1494 Medalist - 1962

CinnamonJoe

CinnamonJoe

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Joined
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MOUNT VERNON
Look what I found in my mailbox today...!

(No, it didn't cost me $8.66-I wish!-more like ~5x that, but considering it came with papers & box, is in good shape, it was an OK deal)

IMG_20260113_165310222.jpg


There was some talk recently of the internal drag workings in these things, this is what that all looks like:

IMG_20260113_165916360.jpg
 
That's very interesting I don't have much or any real old reel knowledge and I kinda just assumed they always used a flat piece of spring steel. But I could see a huge advantage in manufacturing to using a rod and then machining the one end flat to sit under the screw and being easier to bend to shape .
 
First off, that's a really nice find Joe!!

I have three 1494's, all from the 1950's one is NIB, one is used and the other one which was NIB, I fully pimped with One Pfoot parts with the exception of the round line guard which the late Bill Franke installed for me.

Here is the pimped reel before I lined it up with a DT6 to use on my 8'6" 6wt Fenwick FF85-3:

Medalist (2).jpg


When I sent the reel to Bill, it was so mint he called and asked: "Where the hell did you find that?"

When I told him I bought two on eBay in the same condition for $30 bucks each, he just laughed. The used reel I have was acquired a few years later. It is also in really nice shape and it sat in the Little Lehigh Fly Shop for ages and later in the renamed Heritage Fly Shop when Dave Bittner was the owner.

I bought it from Dave for $25 or $30, I forget...
 
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Nice find!
When I first started to fly fish in the 70s, it seemed like this was about the only reel I saw streamside on the Pocono streams. I still have a few that are my go to. Such a classic look imo.
 
pf2.jpg


I probably have two dozen or so, all in, plus a handful of extra spools, from the biggest 1498 down to the 1492.

Those are the two oldest, 1938-1939 both, I still don't have one with the inside pillars yet (1930-1937). From left to right, it's a 1496, a 1494, and a new production (2020s) 5/6.
 
gfenlikestolosepasswords said:
View attachment 1641248136

I probably have two dozen or so, all in, plus a handful of extra spools, from the biggest 1498 down to the 1492.

Those are the two oldest, 1938-1939 both, I still don't have one with the inside pillars yet (1930-1937). From left to right, it's a 1496, a 1494, and a new production (2020s) 5/6.
Click to expand...
How are those new Medalists? A quick look online shows they must not make them anymore or are on back order and the pricing is 190.00?
 
dudemanspecial said:
How are those new Medalists? A quick look online shows they must not make them anymore or are on back order and the pricing is 190.00?
Click to expand...

20 years ago I couldn't find a new production click pawl reel that wasn't an overpriced Hardy or Abel or a special edition Orvis.

Now they're all over the place, and they all appear to be pretty much the same reel with different names.. which sums up the "New Medalist" nicely. It's solidly put together, it looks like every other solidly put together generic clicker, and it cost way too much money. But I felt it was a neccessary thing to buy and own because I do have a working collection of them.

That said, the only thing that's remotely like the classics is the name.
 
Bamboozle said:
First off, that's a really nice find Joe!!

I have three 1494's, all from the 1950's one is NIB, one is used and the other one which was NIB, I fully pimped with One Pfoot parts with the exception of the round line guard which the late Bill Franke installed for me.

Here is the pimped reel before I lined it up with a DT6 to use on my 8'6" 6wt Fenwick FF85-3:

View attachment 1641248119

When I sent the reel to Bill, it was so mint he called and asked: "Where the hell did you find that?"

When I told him I bought two on eBay in the same condition for $30 bucks each, he just laughed. The used reel I have was acquired a few years later. It is also in really nice shape and it sat in the Little Lehigh Fly Shop for ages and later in the renamed Heritage Fly Shop when Dave Bittner was the owner.

I bought it from Dave for $25 or $30, I forget...
Click to expand...
I picked up a Phillipson DFS80 Eponite last week, so I figured it was a good excuse to find a 'period correct' reel to pair it with. This was the result.

1494s, 1494-1/2 s have broad application across a spectrum of vintage rods (bamboo, fiberglass) that come in north of 3oz in overall rod weight.

You're probably well aware those pre-1960 vintage Medalists-with the round line guard and metal medallion-in 1/2 as nice shape as yours there-don't go for less than a Benjamin, and then some more yet, these days. Very beautiful reel! 😉
 
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Pflueger Medalists are built like indestructible tanks. Own four of them purchased in the late 60's and 70's when they were still made in the USA. Two of the four were purchased in a Walmart in Maine for my boys. Now that they are men, they are not permitted to touch them. Have modified them all with One PFoot accessories. Mr. Frank made excellent product mods
 
CinnamonJoe said:
You're probably well aware those pre-1960 vintage Medalists-with the round line guard and metal medallion-in 1/2 as nice shape as yours there-don't go for less than a Benjamin, and then some more yet, these days. Very beautiful reel! 😉
Click to expand...

The round line guard, metal latch cover, sculpted pillars, etc, are not original to my reel, they are all after market parts made by OnePfoot when Bill Franke the originator of the parts owned the company.

My apologies if you already know this but a "full pimping" is replacing the original Pflueger parts with upgraded new parts made by OnePfoot...

