Reel grease

[CrashVector]

I currently use bass pro shops synthetic red reel grease, and don't really have any complaints...except that it seems to get "dirty" really fast.  It turns from red to a dark reddish grey pretty fast it seems.

 

I can't tell, but am mildly worried that it's possibly reacting with the brass gears in my reels?

 

Anyone else experience this?  Ease my mind lol..because I'm really persnickety about reel maintenance, and I completely take them down, clean them, and re-grease them every 2-3months.

[MN Fisher]

This is what I've been using for 50+ years...hasn't let me down yet.

[CrashVector]

5 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

This is what I've been using for 50+ years...hasn't let me down yet.

 

I might have to make the switch.  The bps stuff seems to work pretty well, but I don't get why it gets discolored so fast unless it's reacting with the metals, or not protecting them well.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The grease isn’t reacting to anything and nothing catastrophic will happen. I’d have to see it to have a strong opinion on what’s going on. Blue Yama lube or equivalent, Cals or Superlube are proven products for reel gears. 

[CrashVector]

15 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

The grease isn’t reacting to anything and nothing catastrophic will happen. I’d have to see it to have a strong opinion on what’s going on. Blue Yama lube or equivalent, Cals or Superlube are proven products for reel gears. 

 

It looks almost like it gets metal particles in it, which can't be true bc my gears would be bald by now lol

 

Unless it's just dirt or other "gunk" that is somehow getting in there, which I can't see how...

 

 

[MyKeyBe]

3 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

 Blue Yama lube or equivalent, Cals or Superlube are proven products for reel gears. 

I've used the blue walmart supertech equivalent for a couple years with no problems. Just started using Superlube this year and so far it has been fantastic. Either way DVT knows his stuff. If he says your probably good, your probably good.

[Deleted account]

7 hours ago, CrashVector said:

I'm really persnickety about reel maintenance, and I completely take them down, clean them, and re-grease them every 2-3months.

We call this loving equipment to death in the bike business, unless you are fishing a reel all day every day in harsh conditions, that is way overkill by a factor of at least 3. The grease is fine, unless you mix incompatible greases, no issues.

[GRiver]

I use super lube too, I’ve been happy with it.

I only tear mine down once a year though.

[VolFan]

27 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

We call this loving equipment to death in the bike business, unless you are fishing a reel all day every day in harsh conditions, that is way overkill by a factor of at least 3. The grease is fine, unless you mix incompatible greases, no issues.

If you play with it too much, you’ll break it…

[redmeansdistortion]

Depending on the reel, I use either Super Lube or Yamalube.  Conventional reels get the Yamalube, everything else gets Super Lube.  A 14.1 oz tub of Super Lube 41160 is $15 and will last you many years.  It's great stuff and much cheaper than probably all of the whiz-bang magic greases out there.

[CrashVector]

1 hour ago, Deleted account said:

We call this loving equipment to death in the bike business, unless you are fishing a reel all day every day in harsh conditions, that is way overkill by a factor of at least 3. The grease is fine, unless you mix incompatible greases, no issues.

 I fish 3-4 days a week

[garroyo130]

In my experience all grease changes color fairly quickly with use. Not sure what causes it, but after using Yamalube and Cals ive noticed the grease darkens fairly quickly.

[Jrob78]

I've used Cal's for years and haven't had any reason to change to something else. 

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, VolFan said:

If you play with it too much, you’ll break it…

And go blind...

[FrnkNsteen]

11 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

The grease isn’t reacting to anything and nothing catastrophic will happen. I’d have to see it to have a strong opinion on what’s going on. Blue Yama lube or equivalent, Cals or Superlube are proven products for reel gears. 

These are the ones I typically use. I WAS using Cals and Superlube exclusively, but heard a lot of good things about the Yamaha grease, so I gave it a shot.

 

The Yamaha seemed to hold up really well and seems to last. The only concern I had is when removing it. It seems to have a lot of parafin in it and left a waxy residue that was a little difficult to remove. Not saying thats a bad thing, just that it was more difficult to get it all out and clean. 

 

I've used it in a few reels I don't use as often because it does seem to hold up well and stay in place. Superlube seems to migrate more in hot weather.

 

Oh,.. And I typically go through all mine once a year.

[garroyo130]

30 minutes ago, FrnkNsteen said:

These are the ones I typically use. I WAS using Cals and Superlube exclusively, but heard a lot of good things about the Yamaha grease, so I gave it a shot.

 

The Yamaha seemed to hold up really well and seems to last. The only concern I had is when removing it. It seems to have a lot of parafin in it and left a waxy residue that was a little difficult to remove. Not saying thats a bad thing, just that it was more difficult to get it all out and clean. 

 

I've used it in a few reels I don't use as often because it does seem to hold up well and stay in place. Superlube seems to migrate more in hot weather.

 

Oh,.. And I typically go through all mine once a year.

 

Similar experience with Yamalube clean up. When i first picked up Yamalube I thought it was going to be extra thick based on the reviews on the salt side but in my experience it was closer to Cals purple than Cals tan. I use Yamalube exclusively on spinning reel gears now and baitcasters get Cals tan. My Yamalube is the squeeze tube which may be a different formulation from the tin/pail.  

[redmeansdistortion]

34 minutes ago, FrnkNsteen said:

The Yamaha seemed to hold up really well and seems to last. The only concern I had is when removing it. It seems to have a lot of parafin in it and left a waxy residue that was a little difficult to remove. Not saying thats a bad thing, just that it was more difficult to get it all out and clean. 

If you have an ultrasonic cleaner, use acetone with the metal parts and Yamalube comes off quick and easy.

[FishTank]

I have always liked Cals or Shimano drag grease. A little goes a long way with both of them. Never had an issue with them breaking down or changing colors.

[J._Bricker]

8 minutes ago, FishTank said:

I have always liked Cals or Shimano drag grease. A little goes a long way with both of them. Never had an issue with them breaking down or changing colors.

X2- went this route after noticing Reel Butter seemed to be “crystallizing”. 

[CrashVector]

Next up: Garcia precision grease.

[Hammer 4]

Cal's has been working just fine for Many years. 

[padlin]

I was using some of the red reel grease, Hot Sauce I think, but it stained my white Stradics so I changed to ReelX, which I have yet to use.

 

In fairness, I was also using red reel oil so it could have been either or both. Both are now gone.

[FrnkNsteen]

5 hours ago, padlin said:

I was using some of the red reel grease, Hot Sauce I think, but it stained my white Stradics so I changed to ReelX, which I have yet to use.

 

In fairness, I was also using red reel oil so it could have been either or both. Both are now gone.

I've heard that alot on the Hot Sauce products. 

[CrashVector]

11 hours ago, padlin said:

I was using some of the red reel grease, Hot Sauce I think, but it stained my white Stradics so I changed to ReelX, which I have yet to use.

 

In fairness, I was also using red reel oil so it could have been either or both. Both are now gone.

 

The oil I use is Rem-Oil.

 

If it's good enough for my guns, it's good enough for a fishing reel lol

[MickD]

A now deceased expert reel serviceman used to charge extra for reels that had been serviced with hot sauce, the red contaminated his operation.   The red is a gimmick, IMHO, and natural greases without the dyes make more sense.