IMHO, they're ugly. Virtually everyone here has a woody on for Hardy Perfects. I've tried my darndest to warm up to them and fail to see the appeal.
I'll take an S-handled reel such as a Bogdan, a Robichaud, a Peerless or similar such reel any day over a Perfect. What am I missing?
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What am I missing regarding Perfects?
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 bamb00zler |
What am I missing regarding Perfects? |
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Posts: 32 03/06/2009 12:19 |
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freestoner.fiberglassflyro... |
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Posts: 143 03/06/2009 12:27 |
You're missing my point of view.
Luckily, I've showed up to fill that lack. It's the ball bearings. Does your reel have them? See how you are? Personally, I don't like S-handles. Whatever it takes to keep the line from getting behind the handle, I don't have it. It's like it levitates over there. |
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FWdB |
#2 | |||
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Posts: 286 03/06/2009 12:31 |
Historic significance of the Perfect aside... absolutely nothing. Different strokes for different folks. I personally don't feel nothing for any classic
style S-handled reel, unless it says "Hardy Cascapedia". Sounds strange and not very logical maybe, but falls in exactly the same category: a simple
matter of taste and personal preferences.
Wilfred de Bruijn
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ttrotter |
#3 | |||
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Posts: 929 03/06/2009 12:37 Moderator |
Wilfred said it best. I would say reels are kinda like women and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As my wife reminds me every so often, "thank God
there's someone for everyone out there".
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flyflingerandy1 |
#4 | |||
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Posts: 46 03/06/2009 12:42 |
I don't see the allure of the Perfects. I would prefer a Young Perfect clone, but even at that, the chance of me picking one of them up is slim as I have
to outbid Bulldog.
My preference for reels is simplicity. I love the early Medalists, but don't think they are the pinnacle of reel design. I would view the older Bougles as possibly the most attractive reels ever made. |
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 bulldog1935 |
#5 | |||
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Posts: 7065 03/06/2009 12:48 Bulldog1935 |
Conventional fly reels are great, and they're beautiful.
But If you saw me fishing my perfect on TU On the Rise on tv last weekend, you would understand completely. They are the perfect reel for handling big fish on light tackle. 
Give you another example Fishing streamers for rainbows and was ambushed by a pair of stripers on a 5-wt. 
put a wrap of line around your S-handle, hook up one of these, and listen to the words that come out of your mouth. 
I've also hooked up an 8-lb. bass on a conventional fly reel, and placed my index finger inside the spool for drag. It worked, but I promise you, thumbing and palming the exposed spool back-plate on a perfect is a much preferable technique.
the rods are never obsolete - the marketing is.
Last Edited By: bulldog1935 03/06/2009 12:55.
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flyflingerandy1 |
#6 | |||
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Posts: 47 03/06/2009 14:44 |
That helps out a lot Ron. Yes, I saw you using the backplate for brakes, and it was a pretty thing to watch. Was that a true Perfect or a Young copy?
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ellensdad |
#7 | |||
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Posts: 86 03/06/2009 14:45 |
I appreciate the Perfect for its sound and smoothness.
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bluejayee |
#8 | |||
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Posts: 661 03/06/2009 14:52 |
Hi Guys, I was with bamOOzler until I got one. 'The Lost World of Mr. Hardy' got me interested so I traded a Marty Keane book for one with a forum
member. Start-up is what they have. I compared it to a variety of Hardys and other quality reels. The ball bearings give it instant start-up. The lightest
pull to get the spool turning is on my 3 3/8" Perfect. CFO's, disc or click pawl, 370 Syplo-reel, St. George, Uniqua, whatever don't come close.
This was just, you know, pulling line off not like some engineering/science project. Try It. Jay Edwards
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bulldog1935 |
#9 | |||
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Posts: 7070 03/06/2009 15:25 Bulldog1935 |
no offense, but the spindle rides in a brass bushing - the ball bearing is a thrust bearing and is only employed when you are winding the reel and pushing in
very hard or pulling radially very hard as you wind.
It's there to distribute the bending load and prevent spindle wear. Andy, I was fishing a Young perfect, red agate, lead finished, made in the late 20s/early 30s and marked for MC Thornburn.
the rods are never obsolete - the marketing is.
Last Edited By: bulldog1935 03/06/2009 16:02.
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quashnet |
#10 | |||
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Posts: 2491 03/06/2009 15:34 Moderatus Muscae |
The Perfect is a smooth starter (even if the ball bearings served a different purpose). Imagine how valuable smooth start-up was in the decades when leaders
and tippets were primarily made of silkworm gut. The great classics are functional designs which, when introduced, were super-modern, perhaps even
revolutionary.
In terms of appearance, the Perfect is simple elegance, while the S-handle Edward Vom Hofe and its descendants express a more complex elegance. I find it easier to imagine an S-handle reel paired with a Payne, Halstead, or Gillum; visually, rod and reel fit together. I like the simple shapes of a Hardy Perfect better on a streamlined, less ornamented rod, such as this PHY Driggs. 
Quashnet's Paul H. Young Rod Database has photos and descriptions of over
430 PHY Co. rods, plus catalogs, accessories, etc. Thank you to all
who continue to send me PHY rod photos and info.
