Hi Ken,
You do need to be a little picky when choosing the sliding reel seat. Some have a tab cut into the reel seat below the reel's foot. When you tighten the fitting the reel foot presses down on the tab which presses against the blank. This type of sliding reel seat can cause damage.
The safer sliding reel seats were made by Penn. There were two fittings (one at each end of the reel seat) that you tightened. They provided uniform pressure at each end of the reel seat.
If all else fails, you could make your own. With a reel seat setting horizontal, cut a H in the bottom of the reel seat. The H might be about 1/2 to 5/8" high having a center bar about 2" long. A coaster is used to tighten the H.
Here's a nicely made one by Century.
[
www.shop.century.gb.com]
And Fuji
[
www.uk-hooks.com]
Perhaps a T cut?
[
www.summerlands-tackle.co.uk]
Initially made by Penn
[
www.jakescustomrods.co.uk]
And more, Search for Movable Reel Seat.
Don Becker
