[Handmade Lure Studio MORPHO] Tuning Drag Washer Set for Cardinal 3 & 33 Series

[Handmade Lure Studio MORPHO]
Tuning Drag Washer Set for Cardinal 3 & 33 Series

A washer set that improves the genuine drag - which does not slip but cannot stop once it starts slipping - to deliver the smooth slip-out that anglers envision.
An innovative drag that lets you smoothly release line and stay calm right up to landing, even in those crucial moments when a big fish suddenly strikes.

* This product is designed to fit the drag of the reissued Cardinal 3 Series and Cardinal 33 Series.
If installed on the original Cardinal 3 Series or Cardinal 33 Series, play and looseness will occur due to the difference in bush diameter.

* While this product improves slip-out performance compared with the genuine drag,
the drag structure differs from that of modern reels, so it will not become equivalent to products from the two major reel makers.
Please understand this point.

Set Contents

Felt Washer 1 pc (with grease)
P03 Washer 2 pcs (0.3mm)
P05 Washer 2 pcs (0.5mm)

* Two each of the P03 and P05 washers are included so that you can make fine adjustments according to the individual differences (unit-to-unit variation) of each Cardinal,
and so that you can try out your preferred setting.

Items to Prepare

Tweezers, flathead screwdriver, toothpick, etc.

Replacement Method

* This is reproduced from the Handmade Lure Studio MORPHO website, and the rights to the descriptions, content, and photos in these instructions belong to Handmade Lure Studio MORPHO.
Posting on our website has been approved by Handmade Lure Studio MORPHO, and unauthorized reproduction by others is prohibited.

If this is your first time disassembling, please work while carefully checking how the original parts (genuine parts) are assembled and their condition.
Being unable to reassemble is something that tends to happen when you proceed with the work without understanding the structure.
There are also plastic parts, so brute force is forbidden.
If you do not mistake the direction for removing and installing the parts, no force is necessary.
The P03 and P05 washers are thin resin parts, so please be careful not to bend or scratch them.

1. Loosen the drag knob.


Please loosen it all the way to the end.

2. Remove the side plate.



3. Turn off the stopper and pull out the drag bar plate.



4. Remove the E-ring at the rear end of the shaft.









Up to step 3. is relatively easy, but from here a little knack is required.
Move the spool shaft forward to minimize the force needed to bend it.
Insert the tip of the tweezers to remove the ring, but be careful as it tends to fly off and get lost.

5. Pull out the spool together with the shaft.


It should come out smoothly.

6. Remove the entire drag assembly.


Push it down toward the rear in the axial direction.


Slide it sideways to remove it.

Push the drag bush down toward the rear in the axial direction with your fingernail,
and once the protrusion of the bush comes off the gunmetal, slide it sideways to remove the entire drag assembly.

7. Washer Replacement


Setting With Emphasis on Stickiness

The upper row is the entire genuine drag assembly; counting from the left, the 3rd and 5th black washers are not used, so please set them aside.

The lower row is this product's recommended setting with emphasis on stickiness, which improves slip-out while maintaining holding power.
As shown in the photo, please use the P05 washer, felt washer, and P03 washer in combination with the genuine metal washers.
The maximum drag force is higher with the genuine drag, but that is a range you would rarely use in fishing targeting native trout in the tributaries of the Honshu area.
Also, if you prefer a setting with emphasis on slip-out, it is best to assemble using only the P03 and P05 washers without the felt washer.
Please try it at your own discretion.

Take the felt washer out of the packing bag and lightly wipe off the excess grease with a toothpick or similar.
Keep the grease remaining in the packing bag rather than discarding it, as it can be used during maintenance.
Also, if the drag grease runs short due to drying or other reasons,
please use your preferred product from the related products at the very bottom of this product page.



Assemble the entire drag, but pay attention to the orientation of the spring washer stacked last.
If assembled in reverse, the drag performance will not be properly delivered.

8. Install the entire drag assembly into the body.


Check that the drag bar looks like the one in the photo.


Insert the entire drag assembly at an angle.

Be careful not to misalign the orientation of the washers you aligned and assembled in step 7.
Perform the drag removal work done in step 6. in reverse.

Because the felt washer is thicker than the genuine black washer, the thickness of the entire drag assembly may increase before and after replacement.
If it becomes difficult to install due to the increased thickness, either replace the P05 washer with a P03 washer
or remove the P03 washer, and you should be able to install it smoothly.

9. Attach the E-ring.



Return the spool shaft opposite to before, assemble the connecting link, and set the E-ring into the slit at the rear end of the shaft.



Push in the E-ring with the tip of a screwdriver or similar.
Work carefully while pressing down from above with your finger so as not to flick the E-ring away.

10. Install the drag bar plate.



11. Return the side plate, then tighten and adjust the drag knob appropriately to complete.



When storing the reel, please loosen the drag properly.
Leaving it tightened for a long period will cause grease to flow out of the felt and shorten its lifespan.
The replacement timing for this product is about 2 seasons for those who go fishing about once a week.
The guideline for replacement is when the inner diameter of the washer has widened to about 8.5mm.


| Custom Parts, Bearings & Other Items for Cardinal Are Available Here


[Abu] Cardinal Compatible Product List


#Cardinal3, Cardinal 3, Cardinal33, Cardinal 33