Author Topic: Fiskar II Model Comparisions  (Read 1376 times)

salmonfishing

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Fiskar II Model Comparisions
« on: April 19, 2017, 01:43:20 PM »
I already had a green cover Fiskar II Model  512 which I have previously posted pictures on but also recently acquired a black cover model 512. Pictures follow where I compare the two with the green cover on the right and black cover on the left. There are some interesting differences outside of the cover color. If you look at the gearing you can see the gears are different between the two regarding coating/composition. You can also see a difference in the drive shafts. The green cover reel has a smaller diameter drive shaft under the spring and is also supported  with a rear bearing (part D61-2 on the schematics). The black cover drive shaft is much thicker and apparently does not need a rear bearing support. The oscillating, drag and anti-reverse parts appear to be identical so I did not show pictures of those. The most interesting difference is the white line release trigger. All posted catalogs listing the Fiskar II Model 512 show this release trigger to be with a longer point like the one on the green cover reel. But the trigger on the black cover reel is blunt. I have looked this blunt trigger over very carefully even using a magnifying glass and can find no evidence of it having been broken or cut off. All surfaces on it are equally smooth and I can only assume it was manufactured by Johnson and doesn’t appear to me to be like any other reel trigger/button. I will also advise it works fine in releasing the spool for casting line. Interesting!
« Last Edit: April 19, 2017, 01:47:31 PM by salmonfishing »

Huckster37

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Re: Fiskar II Model Comparisions
« Reply #1 on: April 19, 2017, 05:28:15 PM »
Another Johnson mystery. You would think that the black cover reel has the mounting holes for the rear bearing, but no bearing would be the newer of the two. Also a thicker drive shaft because the thinner drive shaft suffered problems in the past. Thanks for this post Chuck, this time I won't feel compelled to tear my apart to compare, because I don't own any of these reels.

Skip Smith

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Re: Fiskar II Model Comparisions
« Reply #2 on: April 19, 2017, 05:51:07 PM »
Thanks for posting this, Chuck, good eye!  My only Fiskars are Model I 511's, one green front cover, one black.  The green front example is a "mongrel", assembled from parts of three diff reels.  The black I believe to be "numbers matching" original.

salmonfishing

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Re: Fiskar II Model Comparisions
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2017, 07:28:42 AM »
Dennis, I think you are correct in suggesting the black front cover model came later than the green one. After you posted that I decided to do a little more comparing. Like Skip, I also have both a black front cover and green front cover Fiskar I Model 511. The black cover is new in the box and the green cover has been just slightly used.  We know the 511 reels are the smaller earlier versions of the 512 reels with the same functions except for the oscillating spool function on the 512. You can see in the pictures that the green cover 511 (right reel) has the same small drive shaft, rear bearing and copper colored gears as on my green front cover 512 Fiskar. On the black cover 511 (left reel), the gear material and bigger drive shaft match what is found on my black cover 512. And you can see on the black cover frame 511, they didn’t even bother to drill any holes where you could mount a rear bearing for a smaller drive shaft. So I agree with you that the black front cover model Fiskers in both the 511 and 512 probably came later than the green front cover versions. They changed the gear material, added a more robust drive shaft and started using black front covers. The front cover color change also seems to make sense moving from traditional green to the black rather than the other way around. The last thing I noticed also was with the black front cover versions they started using white handle knobs rather than the black ones . That seems to be consistent with the catalog pics. Now I just need to keep looking for another picture of the 512 blunt line release trigger!

Skip Smith

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Re: Fiskar II Model Comparisions
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2017, 03:02:05 PM »
Chuck, that blunt trigger on your 512 mystifies me.  I have catalogs covering the Fiskar model run, start to finish, and none of the catalog illustrations show that blunt trigger.

salmonfishing

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Re: Fiskar II Model Comparisions
« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2017, 03:12:44 PM »
Skip, me too! I couldn't find it either in them. You would think if it had been broken or cut off, I would be able to see irregular marks on it. But the entire surface is uniform and smooth and looks like it came out of a mold which is how I assume they made these pieces. And not having the extra length on it doesn't hamper how it functions.It seems like I saw one of these blunt triggers before but I can't remember yesterday.  So who knows! It just joins a couple of my other reels that don't seem to match any catalog or brochure like my mysterious Model 80.

Skip Smith

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Re: Fiskar II Model Comparisions
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2017, 11:29:38 AM »
If, in fact, it was cut off, someone spent a heckuva lot of time and elbow grease on it.

 

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