 Freeflows in stock, rapid calculations going through the head until the mistake was revealed, LOL.
Click to expand...

I wonder if they’ll be as good value as the freeflow. Probably not I’m guessing
 
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