Last Edited By: quashnet 03/06/2009 15:38.
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MFRS |
#11 | |||
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Posts: 295 03/06/2009 15:54 |
It all about breaking the fish for me and my eunuch perfect is as smooth as the ball bearing perfect when it comes to start-up, maybe even better. The
thing I found is I automatically want to palm the reel when the fish runs and it is so nice to break the fish without the handle getting in the way. I
appreciate what you are saying Ron, about the job of the bearings; helps to appreciate the Perfect even more. If hardy had applied these bearings to the
outer most edge of the winding plate (however possible) these reels would almost never wear out.
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Catch 22 |
#12 | |||
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Posts: 482 03/06/2009 17:22 |
FWdB wrote:My sentiments exactly. Most of my friends can't even begin to understand why I like bamboo rods and older reels instead of the latest and greatest hi tech gear. Different strokes indeed. Jeff Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition! |
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steel2afly |
#13 | |||
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Posts: 11 03/06/2009 17:24 |
The picture below is why I love em. Ease of use, the smoothness and the great sound. They make moments like this that much more enjoyable and the smile on
your face that much bigger. Kevin
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bamb00zler |
#14 | |||
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Posts: 33 03/06/2009 18:07 |
quashnet wrote: "The Perfect is a smooth starter (even if the ball bearings served a different purpose). Imagine how valuable smooth start-up was in
the decades when leaders and tippets were primarily made of silkworm gut. The great classics are functional designs which, when introduced, were super-modern,
perhaps even revolutionary."
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bobbeegee |
#15 | |||
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Posts: 2463 03/06/2009 19:22 |
FWdB wrote: Agreed! Bob Go Heels!!! |
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bluejayee |
#16 | |||
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Posts: 662 03/06/2009 19:39 |
Hi Guys, I guess I sorta thought that about the load 'cause I messed around with my Shakespeare Steelhead Perfect clone trying to get the ball bearings to
do something. But why the easy start up or what I perceive as easy start up? My 'test reels' aren't like ultimate reels but the CFO's are
pretty new. Jay Edwards
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kimk |
#17 | |||
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Posts: 626 03/06/2009 19:57 |
For many years I admired the technology behind Perfect reels. Visually they just seemed a bit off. The winding plate side just looked out of balance with the
rest of the reel. Then I happened on to a three inch, wide model. It looks -- well -- perfect. I still think the narrow sizes look awkward but in my dream
world I have a full set of wide reels from 2 3/4 to 4 inch. All pre war -- naturally.
AgMD |
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Sparquero |
#18 | |||
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Posts: 164 03/06/2009 20:02 |
I love quality fly reels, 3 piece, 2 piece, s-handle, all alloy, brass & alloy..............doesn't matter, however, the Perfect to me is the epitome
of fly reel evolution, never matched, never bested. Clearly a recognizable reel from 20 feet away unlike s-handle reels where the only recognizable feature is
the handle. From 20 feet away the usual response is "is that a Hardy?" whereas from 20 feet away the response to the s-handle reels is "what
make of reel is that?".
The perfect reel, Hardy or Young or Dingley or ........is usually an insignificant reel that quietly (or noisily) goes about its business of assisting the angler. More than a line holder, more of an angling aid. Perfect reels are simplicity personified, a classic style that will live on. I always thought that having the winding plate and spool on opposite sides of the frame was an advantage to the angler (physics methinks), structurally I would hope, but I could be wrong. Just my humble opinion.
Last Edited By: Sparquero 03/06/2009 20:04.
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bulldog1935 |
#19 | |||
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Posts: 7074 03/06/2009 20:07 Bulldog1935 |
Bluejay, those Shakespeare perfects are among the best US-made reels ever
   
the rods are never obsolete - the marketing is.
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freestoner.fiberglassflyro... |
#20 | |||
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Posts: 146 03/06/2009 21:12 |
...and I have yet to see one go for over $100, at Basement Kitteh's Keno Klub. Or even $85. The S&Ts are 3 1/2" diameter, but I think they're
lighter than the equivalent Hardy design in that size range. Anyway, I dare you to find a 3 5/8" Hardy Perfect for twice that price.
I have two narrow spool ones, and three wide spool ones, and I'm keeping at least four of them. Especially now that I'm in chromer territory. The fifth reel, I'm going to experiment with turning into a LHW reel by bending the spring, as a favor to the differently abled right-handed population. Might not work, but I have a parts reel with a couple extra pawl springs. (Maybe I should send one of them to Bulldog, the experiment might not be as likely to go "-ping!") The narrow spool models don't have line guard reversibility, but that isn't critical. If the spring can be adjusted, I think there are workarounds for that. I'm keeping mine away from salt water. Probably a good idea for all Perfects- from what I've seen, that's one thing that can do them in. Another advantage of the Perfect design that's been mentioned in the Reel Forum before- the design helps prevent the development of wobble. Although I do have a Young Perfect that has a little bit of play in it. My guess is that first the handle on it got stuck and stopped turning, which led to the original owner putting a little too much pressure on the winding plate. It's still plenty usable - especially now that the handle is unstuck. But I really should get it rejuvenated.
Last Edited By: freestoner 03/06/2009 21:40.
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