A great tip, thanks so much for sharing it Normand. now can do this without sliding the hook completely through my finger! I can honestly say I know how the fish feels when a hook is ripped out!!!
jeanne
There’s also a “bead nabber” that works well - kind of like a reverse tweezer - you put the jaws around the bead, relax the pressure, and the bead is grabbed.
I have been using an old english style hackle plier to grab the bead, been working well.
Regards Mike
I just use tweezers. I place the bead container in a larger bin so if I drop one it will not disappear into deep space. It is amazing how far a dropped bead can travel on a hardwood floor. I put the hook point up in the vise then just drop the bead over it.
I do 100 at a time so I always have some beadhead hooks on hand. I think it speeds up the tie.
I use a blob of Mortile caulk or a piece of the poster putty shaped into a point to pick up the beads; it works great on all sizes including minuscule glass, grabs a few at a time and holds them firmly enough to thread a hook through.
By accident, I discovered the easiest (for me) way to get the bead on the hook. Get a small square of soft rubber foam (packing material or such, 4"X4" or so). Place the bead on the foam with the small openning facing up. Place the point of the hook on the openning and the bead will literally jump on the end of hook. Try it, you’ll like it.
The clips are called “Mini Test Clip Adapters”. very useful to those of us who have two thumbs. LOL
I just pick them up and put them on the hook…
Am I missing something?
Buddy
Buddy, yes you are … probably arthritis.
The type of bead tweezers I use are the ones you have to squeeze together then slide the lock down them to hold the bead. The spring loaded type tends to slip off to the side and ziiiing there goes your bead into nowhere land. These have a little cup on the ends to hold the bead securely. I can’t remember the brand but they are sure handy.
Rich
The tweezers used by locksmiths for pinning locks work well too. They have curved end surfaces to grip pins. They grab beads pretty well too.
I’m “Thrifty”(aka cheep according to Jean) I took a pair of the Squeeze to open(inexpensive of course) put a round burr in the moto tool and closed them in the tip’s and ended up with a pair that work’s like the 8.00 tweezers for 2 bucks.
I use a “bead nabber”. It made it easier and quicker for me to put small beads, glass or brass on hooks than doing ti by hand.
I am not always the most coordinated person on the earth.
Rick
Sometimes, beading up hooks can get very boring, so I like to hold the hook I’m using, point up, like the letter “J”,with a pair of tweezers, then toss a bead into the air, a few feet above my tying bench and catch it with the hook as it falls back.
Curved scud hooks, can be a little tricky,to be sure, but I’m getting better now with more practice.