Reccomendations for clean and lube materials

[Kevin_D]

Like the title says, I would appreciate info as to what to use and how to clean my fly rods and reels. Thanks in advance.
Kevin D

[Ken Y]

My dad uses carwax for his graphite rods. It does seem to make the rods look new.

[Kevin_D]

kinda looking for what to use on ferrules.

[alra195]

Don't know if this is an approved method but I keep it pretty simple and wipe everything down, rod, ferrules, guides, cork, reel seat, etc with a clean cotten rag wet with warm water and just a bit of dish washing liquid. Once I've removed all the surface grime and dirt I rinse the rag, fold it over to a clean side and wipe it down once more. I'll then use a dry cotten rag to wipe it dry and rewax the male ends of the ferrules.

Reels are a bit more problematic. I'll remove the spools and wipe off any surface crude with the damp cotten cloth and depending on the level of cleaning I might even use a sofe bristle tooth brush. Once everything is clean and dry I'll put just a bit of light lubricant, a product called cleanse oil is my favorite, on the spindle and interior bearing surfaces (and I do mean a just a bit, not soaked in oil). If necessary I've put a touch of reel grease on the mechanics but that's usually reserved for over the winter maintnenace.

That's about as complicated as I get for freshwater applications.

[Kevin_D]

Thanks Joe. I like simple.

[Heritage Angler]

A bit of caution is in order here. Joe's advice is sound for most rods and reels, but the best advice is to always follow the manufacturer's recommendations. For cleaning rods, I've seen Pledge furniture polish recommended, and it cleans and protects in one step. Some manufacturers recommend rubbing the male end of the ferrule with a piece of paraffin wax, and using the heat in your fingers to smooth and spread the wax over the portion that will be covered by the female ferrule. Canning wax blocks and even birthday candles do a good job for this. Don't forget to use the Pledge on the guides as well.

Reels get a bit trickier. Here's where you really want to check the manufacturer's recommendations for cleaning and lubing. Two examples I can think of off the top of my head are Galvan and Ross. Galvan recommends lubing their clutch spring assembly, which requires disassembly of that housing. Many Ross reels use an oilite bushing which requires NO added lubrication, Lubing those bushings is actually detrimental to them! Saltwater use usually involves flushing the reel with lots of fresh water to remove salt. If you dunk your reel in mud or silt, flushing with fresh water is a good idea as well. Re-lubing is sometimes necessary after doing this on reels that require lube. My favorite lubes are "Super Lube" for a grease, and Tri-flow for an oil. It is important to know where to lube, and what type of lube to use.

Bottom line - there is no hard and fast "rules" for the best procedure for cleaning and lubing your equipment. Just follow the manufacturer's recommendations and a little common sense, and your equipment will probably outlive you.