Jay,
Thanks. So no idea what the thinking was behind it?
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I use Mustads almost exclusively and search Ebay for what I want, I also trade for Mustads. Allcocks were made until the Germans bomb the plant, it never went back into business.
Mary Dette Clark and her grandson still use Mustads today.
I have 3 of Mary's flies. Is she still tying?
Here's Mary's flies from Hans site. All labeled Mustads. http://www.danica.com/flytier/mdette/mdette.htm Maybe he got it totally wrong ;)
Well, that may have been true at that time(say 1940s) but that was quite awhile ago. I'm kinda guessing that since the late 40's Mustad has not been inferior to any manufacturer. In fact, I believe the Dettes have been using Mustads almost exclusively since about that time. About 10 years ago I did a field test that was viewed by several excellent tyers and a few who many would consider 'experts'. I was testing the strength of 3 manufacturers' hooks (same size, and all rated as dry fly 1xf wire), how quickly each hook would bend or break under the same pressure. Low and behold the Mustad proved stronger and was the last one to bend. One manufacturers' hooks straightened completely and the other company's hook broke. Mustad wasbent somewhat but not nearly straight. Performed the same test several times with almost the same outcome.
Allan
I doubt it Mark. I know Hans and have flies there too. He is very careful.
Mary may still use them, but I still doubt that a very big percentage of tiers today use Mustad hooks. I see where she now uses a Dyna KIng vise............
Personally, I use all brands of hooks. I have only had a couple occasions of a hook being broken (on rocks) or bent (on rocks) over many years of fishing.
I have read this thread with interest. I'm not a "professional" fly tier but, I tie flies almost every day. I prefer Mustad hooks. I have used TMC, Allen, Gomatsu (sic), Diachi (sic) and some others. When I can determine the Mustad alternative I'll try to get the Mustads. They have a hook conversion chart that has been referenced on this site a few times. The R50 is the equivalent of the TMC 100 and is the same as the old nomenclature.
I didn't mean to suggest that there was a problem today (in fact, I'm pretty sure I didn't). As for the history, it was 1950 and the letter was to the supplier, H.J. Knoll. Dette cited customer complaints about brittleness. He also had his own complaint about the hook eyes not being closed.
H.J. Knoll wrote back saying it had had more complaints regarding the Allcocks it used to supply.
The other interesting thing to me was the Dette gauge (I have a copy that I printed off this site), was based on the Allcock. The 94840 was sized differently. With the Allcock, a size 12 fly took a size 12 hackle. With the 94840, a size 12 fly took a size 10 hackle.
Mustad fly hooks are as good or better quality than anything else out there, and usually not as expensive. This discussion gets reheated periodically on here and other fora. I've only been tying for a little more than 30 years, so I don't have the wealth of experience that some of you do. However, when I was able to scrape together money for REAL fly hooks early on, they were all Mustads, what are referred to as the "Classic" series today. Anyone have any idea how many billions of fish were caught on these horrible, totally inferior hooks before the modern jewelry boutique style hooks of today? Byron, are you joking that you don't know ANYONE who ties on Mustads?