A CONUNDRUM OF LAWS

Law number one: Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke.

  What a great rule to live by. If the car was running when it the key was switched off yesterday, expect it to start up and run today.

This is no time for Murphy's Law to apply. 

  Except, I also believe in Ed Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Some people add “and at the worst possible moment.”

  These two laws illustrate the yen and yang of using mechanical items. Machines, toys, engines and fishing tackle often seem to behave spitefully towards their user. Proper maintenance is a good way to stave off Murphey’s Law. A well maintained machine is less likely to “go wrong” than one long ignored.

  However, maintenance goes directly against the “Don’t fix it...” rule. A conundrum, to be sure.

  For years, when it came to my fishing reels, I (mostly) adhered to law number one. Other than reels affected by Murphy’s Law, I left them alone. More than just years, more like years and years and years for some of them.

   The reel was working when I retrieved the last lure yesterday. It will surely work tomorrow. Won’t it? Or will Murphy show up?

   So in my “off season” this year, I broke law number one. I collected all my most-used reels. I found long-filed-away schematics for each model or looked up the exploded views on-line. I purchased new drag washers for each reel, gathered reel grease, household oil an assemblage of small tools, degreasers and swabs.

  Then I “fixed” them. At least, I carefully disassembled each reel, cleaned all the inner workings, replaced  the drag washers, then and greased, oiled and reassembled. It’s not rocket science though I do have a new respect for watch makers.

  What could go wrong? We’ll learn much of that answer in mid-March when the reels are put back into service, clean, shiny with no pressing need to be fixed for another decade or so. Unless Murphy decides to go fishing with me.