Preserve and Protect

Preserve and Protect.

APHILOSOPHICAL friend of mine sums up the inevitable physical effects of growing older by saying, “It’s not the years that get you; it’s the mileage!” Some people try to turn back the odometer with cosmetic surgery, while others fight the signs of advanced years with wrinkle-reducing, antiaging creams. You can take a similar approach with fishing tackle. Preserve and Protect Time in the saltwater environment takes its toll on reels, causing them to show age by way of corroded surfaces and lackluster looks. You may wait until things get really ugly, then resort to drastic measures such as replacement surgery (for example, switching old side plates for new). Or you can treat your tackle with TLC that includes regular applications of potions that protect against corrosion and preserve that clean, youthful glow. “Corrosion occurs as metal tries to return to its natural state, which is metal oxide,” says Mike Tuite, president of Corrosion Technologies (maker of CorrosionX). All metals corrode over time, as evidenced by small pits that develop on an aluminum reel spool or the chalky coating that forms on lead sinkers. While simple contact with air allows oxidation, or corrosion, to begin gnawing on your favorite lever drag, other factors can worsen the situation. “Any kind of moisture speeds up the process, but salt water is probably the fastest accelerant,” Tuite says.

SEAL THE STEEL 

Since contact with air and water promotes oxidation, anticorrosion products slow the process by putting a barrier between metal and its surroundings. Anglers must be careful, however, because products designed for waterproofing — not corrosion protection — may do more harm than good if they contain silicone or wax. These sealants keep water out, but by the same token they can trap moisture against the metal. Unable to escape, moisture can actually encourage corrosion beneath the blanket of sealant. Many people believe the oil in products such as CorrosionX, The Inhibitor and Corrosion Block does all the work. Not so: All these compounds rely on a petroleum base as the vehicle to deliver a payload of corrosion-inhibiting substances, and a one-size-fits-all attitude does not apply here. Each type of metal suffers the effects of corrosion in its own individual way. “Our formula contains about a dozen active ingredients, some specifically designed for certain metals. For instance, we include a corrosion inhibitor for steel, another for aluminum, a different one for brass and so on,” says Tuite. CorrosionX employs “fluid thin film coating technology” to displace moisture while covering metal with an ultrathin protective layer. Because the molecules in CorrosionX and metal have positive and negative poles, the substances seek out and adhere to each other. “We call it ‘polar bonding,’” Tuite says. “Since the molecules are attracted to metal, CorrosionX seeps and creeps into spots you may not reach by spraying or wiping.” Manufacturers recommend thoroughly cleaning equipment and allowing it to dry before applying anticorrosion treatments. Some anglers go as far as disassembling reels to dunk side plates and other parts in a bath of corrosion inhibitor, though this may not always be necessary. “Once you make that initial coating, salt and other dirt should wipe right off a reel. I suggest rinsing reels after each trip, but you need only apply CorrosionX after every other trip. It doesn’t wash off easily in water, but you