Grease Can

What is the best fishing reel grease to use on Shimano reels?

I fixed my Curado, but now I want to oil and grease it from messing around with it so much. What is the best reel grease to use for Shimano reels, preferably somewhere I can buy at a store like BPS.

Ok, here's the deal - Shimano Drag grease isn't what is delivered in the reel. It's usable, but it's not what it comes with. They use PermaLube. You should still be able to source it from either Shimano directly or a licensed repair facility (they should have it). The drag grease isn't even CLOSE to the PermaLube.

Hot Sauce is great - - - IF you're willing to clean out your reel correctly, meaning a complete degrease.

BEARINGS/GEARS (NO plastic): acetone, naptha, white gas of some sort...

Internals/PLASTICS:Simple Green...gentle household degreaser that when washed leaves no residue) and completely remove ALL the grease from the internals.

Hot Sauce GREASE is a MUCH different compound than other petroleum based lubes, and it's NOT compatible with Shimano's version. If you contact Shimano, they will tell you do NOT use it. Well, I agree with that....if you're not going to do it right.

The same goes with the Hot Sauce OIL. It's not a typical oil since it's synthetic and completely different than the supplied Shimano oil. Shimano's is actually (chemically verified) most closely related to a mineral oil. It will fight with the Hot Sauce, and each will try to push the other out of the way. Not good when you have bearings that end up with no lube in them.

My rule of thumb when I work on either my own and especially others' reels, is to either use what's already been in the reel or clean it out completely and start fresh.

If you want your reels to last, then take the time to understand what they are: small, intricate machines. It's not rocket science, but it's more than a set of Kenex. If you treat it right, there's nothing stopping it from working well for a very long time.

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