To be honest, I didnt know him very well. After my grandfather (blood) died, my grandmother moved to Colorado (she was 70+ at the time!!!) and remarried this man. He was a good man by all accounts that I heard, but he died a few years after they got married and I had only met him 1 or 2 times. He died 12 years ago and I was in my teens. I know very little about him other than the fact that he loved trout and salmon fishing. Though it sounds bad, to be honest these reels have very little sentimental value to me because there was no emmotional connection between me, him, and fishing. Again, I knew very little about him and spent even less time around him. Possibly given more time, we might could have created a relationship, but unfortunately distance and alloted time didn't allow for that.

My grandfather who is related by blood though, I knew very well. He is the man who taught me how to fish because my father didn't fish, and multiple items of equipment that he often used are on display at the house and here at the office. The equipment was cheap by some people's standards, but to me, they are priceless and valued as if they were blocks of gold. I can look at them and remember my first fishing trip in his boat, my first catfish on his pond, my first bass by pure accident while fishing with him. If anything was to happen to those pieces, it would hurt, a lot. Though his equipment was given to me in proper working condition, it will rarely ever be used, and is only taken down for periodic maintenance, which it obviously doesn't really need, and for nostaligia purposes. Holding his reels and rods in my hands provide memories with him that will last forever, and for that, I cherish those pieces.