Hey everyone.
I have not been able to find a newer thread pertaining to this issue so I am hoping a post on this will draw the original participants back.
I was recently given my long passed grandfather’s fishing gear and looking at all kinda sparked a want to start fishing again (I’ve bobber fished since I was wee but never really tried or learned how to use artificial bait). Anyway one of the things I was given was an Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 5000, a red aluminum one, that I am GUESSING is from about 1958-60. The darn thing works but needs to be cleaned and refreshed and being so new to this I would not want to hazard this myself, ruining my papaw’s priced reel before I get a chance to even use it would likely bring his long deceased corpse back from the grave.

The spool is operates smoothly and the drag seems to be working, but the mechanical brake on is all whacked out. I can’t find a middle ground, it is either too loose and a rats nest develops upon casting or its so tight I can’t cast off my porch (I’m fiddling with this at home). I replaced the ANCIENT monofilament with some braided line in hopes that it would help with the rat nesting and it helped but the line is not the issue.

Does anyone know if the people suggested in this thread still fixing reels?
Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.

As a side note, there were DOZENS of old neat looking lures in the tackle box, I do not want to use them but I am curious if there is a market for antique(ish) lures if anyone knows about that.