reel help needed not ff

[Eric-WD]

I have my grandfathers french made Mitchell Garcia saltwater spinning reel, it is in rough shape the finish is about 50% the internals are great, the chrome on the bail is mostly gone. I am in the process of rebuilding it. I have 50 year old grease etc built up inside and 409 and a tooth brush is not touching it. I am thinking carburetor cleaner to get rid of the years of grime. will the carb cleaner destroy the aluminum body or the brass interior? will rustolium hold up on the outer surfaces or should I get a baked on finish. I will post some before and after pictures if I ever get it done.

Thanks for your opinions, I would hate to melt this one

Eric

[kbproctor]

A year or two ago one of the local tackle shops started sending me reels to clean, lube, and repair. It has come to be pretty easy money. The carb cleaner in a rattle can is what I use to clean reels. I lube them back up with engine assembly lube. The Rustoleum will hold up fine if you follow the directions.

[Eric-WD]

Thanks Kevin, just what I needed to know. I have an American made medalist that's in pieces waiting for the same treatment as soon as I can find it in a box that I packed over a year ago.

Eric