.

.

Materialism at its worst. I don't plan to leave anything to any members of my family.

Contact Alan Tani & see if they can be cleaned up to be at least usable.  I totally understand how small, non-monetarily valuable items can carry a high emotional pricetag.

The one thing you got on your side.....penn's are damn near indestructible.  I bet any rebuild parts can be had cheap and they'll fish again.  Good luck with em.

Victor, If it is a Penn, it can be rebuilt. I am not going to say easily, but if you tell me what you got, you are welcome to any of the take off parts I have. I would rather see them get used on to get an old Penn back in shape then not used at all.  Most Penn's, can be rebuilt for less than 20 bucks if nothing is stripped out. Depends what you want to do.  Alan's site is full of great tips, and has helped me restore about 8 reels so far.  By no means am I am an expert, but most real if they are not to bad are drags, and dog springs and some stripped out screws and elbow grease from what I have seen, .

I too have some old Penn reels that we can part if needed.  What model Penn's are they?  Any pics of the reels may help to ID as well.

Glad you vented with all of us V.K. My Father had some of the same unfortunate qualities when I was growing up. He is sober now and a better man.  He didn't have much of a father figure growing up. So I forgive him. I am no Saint as well but strive everyday to teach my boys right. I can only hope that they do better than me and boy are they. One on his way to a Master's Program and another scouting college's.
I think you are right venting and not holding a grudge. I would NEVER want to LIVE my life holding a grudge and being bitter.

What model ? Might have some parts.

Alex

Go to e-bay

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2060353.m570.l2632.R2.TR11.TRC1.A0.H2.Xpenn+reel+parts.TRS0&_nkw=penn+reel+parts&_sacat=1492

If you can't get 'em working condition, you might consider just cleaning them yourself and mount them in a shadow box of other 'Dad' memories with some photos of you two doing what you remember him most fondly for.  Then you'll have good thoughts about the reels instead of what the family member's actions could have polluted. 

It's really unfortunate that a family member would do something like that. It's even more unfortunate when it's not really that uncommon of an occurrence. A similar situation happened with family items of no real monetary value when my mother passed. I feel your frustration and I hope everything works out.

I too have some old Penn reels that we can part if needed.  What model Penn's are they?  Any pics of the reels may help to ID as well.

+1 I have about four that are all available for parts

Using those reels hard isn't such a bad tribute to your father.  At least they aren't in a landfill somewhere.  Seriously, would your Dad be smiling that a family member got some use out of them?

-Allen

I took my grandpa's fishing stuff, strapped old lures and reels to garage wall.  I look at them each time I head out and set my mind.  Like Notre Dame players, they touch their sign before heading out on the field, make a sign yourself, "Fish like a champion today"

Same here, I made a little plaque to hang on my wall...of my grandpa's old lures. It makes me smile each time I see it.

Yeah, it's good to be able to vent, Vic. Polepole made me see another perspective I hadn't considered.

I have some old worn and broken stuff from my grandfather, too. It resides on too of and around my roll away with my gear. I see it every time I load up. It's good.