This includes a new & improved reel foot (hence the name of the company), replacing plastic drag washer with a fully reversible metal version along with a metal drag screw, metal latch cover, all new screws, a new pawl & pawl spring, a spool counter balance, new handle, sculpted pillars and the round line guard that had to be installed by OnePfoot.

When fully pimped, because of the cost of the parts you are looking at a reel that is worth several Benjamins however, I believe a period original in the condition of my reel would be easily worth a Grover as in Grover Cleveland.

The upgraded Medalist is REEL-y a big improvement on the the original because the upgraded reel foot fits more real seats, the drag washer is WAY better than the original, the counter balance helps and the new pawl & spring last longer. The rest of the upgrades are more bling than function.

Sadly after Bill Franke passed, OnePfoot has changed hands twice and neither of the new owners has done anything but give lousy service to the point where it is a total crap shoot on whether you will hear from them or get any parts.

Bob Selb at the Classic Fisherman in Lansdale was peddling a knock-off (not sure of the origin) of the OnePfoot parts called "M-Parts" (minus the round line guard) but he is out of stock on just about everything.

It's too bad for the folks that have yet to be enlightened by OnePfoot upgrades...
 
Bamboozle said:
The round line guard, metal latch cover, sculpted pillars, etc, are not original to my reel, they are all after market parts made by OnePfoot when Bill Franke the originator of the parts owned the company.

My apologies if you already know this but a "full pimping" is replacing the original Pflueger parts with upgraded new parts made by OnePfoot...

This includes a new & improved reel foot (hence the name of the company), replacing plastic drag washer with a fully reversible metal version along with a metal drag screw, metal latch cover, all new screws, a new pawl & pawl spring, a spool counter balance, new handle, sculpted pillars and the round line guard that had to be installed by OnePfoot.

When fully pimped, because of the cost of the parts you are looking at a reel that is worth several Benjamins however, I believe a period original in the condition of my reel would be easily worth a Grover as in Grover Cleveland.

The upgraded Medalist is REEL-y a big improvement on the the original because the upgraded reel foot fits more real seats, the drag washer is WAY better than the original, the counter balance helps and the new pawl & spring last longer. The rest of the upgrades are more bling than function.

Sadly after Bill Franke passed, OnePfoot has changed hands twice and neither of the new owners has done anything but give lousy service to the point where it is a total crap shoot on whether you will hear from them or get any parts.

Bob Selb at the Classic Fisherman in Lansdale was peddling a knock-off (not sure of the origin) of the OnePfoot parts called "M-Parts" (minus the round line guard) but he is out of stock on just about everything.

It's too bad for the folks that have yet to be enlightened by OnePfoot upgrades...
Click to expand...
Oh yeah. I got all that. The foot on the vintage Medalists is really the only shortcoming in that design, in terms of how they might orherwise fit on a range of rods/reel seats. Other vintage reel have this issue as well. I have two Pflueger Gems, one much older than the other, and it has a more troublesome foot. I was looking into a pfoot for it, or baring that, machining a new one myself.

Pfoot also sold the metal medallions and the swirly plastic reel crank handles, IIRC.
 
CinnamonJoe said:
Oh yeah. I got all that. The foot on the vintage Medalists is really the only shortcoming in that design, in terms of how they might orherwise fit on a range of rods/reel seats. Other vintage reel have this issue as well. I have two Pflueger Gems, one much older than the other, and it has a more troublesome foot. I was looking into a pfoot for it, or baring that, machining a new one myself.

Pfoot also sold the metal medallions and the swirly plastic reel crank handles, IIRC.
Click to expand...

Yes, they sold the medallions which Bill also offered as hat pins and the swirled handles which BTW are fabricated from plastic "pen blanks" used by crafters who make fancy writing instruments. They also sold reel feet for Young reels which a friend of mine helped him design.

I have a large 1940's Young Pridex in really good shape that I bought from a vintage tackle dealer with the REALLY long three screw Young foot that doesn't fit on any modern rod. So when Dan Hill owned OnePfoot, I had him fabricate me a replacement which fits just fine, but I haven't used the reel since.
 
Very nice! My father-in-law has a few American Pflueger reels, including one with the ring for the line like in Bam's photo. He has stopped fishing altogether at 86 years old and is always telling me to "take what you want or give it to the grandsons" but I'm still holding out hope that I can get him at least ankle deep in a creek. I expect that he'll have everything in a box for the boys and me the next time I visit.
 
Here is my 1494. I use it primarily when blue lining for brookies anymore. However, in 2021 me and a buddy took an impromptu trip out west and fished Montana, Wyoming and Idaho and I used my old Pflueger reel the entire trip. My only Yellowstone Cutties ever were caught with the 1494 reel.

IMG_2564.jpeg
 
CinnamonJoe said:
Look what I found in my mailbox today...!

(No, it didn't cost me $8.66-I wish!-more like ~5x that, but considering it came with papers & box, is in good shape, it was an OK deal)

View attachment 1641248113

There was some talk recently of the internal drag workings in these things, this is what that all looks like:

View attachment 1641248114
Click to expand...
What can you say? Lefty used them in the salt - everyone in mid century had one or more - they last forever and can take a punch like a barn door - all hail Pflueger! We need fish pix with this rig ASAP! Well done Joe!
 
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