Sharp hooks ?

[Catt]

11 hours ago, WRB said:

Then the Japanese hooks hit the market with sticky sharp

 

Mustad was founded on the outskirts of the Norwegian town of Gjøvik back in 1832. Today, one in four hooks in the world is made by Mustad. 

 

I'll sharpen a spinnerbait hook, maybe a jig, the rest I replace.

[OkobojiEagle]

I've used this sharpener for years... does double duty on my pocket knives as well.

 

oe

 

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-43323-VN43323-Hunting-Camping/dp/B000AR7AKG/ref=sr_1_44?crid=LM3PA08Y5NYQ&dchild=1&keywords=pocket+knife+sharpener&qid=1634046343&sprefix=pocket+knife+%2Caps%2C218&sr=8-44

[WRB]

5 hours ago, Catt said:

 

Mustad was founded on the outskirts of the Norwegian town of Gjøvik back in 1832. Today, one in four hooks in the world is made by Mustad. 

 

I'll sharpen a spinnerbait hook, maybe a jig, the rest I replace.

Owner and Gamakatsu forced Eagle Claw, Mustad and VMC to up their game regarding hook sharpness. We thought Mustad was sharp until really sharp hooks hit the market.

Today we have lots of good sharp hooks to choose.

I don’t resharpen Worm or treble hooks just replace them. Hair Jigs hook I will sharpen too much effort to make them.

Tom

PS, you were probably a Mustad hook tester during the period they were developing “sticky” sharp hooks, I was!

[PressuredFishing]

Hooks have come a long way from the ones In my dad's tackle box. Owners gammies and mustads are sticky, Eagle Claw has surprisingly came a long way as well. However catching fish and bumping cover takes a toll, so yes I do sharpen OR replace.

[Catt]

3 hours ago, WRB said:

We thought Mustad was sharp until really sharp hooks hit the market.

 

Mustad hook are 

4.3 UltraPoint® Technology

Opti-Angle Needle Point

1X Long shank

Nor tempered 

 

I perfect needle points over cutting edge, besides if they're good enough for KVD they're good for Catt. 

[LrgmouthShad]

4 hours ago, Catt said:

I perfect needle points over cutting edge

What do you mean by cutting edge? 

 

Aside though, I gotta agree with @WRB on Owner and Gamakatsu setting the standard for sharpness. I fingernail test just about every hook I use. Of the ones I have when I tested them out of the package, Mustad meets it sometimes, but Gamakatsu and Owner meet it just about every time. They are really darn sharp. Fingernail test isnt always a criteria for using the hook, but if it's a spinnerbait and it doesn't pass, I fix that. 

 

But Mustad does make good hooks. Owner and Gamakatsu just seem like they are on another level of sticky

[Crow Horse]

2 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

What do you mean by cutting edge? 

 

Aside though, I gotta agree with @WRB on Owner and Gamakatsu setting the standard for sharpness. I fingernail test just about every hook I use. Of the ones I have when I tested them out of the package, Mustad meets it sometimes, but Gamakatsu and Owner meet it just about every time. They are really darn sharp. Fingernail test isnt always a criteria for using the hook, but if it's a spinnerbait and it doesn't pass, I fix that. 

 

But Mustad does make good hooks. Owner and Gamakatsu just seem like they are on another level of sticky

I respectfully disagree. None of the brands I've tested have passed my fingernail test. I take the test hook and connect it with a short leader which has a small weight. I'll position my thumb vertically and at app. 80° angle. I then take the hook and place it lightly against my fingernail and release it. If it falls to the floor it's not sharp enough. If it digs into my thumbnail and holds, it's good to go.

Try it with a hook you believe to be sharp.

[LrgmouthShad]

5 minutes ago, Crow Horse said:

I respectfully disagree.

And thats okay brother ?. Seems like we have different methods of testing. Yours does seem very interesting and much more intricate than mine ?

[Crow Horse]

3 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

And thats okay brother ?. Seems like we have different methods of testing. Yours does seem very interesting and much more intricate than mine ?

No worries. Initially it's a little more time consuming but it doesn't take long after some practice.

I recognize that I often times go overboard in activities that I have a passion for. Fishing is one of those activities.

[LrgmouthShad]

1 minute ago, Crow Horse said:

I recognize that I often times go overboard in activities that I have a passion for. Fishing is one of those activities.

Some of the things Bill Murphy did according to his book seemed a little overboard to me, but they sure worked for him! 

 

I won't ever disrespect the hustle

[Catt]

10 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

What do you mean by cutting edge? 

 

Ya never heard Owner cutting edge hooks?

 

Quite a few others on the market 

 

Mustad's two-stage Opti-angle point has less metal removed during the sharpening process than other manufacturers. 

 

Chemically sharpened & Nor-Tempered is up to 30% stronger than conventional hooks.

 

Y'all worried about the hook sliding across your thumb nail, I'm worried about it penetrating the roof of a bass's mouth repeatedly.

[cyclops2]

I go right to seeing how easily the point starts to penetrate the tough skin of my palm.  A fish's gums & mouth skin tissue is tough also.  I have always had the most treble hook points dug in when they are the thin black wire type of hooks. Crushed down barbs. I may take the mini Harbor freight grinder and grind off all the bulge of the crushed down barbs. on 4 & ^ # test mono not much pull is left.   BUUTT  We are talking about a few thousands of a inch pushing on tough grilse & bone.  

