Has anyone ever made their own "chatterbait Blades" Shakee Blades from scratch?

[primetime]

I have been messing around with bladed jigs for the last few months trying every configuration, blades from every bladed jig I could think of, on all types of heads, split rings, oval rings, wire, spinner baits, weighted hooks and I think I finally found a rig that I really like, however I want a blade that is shaped more square than what is available.

I am actually using a Jig Rig type of system so I can change the weight to match the trailer and I have found that the key is really the blade. The Z-Man blades from the older models are thin and cheap, but the one's from Skirts Unlimited and Barlows etc. that cost the most are really good quality but I don't like that shape. I know I can't use the Z-Man shape but I was wondering.

What type of metal would I need and what should I buy? I have a friend with a Machine shop who can cut them for me and punch holes where I need them, but I was hoping for some ideas since I am not good with mechanical stuff.

Thanks in Advance. I can post pics of my creation if it actually works as well as I am hoping.

Thanks.

[cadman]

First of all if you have a really good idea, don't post any pics on the i-net, your idea will be stolen in minutes. The only person you can trust is yourself. Now I am in sheet metal design. I make all my own molds as well as all of my own blades. There are several thing you can use. Stainless steel comes to mind as the first material. Then I would try aluminum. On the aluminum, I would use 6061T6 aluminum. It is very hard to bend, but it is machinable, strong and very light. If you have any other questions and would like to discuss further, you can PM me, and I can probably get you some designs.

 

Also if you are looking for some stainless steel, I can probably get you a small piece free of charge. All you have to do is pay for shipping.

[primetime]

2 hours ago, cadman said:

First of all if you have a really good idea, don't post any pics on the i-net, your idea will be stolen in minutes. The only person you can trust is yourself. Now I am a sheet metal design. I make all my own molds as well as all of my own blades. There are several thing you can use. Stainless steel comes to mind as the first material. Then I would try aluminum. On the aluminum, I would use 6061T6 aluminum. It is very hard to bend, but it is machinable, strong and very light. If you have any other questions and would like to discuss further, you can PM me, and I can probably get you some designs.

 

Also if you are looking for some stainless steel, I can probably get you a small piece free of charge. All you have to do is pay for shipping.

Thanks for your help. The info you just provided me is fantastic and hopefully my buddy will be able to help me, but I will PM you for sure if I need any material and I would pay for the metal and shipping as well. I just need to get some blades and then mess around, but it sounds like you can help out and be a valuable resource. 

I may (Most likely will) need design help, and I am still early in the process as I have been cutting blades from cans which are crude to say the least, but hopefully this idea turns out to be better than most of my past attempts. I appreciate the advice, I wouldn't post any pics but I feel as though I probably can't sell these (If they work out) unless I do everything from scratch or import some of the components. 

I have read your name on hundreds of threads in the last few months while getting ideas on how to do this, it seems your name pops up in many threads regarding lure design and Jig Pouring. I will absolutely reach out to you in the near future if I get this going as I am hoping. I have only read good things about your skills.

It sure would be nice to be the next Renosky in the world, but hey, you never know. So many lures that have been created and sold to larger companies are designed by smaller guys, but I know that many ideas get stolen online. 

I have always found it odd that the same 2 guys who created the Original Chatterbait and then sold the patent to Z-man, then went ahead and developed the Rage Blade for Strike King right afterwards. I also find it odd that you can sell the blade directly attached if you are selling them from overseas, so I don't understand why a company couldn't just start a company with an address outside of the United States if you want to go direct to the blade, even with a Hexagon blade shape? I am not looking to do that but I look at Savage and all they did was take a ball head jig and slap a blade on it, so how is it Okuma can sell that in the United States or any Japanese Company when I can import the exact same blades but if I sell them in the USA, I have Z-Man after me? 

