Sharpening and Crimping

[Eric-WD]

I didnt want to hijack the thread on Mustad hooks people there are talking about the sharpest hook.

It seems that when I get done crimping down the barb, I have to sharpen it, no matter what hook I am using. I use a technique of crimping with small non serated needle nose pliers from the point end. (not from the side) I read some where that if you do it this way you break less hooks.

I then automaticly grab the fingernail file and give it a quick touch up in a diamond patern. I guess I would rather know that the hook is sharp than test each one on my thumb nail.

I mostely tie small hooks (size 10 and smaller) is it different with bigger hooks? is there a better way? I know some use there vice but mine is slow to adjust and I would rather use the pliers.

Any comments, hints, techniques?

Eric

[TyroneFly]

Eric,

I check every hook for sharpness before smashing the barb and placing it in the vise. If I find a hook that slides across my fingernail I just use a ceramic hook sharpener. I smash the barb from the side using a Tiemco barb plier. I have never broken a hook point smashing a bard from the side and since it does not touch the point the hook remains sharp.

[sagefisher]

Eric,

I keep a pair of Dr. Slick Forceps (smooth jaws) at my tying table and use those. I believe that if a hook breaks while you are crimping down the barb, then that hook was most likely a defective hook and good riddance to it. That is assuming you are not trying to bench press the hook between the jaws of the forceps.

If you need to sharpen your hooks that is the best time to do it, prior to tying the fly.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[SteveGibson]

I didnt want to hijack the thread on Mustad hooks people there are talking about the sharpest hook.

It seems that when I get done crimping down the barb, I have to sharpen it, no matter what hook I am using. I use a technique of crimping with small non serated needle nose pliers from the point end. (not from the side) I read some where that if you do it this way you break less hooks.

I then automaticly grab the fingernail file and give it a quick touch up in a diamond patern. I guess I would rather know that the hook is sharp than test each one on my thumb nail.

I mostely tie small hooks (size 10 and smaller) is it different with bigger hooks? is there a better way? I know some use there vice but mine is slow to adjust and I would rather use the pliers.

Any comments, hints, techniques?

Eric

Eric,

Why don't you just buy barbless hooks? And I'm not so sure that such small fly hooks really need sharpening.

[Ray Kunz]

The reason it was suggested to debarb from the front and not the side was that when you work from the front one of the plier jaws is pressing on the straight, unbarbed, surface of the hook while the other jaw is pressing down on the tip of the barb. In this case there is no stress imposed to the weakest and most vunerable spot on the hook which is at the base of where the slicing cut was made to create the barb. In this case the spot is seeing a "Compressive" force. This weakest spot is a "Stress Concentration" spot. On the other hand, if you pinch the barb from the side there is a chance that you might add a twisting force that could add "Tension" at that weak spot if you try to bend the hook point downward.
Another suggestion from the old guy. When sharpening, use a ceramic stone, not a diamond emery board and always stroke the hook point from the tip back toward the bend of the hook to eliminate any burrs. (Different folks may have different strokes but these are my thoughts.)

[JohnScott]

I crimp the barb from the side, not headon. Have only had a few hooks break while fishing over the four years or so that I have been tying.

I've never sharpened a hook, period. And can't remember a time when I thought sharpening a hook would have made any difference to my fishing experience. Actually, since I fish for the "hunt" and the "take" and prefer to have fish get off before I have to handle them, I probably ought to dull the hook before I start fishing !!

Maybe if I were fishing for other than trout, and / or were going to get particularly excited about landing trophy fish, I'd think about sharpening a hook. As it is, it falls in the same category with long and pretty casts, nice gear, and whatever is "the latest."