Edit......I think I MIGHT have had 1 ....1.5 " Rapala lure fully in the mouth.  They are just all hook nippers. Might try a long tail hook to see if that increases hook ups into mouth tissue. 

Trolling does help in more of the hook ups for some reason. I no longer stop the boat. I allow the boat motion to keep line tension with my reeling on the 4# test stuff.

[Crow Horse]

12 hours ago, Catt said:

Y'all worried about the hook sliding across your thumb nail, I'm worried about it penetrating the roof of a bass's mouth repeatedly.

If it passes my test as shown above, it'll go through the roof of a bass's mouth with ease.

 

I haven't tested any Mustad hooks for their sharpness but I suspect they are on par with the other major hook manufacturers. It'll be interesting to see how they fare. Hook manufacturing has improved greatly and current hooks are much better than those made many years ago. However, they are still made in a production environment where speed and cost containment is the name of the game. I'm of the firm belief that they all need attention prior to getting wet.

[Chris Catignani]

I like using the smaller sharpening stones...probably about 180 grit.

They have a groove down the middle.

[WRB]

Just because a hook point is needle sharp doesn’t equate to being a good hook. 

Before the 90’s  Mustad and Eagle Claw hooks were predominate hooks in the USA. The Japanese hooks had’t become well known. The 1st high quality Japanese hooks I became aware of Gary Klein’s Weapon jig with Daiichi black nickel hooks. Then Dick Trask showed us Gamakatsu worm hooks, followed by Daiwa TD Minnow lures with hooks so sharp it was difficult touching the lure to remove hooks from a bass.

Iovino introduced me to Owner hooks.

Mustad hooks were not always the sharpest before the Y2K. I used Mustad bronze hooks by the 100 each package for jigs and often found hooks without a point, marginal QA, but better then Eagle Claw.

A good hook needs to penetrate the basses mouth tissue without bending or falling back out during the fight.

Removing the black nickel plating from the hook point can create major problems with corrosion and temper.

Tom

[Columbia Craw]

Lot’s of good information to file away.

[Crow Horse]

All the components of a hook need to work in concert with each other. A sharp hook with weak wire or an undersized wire gauge will yield poor results. The steel's properties if poor will result in a hook point that dulls easily. Hook geometry is another huge factor.  There are many elements in this equation....

[Crow Horse]

This is the turret sharpening system that I use. To the left of it is a edge tester used in the commercial meat and poultry industry to test sharpness of knives before they are used in production.

 

 

[Crow Horse]

4 hours ago, WRB said:

Removing the black nickel plating from the hook point can create major problems with corrosion and temper.

I'll agree with removing the plating could make it more susceptible to corrosion but that shouldn't alter the temper of the steel. I believe that would require heat and there's no way sharpening a hook by hand could generate the temps to change the temper.

I fish plastics 99% of the time and only go through a couple of hooks per season as long as I don't have any bite offs. I inspect them weekly prior to getting wet using an 10x Optivisor and I haven't see any signs of corrosion. If it passes the sharpness test it's good to go.

[WRB]

The hook wire is bent into shape, forged or flattened at the bend, heat treated, stressed relieved, barb form and sharpened prior to processing the finish. Using electroless nickel flash to prevent the electrical current dulling the point.

A final colored nickel finishes the process.

Basically the process, each mfr has their own proprietary processing. Some steels can only be case hardened, work hardened and the heat treatment process doesn’t apply throughout the metal.  

Removing metal can be like removing the hardening process that may only be deep. 

Nearly all these metal are galvanic to salt water therefore need the protective coating.

Soft plastics are often salt impregnated.

Tom

[Oklahoma Mike]

On 10/11/2021 at 11:14 AM, Mike L said:

I use Trokar hooks almost exclusively and rarely will I touch them.
Have to be very careful with those as a file can ruin them. 

However, there are certain presentations that I will use an Owner or Gammy, for those I will hit the point regularly as needed. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike
 

 

I found the Trokars to be almost too sharp. Was tearing up my plastics much faster, and oftentimes when I hooked one in the lower lip it ripped a hole large enough for the hook to come out easily. 

[Mike L]

8 hours ago, Oklahoma Mike said:

I found the Trokars to be almost too sharp. Was tearing up my plastics much faster, and oftentimes when I hooked one in the lower lip it ripped a hole large enough for the hook to come out easily. 

I understand, 
The biggest reason they tear up plastic is most anglers will still tex-pos them. Don’t know if you are, but don’t next time.
With a Trokar, there’s no reason too. I insert the tip about 1/2 way as they are so sharp they will come through any plastic you use. 

Another advantage is I had to tone down my hook setting a little, don’t have to hit them as hard. 
 

I’m gonna try the Big Nasty Flipping Hook (TK 133) at an up coming event. 
They have a 45deg bend at the bottom of the shank and then 45 deg back up. A few of the better “punchers” I know swear by them. 

Can’t remember a time when I hooked one in the bottom lip

 

 

 

 

Mike

[scaleface]

You guys are a lot more knowledgeable about hooks than I . I'm still going to touch them up , when needed,  with a diamond file , like I have been doing for a long time . 

[Catt]

Y'all do what ya want, me & Kevin gonna keep throwing Mustad 

[WRB]

Like Titleist golf balls Mustad must on top of state of the art or loose their #1 position.

Tom