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LH Design Reels
Leen Huisman of Holland is the man behind LH Design. His reels are perhaps the finest example of craftsmanship in reel making that I have ever seen. All of their reels are made from 100% pure titanium. This material is incredibly strong, looks beautiful on a fly reel, and is completely corrosion proof. LH Design makes reels in seven different series. Series A models have Bickerdyke line guards made from stainless spring steel, are available in two sizes for line weights #1-6, and are silent in both directions. Series B reels are traditional enclosed reels with a full cage frame in four sizes designed for #1-9 weights. There are also Series AA and Series BB Lightweight reels which look very similar to the standard models A and B, but have no drag system. They feature just a simple two-way gear and pawl click system. The Syntax drag on all drag models through the 6/7 size is incredibly smooth and has more than enough range to handle fish that would be pursued with a reel of that capacity. Leen is moving toward a center-mounted disc drag that should have considerably more range on all models from the 8 weight sizes on up. These should be available in early 2007. The Sapphire 4/5 features a sketetal frame, and has spools made from P.E.I. which is a space age polymer. They look as if they have been machined from amber. It's a great way to get a titanium-framed reel and a spare spool for only $1150.00. There is also a titanium spool available for the Sapphire. For $1195.00 you can get the frame, one PEI spool, and one titanium spool. I keep, or at least I really try to, the Sapphire models in stock at all times. All the other models can be personalized in many ways and are essentially custom made to your desires. They make about 30 reels a year and will probably only be able to export about half of those a year to me. If you want one be prepared to spend a few minutes on the phone getting everything worked out and also expect a very open-ended shipping date. If you are not willing to wait perhaps several months or more (hopefully less than that most of the time) you need to look for a different reel. Leen has been very explicit that he will not be rushed; reels will be delivered when they are finished! I have used several LH Design reels and they are fantastic fishing implements as well as being beautifully designed and constructed. It should also be noted that Leen makes superb cane fly rods. He has one, two, and three piece designs with one or two tips and an optional leather case for prices in the $700.00-1200.00 range. If this is of interest to you please contact me, and I'll give you more information. You may notice some major changes in 2007. First of all, the number of models has been cut from thirty-three to fifteen. This was done with the intention of keeping prices down and to shorten delivery times. You'll also notice a price increase in the Sapphires. You need to understand a couple of points regarding prices. First of all, the raw titanium prices have gone up significantly the last few years, as has the PEI that he uses in the Sapphire spools. Also, the dollar continues to fluctuate against the Euro. Since I have to pay him in Euros, I have to convert the equivalent prices into American dollars. When the Euro and the US dollar were within a few pennies of each other I just quoted the same price in dollars. Since the value of the US dollar has slipped significantly in the last couple of years, I have converted the Euro price into dollars. If these values continue to fluctuate wildly, I may end up having to show the prices in Euros and then provide a hotlink to a currency conversion site. One other point. The sizes and models that have been discontinued are still be available on a special-order basis. That means the price will probably be higher than they were, but at least they'd be available. This would include the Series C and Zircon which were completely eliminated from the catalog. Call or e-mail me for more details including specs. Also starting in 2007, the new saltwater models should finally be available. I haven't seen one yet, but I hope to get one in soon. The prices range from $7750.00 to $8250.00 for the three sizes. In talking to a few people who have seen these (Leen brought a Tarpon model to the Sommerset, NJ show in 2006 and 2007) they are supposed to be incredible examples of the reelmakers art. And they were designed and built to use, not just collect. As soon as I have specs and photos, I'll add them to this page. They feature the new center mounted cork disc drag that Leen has developed.
The Beaverkill is the B series of reels with incredible engraving on the backplate. Each comes in its own mahagony presentation box. The set of all three in one presentation box designed for all three reels is $21,000. The #3 model is $6750.00, the #4 is $7075.00, and the #5 is $7175.00. The Saltwater series also consists of three reels and each has a hand engraved backplate showing the fish for which the reel was named. A set of all three in a walnut presentation box with a titanium name plate is $24,000. The 7/8 Bonefish is $7750.00, the 9/10 Tarpon is $8150.00, and the 11/12 Marlin is $8250.00.
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