I use nickel silver reel seat hardware on my fly rods, and have been noticing what appears to be a reaction between the nickel threaded barrel and the aluminum feet on my fly reels. A yellowish white, powdery residue is forming on the nickel barrel where the foot of my reel lays on the barrel. The residue is pretty stubborn when I try to remove it, especially between the fine threads.

Has anyone else noticed this happening? BTW, I am staying away from naming the reel seat hardware manufacturer on purpose.

Jeff Shafer

I don't know much abotu chemestry and mettalurgy, but I do know this sort of peolem was common with the aluminum SW reel seats and steel reel foot bases.

Galvanic Corriosion:

Link to read about: [boatingsailing.suite101.com]

Struble folks are sponsors on the left of this board may can help you in minimizing. If the seat is contacting salt or bracking water it will react at a faster rate. There is a cell set up by the presence of different metals - not much you can do other than keeping clean/ubed to keep away water. One way to stop it is to place an non conductive barrier between the two metals.

Duplicate delete:



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2008 02:33PM by Bill Stevens.

A liitle dielectric grease like used in bulb sockets may do the trick-if you can keep it from getting messy. Clean and disassemble when not in use.

Chris

Hi Jeff and Chris,
You might want to neatly cut a piece of electrician's tape to fit the bottom of the reel seat foot to eliminate the little battery that gets set up between two dissimilar metals. I'm guessing that if the reel seat foot is anodized, that the surface has been scratched allowing the corrosion to start. The aluminum oxide which forms is somewhat gelatinous when wet, but forms a white powder (alumina) when dry. I hope this helps.

Mike Blomme

I am writing to thank everyone for the information. The reel feet make contact with the nickel silver reel seat at three points, the threaded barrel and the upper and lower hoods. To try to eliminate the contact I removed the feet from the real and brushed on a few light coats of Max Seal. Max Seal is water based polyurethane and dries hard and clear. The reel won't see use for several months but I'm hoping that the coating will eliminate metal to metal contact and the resulting electrolytic process.

Thanks again,

Jeff Shafer