Yes...likely a dumb question, but since I don't know the answer, it isn't dumb for me! I purchased a Loomis fly rod about twenty-five years ago that had 0 rings somewhere along the threaded stem, somehow related to the double locking nuts. The only reason I knew of their existence is that they eventually both broke, and their being loosely attached after snapping brought them to my attention. They're long gone.

I see many aluminum fly reel seats boasting the double locking nuts and the 0 rings. First off, where do these 0 rings sit, and what purpose do they serve? As I recall they were REALLY thin, so it's no wonder that they eventually snapped. And if they do serve a significant purpose, and they do snap, can they be replaced?

Sorry for my ignorance, but I try to learn something new every day.

The o-rings go in a groove cut into the knurled nut's face, I'm willing to bet they are not a "special" o-ring as they come in so many sizes I'm sure they just picked one that would work. Most things are made with the cost of making special components in mind, when a generic item can be made to work just fine, they do so.

I would surmise they create a tighter seal between the reel seat locking nuts. If you would like to replace them you could heat the reel seat butt cap in boiling water and loosen its epoxy bond, spin off the nut and try and find an o ring to fit it. Replace O ring and then re-epoxy on the butt cap.

The O rings on one of my aluminum seats were in fact special, had a right and a wrong way to go on in order to fit into the groove in the nut, and had a very thin section size. I'm not sure that standard O rings will always work the same as the ones that come on the seats.

Check out McMaster-Carr, they have all sizes of O-rings (round and square) including metric sizes.

Have fun

A lot of those are not o/rings, rather they are Delrin to aid in the holding ability and reduce wear from metal on metal contact

Both my Loomis GL3 sinktip rod and my first year GLX have o rings, bought many years apart.

Ron Weber Wrote:
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>... rather they are Delrin to aid in the holding ability and reduce
> wear from metal on metal contact

I gotta admit...I had to look up Delrin.

If they're like the ones that come in the extra locking ring that comes with Alps MVT reel seat hoods, and they most likely are ...... then they're like Ron said, and they're plastic. Like he said, they're just there to aid in holding ability and prevent metal to metal contact.

I suppose if it was really a concern, you could just slip a proper size O ring between the two pieces so it prevents metal to metal contact. I personally wouldn't be concerned with it though. It's not there to prevent water intrusion.

Nylon washers between locking rings are intended to provide a smooth surface between the rings which facilitates tightening that second ring. If you have an O-ring (some do) that is to provide a bit of spring force between the locking rings to prevent easy loosening while transporting, fishing, etc. Both of these problems were solved with the advent of the nylon composite reel seats which do both from the nature of the material they are made from. Aluminum seats rely on additional pieces such as the washer and/or O-ring.

.............

On offshore rods there most likely will be a flat washer made of Viton or nylon that is between the locking nuts for the purpose of these coming loose and being able to get them apart. If you ever tried to separate these that do not have a washer between them, it is a chore.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)