[ohiotuber]

The reason it was suggested to debarb from the front and not the side was that when you work from the front one of the plier jaws is pressing on the straight, unbarbed, surface of the hook while the other jaw is pressing down on the tip of the barb. In this case there is no stress imposed to the weakest and most vunerable spot on the hook which is at the base of where the slicing cut was made to create the barb. In this case the spot is seeing a "Compressive" force. This weakest spot is a "Stress Concentration" spot. On the other hand, if you pinch the barb from the side there is a chance that you might add a twisting force that could add "Tension" at that weak spot if you try to bend the hook point downward.
Another suggestion from the old guy. When sharpening, use a ceramic stone, not a diamond emery board and always stroke the hook point from the tip back toward the bend of the hook to eliminate any burrs. (Different folks may have different strokes but these are my thoughts.)

Ray,
Thanks for the explanation on hook sharpening. I was NEVER sure the proper way to do it until now, & was always a little too embarrassed to ask. You just did this ignorant ol' Irishman a favor!
Thanks,
Mike

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

I use my apex vice and crimp 100s at a time. Its boring as all get out but in the long run its the easiest way. I tried using a dremel and grinding them off . Man was that a mistake it Ruined most of the hooks I tried it on.

The apex vice is easy to adjust and has a groove in the jaws that I set the hook in then crush. I found the apex much easier to use for this purpose than my renzetti when doing a lot of hooks at once. I tried using pliers but find every once in a while the barb got smashed a little askew and would hang up when given the stick it in the shirt test. The groove in the jaws prevents the barb from wandering when I crush it.

Nothings dumber than tying a really nice fly and then breaking the hook as you de-barb it. Yep I have done that more than once. So now I always de-barb them first.

For big fish on the salt I used to sharpen the hooks, it really makes a difference. Now I am away from the salt I don't often bother, I don't think it makes much of a difference for the freshwater fish I go after now.

I once bought one of those little powered hook sharpeners but man that thing was junk. I do have a hook hone for when I get a rush of blood to my head and do decide to sharpen a hook. Mostly I use it to trim my nails when they get an annoying chip out of them.

Barbless are becoming easier to find, the local Wal-Mart even had them last summer but at a premium price.

[Bugsy]

I have debarbed thousands of hooks "from the side" and have had relatively very few issues with points fracturing. On the rare occassion the point does break off, I can frequently give credit to poor tempering or a disproportionately deep barbing slice.

With few exceptions, my medium trout hooks, smaller salmon hooks, and all light/med wire warmwater hooks are debarbed in the vise jaws, perpendicular to the shank. The predictibly even and subtly powerful movement of the smooth, cam-operated jaws make this the most efficient and reliable method for me. It becomes automatic; just one quick smoosh in the jaws prior to mounting the hook for tying. I see no need to fuss with pliers whenever the vise can do it more quickly and better.

And though I'm not particularly heavy-handed when I debarb hooks, I see no point in babying the hook unnecessarily. If it's a crappy hook, I'd rather have the point bust off before I tie the fly rather than to have it knocked off on subsurface rocks or in the jaws of a good fish.

As for the Dremel comments: I have found Dremel (or other rotary) tools to be excellent for quickly removing the barb from certain larger hooks with tough/hard barbs, such as SS saltwater, nickel-plated, and cad-plated hooks. Attempts on black-japanned salmon/steelie hooks were less than satisfactory due to the exposed metal that found itself subject to corrosion.

[Andrew]

I crimp the barb from the side, not headon. Have only had a few hooks break while fishing over the four years or so that I have been tying.

I've never sharpened a hook, period. And can't remember a time when I thought sharpening a hook would have made any difference to my fishing experience. Actually, since I fish for the "hunt" and the "take" and prefer to have fish get off before I have to handle them, I probably ought to dull the hook before I start fishing !!

Maybe if I were fishing for other than trout, and / or were going to get particularly excited about landing trophy fish, I'd think about sharpening a hook. As it is, it falls in the same category with long and pretty casts, nice gear, and whatever is "the latest."

Sorry, I had to chuckle when you said you prefer to have the fish come off before you have to handle it! I'm just the opposite, I like to land the fish - and I sharpen all of my hooks.

Just a thought though - why not just cut the hook at the bend and then you won't have to worry about landing anything? Or maybe doing some virtual fishing on a Wii or something?