Just a quick question - can a RHW Perfect be quickly converted to LHW? It's a more recent model with the silver reel foot. I suspect not, as these were made both in RHW & LHW - but there may be a DIY solution?

I doubt it. Is the agate line guard not a fixed item.
Tight Lines

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"The Future's Bright The Future's Wet Fly"

Not easily, the left hand wind versions need a locking screw to stop the winding plate unscrewing.

I suppose if you don't have an agate. You could bend the spring, and flip the pawl over to get the balance between pay and retrieve right and then Loctite the spool on, but it would be a horrible bodge.

Tim.

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www.harrisflyrods.co.uk

Thanks - i'll live with the RHW. It doesn't have a line guard, but i don't wan't to bodge it.

A Perfect without a line guard, one learns something every day.
Tight Lines

__________________
"The Future's Bright The Future's Wet Fly"

If it hasn't got a fixed line guard then there's no problem; just activate the other (duplicated) click/pawl.

If you still aren't sure then I've got a factory LHW fixed agate line guard model; I'll photograph the internal set-up for you.


PiB

Thank you PiB. I haven't yet received the reel, so if it has the dual pawl then there should be no problem. I assume the internals will be pretty similar to the Bougle. The reason I asked is that I looked up some old ads in T&S which advertised both LHW and RHW perfects - probably the last mass-produced incarnation of this reel (early 90s, without line guard).

Dunbar; -the short answer is 'no'.

The model you have, which I would think has an aluminium alloy reel seat, is one of the later models, which aren't a patch on the others, the ones with ribbed, darkened-brass reel seats, so don't pay too big a price...
Duplicated check was fitted almost as standard, but the design is different in the later models.

The reason that they cannot be converted, is that the thread which holds all three parts of the reel together, is either left-or right hand, according to model. This is so that, when the reel is under load, the thread tightens up.
...You need not be told, what would happen should the reel be fitted to the rod on the 'wrong' side...

I have seen a photo of a repair job done to a damaged 'Perfect', where a handle was fitted direct to the spool, thus converting it, but I would not recommend you do it to an un-damaged one.

Incidently; not all 'Perfects' were made, or fitted with line guards as standard, and they were certainly not all made from agate. Many models throughout its' history, were either non-fitted, or had the guard liner made from hardened stainless-not nickel-silver, as is often mis-quoted. It was the guard mount, like the tension adjuster, which was nickel plated.
Also, be careful if you want to replace, or fit a guard where one does not currently exist. The drum width on the later model was wider than the earlier ones of the same diameter, so guards are not interchangeable. The reel would also have to be set in a specialist fixture, in order to counterbore out the recess for the guard ring..

This picture illustrates the difference between old and new, left and right respectively. The middle reel is a pre-war 'Perfect' copy by Heaton.




Chough

Thanks for your comments Chough, i'm aware that this is not one of the more sought-after earlier ones with brass foot, and the price reflected that. Some lovely examples there, particularly the pre-war. A 'bodge' or modification is out of the question, it will be put to good use, albeit on the 'wrong' side of my rods!

The photo is of my 3 5/8" LHW Perfect - note the tension adjust wheel is in the same place as RHW models.
'Highlander' will be pleased it has a red agate line guide...

I wasn't aware that the faceplate/spool thread on the LHW was reversed.
I'll check when I get a chance.



Standard RHW stripped-down:

Image from link given by 'timmy' in post #11