Eagle Claw owns the original Shakee blade, the Eaker Shaker, they just didn't market it properly or understand what they had, yet the creators of the "Chatterbait" admit to using the Eaker Shaker for years to get the idea. I understand patents, but man, I bet Gary Yamamoto wishes he would have put a patent on the Senko. Sure it is a plastic worm, but he could of made that a patent and not let anyone sell a worm that was the same exact shape?

I remember Bass Pro used to sell a Spinnerbait that had 2 vibrating blades in front of it back in the late 80's early 90's and another company had a bait similar to a chatterbait in the 60's, but I guess patents are complex and expire etc. I just find it odd that Z-man owns a direct attachment on anything? 

Sorry for the ramble, I am just amazed that Z-Man was able to stop Berkley from their vibrating bladed Jig which looked nothing like a chatterbait and I never caught a fish on it. But if they were able to stop Pure Fishing, then they must be much bigger than I realized. Guys on Ebay are selling bladed jigs directly attached right now and they are selling well, at least they were last week, my guess is they are pulled by now. 

[cadman]

Primetime, like I mentioned don't post pics, don't tell anyone. Even if you don't decide to make these available for production down the road, if someone sees your idea they will beat you to it and then you will wish you hadn't done that. On another note, when you are ready, you can PM me and we can work out all the designs and try a few, to see if it works for you. I have had a few ideas stolen from me, and well that was the end of that. All my current stuff that I do will die with me to the end. I can't afford to do mass production, and I don't trust anyone else to help me, so I keep it to myself.

[primetime]

Thanks for you advise. 

I will be in touch for sure and I will find out about the blades this weekend and what can be done. I am sure I will need some design help. I am still having issues with the action,  and I am good just having a bait that I created that catches fish, besides, I am not sure it will ever have the "Pretty" Factor needed to catch Fisherman, or if it is as good as I think.

I took it out for 4 hours today and still have some issues but I think this could be a good creation, I just wonder if I really created anything or Stole 3 ideas already out on the market and combined them in a different way, it is no doubt unique, but the blade will be key and I will let you know how I make out with the metal and I may take you up on your offer and buy some material from you.

I will PM you once I get this figured out and see how much time it will take someone to make 100 blades and at what cost. 

I always see "New" lures that catch on and think to myself, how did I not think of that, or sometimes I think I have thought about it and never realized it. I remember watching the Episode of Timmy Horton outdoors when he was throwing the "MJ Rig" and my brother showed me that trick about 20 years ago after first seeing the Creme Midget Crawler, we would also bite the tails off of Curly tail worms to make Cut Tails when the water was cold. I wonder how much money that company Talon has made selling the MJ rig or Gambler off the EZ Duz it, I know I am not the only one who was putting blades on spinnerbaits as a trailer in stained water years ago or on Jigs because I would swim them since I couldn't flip.

 

[cadman]

Depending on what the construction is and material, I can also get you a price on a hundred count. This way you will have something to compare to. It may be cheaper to fabricate here in IL instead of Florida, you never know.

Any bait can be sold as your own invention as long as there is 10% design change. So taking three concepts and incorporating them into one, would be good enough.

[primetime]

11 hours ago, cadman said:

Depending on what the construction is and material, I can also get you a price on a hundred count. This way you will have something to compare to. It may be cheaper to fabricate here in IL instead of Florida, you never know.

Any bait can be sold as your own invention as long as there is 10% design change. So taking three concepts and incorporating them into one, would be good enough.

Thanks for your help. I will be in touch. I had a good day with it today. I will run the price by you before having them made, You know your fishing so the fact you understand metal, cutting, and lure making is probably the way to go. 

Have a great weekend.

[Looking for the big one]

Although somewhat difficult and cost worthy, an awesome thing to see would be a galvanized steel blade, extra thick. I have had smaller Z mans break off at the blade, and am a little bit scared to break off on thee big one. A really high quality and durable blade would be cool to try. 

[Jaw1]

I use stainless shim stock in various thicknesses and it works pretty good