Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) > Tackle & Techniques

Studio Ocean Mark Drag System Rebuild - Better than Shimano Stella drag system

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Enoch Li:
Studio Ocean Mark has an interesting drag system.  There might be an advantage for single stack drag performance over the original stock Shimano drag system.

Anyhow, I have taken the time to clean and re-lube the spool and its clicker system.
I found that the spool indeed does have some impressive re-engineering to it.  Also there exist 2 ball bearings in the drag stack.  One is in the bottom of the stack (fit into the body of the spool) and the other sits atop a metal drag washer that is milled out to reduce weight and functions as a stabilizer so the spool and drag spin smoothly in-line on the reel's main shaft.

Lube: Cal's Drag Grease (metal and carbon weaved drag washers) and Reel-X (bearings).



Here is the drag stack layout.  Studio Ocean Mark uses Carbon fiber  weave drag washers.  The weaves are small and tight.  The fiber washers  and stack comes un-lubed.


Notice there is another metal (thinner than the rest) drag washer  still in the spool bottom.   I didn't discover it was still stuck down  there until later.  Anyhow, notice the bearing on the left and an  embedded bearing on the third washer from the right.


The last  "washer" is metal with a rubber ring sandwiched between a top and bottom  layout.  This is another way to waterproof the drag stack. Nice to have  since there is already a rubber ring on the drag knob.



A close up of the 2nd bearing located 3rd "washer" from the top of  the stack.  Notice the embedded bearing as I have flipped the washer  upside down and it reveals the milled out metal washer with the bearing  in it.
Very nice design.




On to the 2nd half of the drag stack system of Studio Ocean Mark. There  is 3 phillips head screws that mount the aluminum heat dispenser ring  that is in contact with the spools main body.


Taken apart and cleaned, this is a nice piece of hardware I've never  seen before on a fishing reel.  Kind of reminds me of the metal piece on  a northbridge chip located on your computers motherboard.  Made to  attach to the main source of heat.  Made to dispense heat through the  bottom of the spool.
Original, and genius.


Located in the bottom stack is another metal washer and a hidden drag  clicker. This system reminds me of the Shimano Stella FA system or the  Daiwa Dogfight clicker.


Notice the milled section of the spool where the "northbridge" ring  attaches to. There is gap and metal contact to take the heat away from  the spool.  The underside of the northbridge ring is  shown to have the ridged clicker system. This piece is quite well made.


Anyhow, remember how I noted earlier that I missed that last (thinner)  metal washer in the bottom of the stack?  Here it is on as the 1st  washer from the left of the stack.


Northbridge ring back in place, screws with (red) locktite back in, and  the spool is ready to go.




Presto! Clean, lubed, and back to action!

Andy Rowe:
Enoch,

Very nice work, thanks for posting this information.

Did you service the spool just to have a look inside, or have you already done some serious fishing with it and decided it was time to service it?

If the later how do you find the SOM spool vs the shimano original? I like the click in the drag mechanism, how does it cast with the ovoid scandium spool ring?

Thanks
Andy

Enoch Li:
Andy,

Thanks for the kind words. 
I actually serviced the spool for both reasons.  Initially I've fought about 15 fish up to 15 kilos and after listening to the drag I wondered if the guys at SOM actually greased their drags.  They were smooth out the box but I was just curious.

I did get some drag dust on my fingers and while putting the Cal's grease on some of it turned black.  You can see it in one of the pictures the grease isn't so clean.  I was impressed by the design of the stack and clicker.  I prefer this type clicker as the sound is quite "manly" :D

Anyhow, to answer your question, the SOM spool performed great and although I haven't yet to have a screamer on it I feel very confident casting it.  I need to do some actual testing of the same line class to conclude the distance advantage (if there is one). . .Is it actually better than the stock Stella?  ...well, I believe the design is better, the drag feel I prefer,  but I just don't have enough experience at this time to say it's the winner quite yet.

Andy Rowe:
Thanks again Enoch,

Are you indicating the stock SOM spool has no drag grease on it??

Thanks

Marc Ong:
I've opened up my no limits and normal SOM spool.

The no limits has no drag grease, all dry.

the normal SOM spool with teflon drag is greased up.

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