Just wondering…hook manufacturers have number designations for their hooks, e.g., 9671, 2487, 100, etc. Are these numbers just pulled out of thin air (my guess) or do they refer to specific properties about the hook.
Mustad’s new line of hooks number refer to specific properties about the hook.
Yes they do have certain designations…like 9671 with 9672 being longer, 3407 and 34007 then add an s (as 3407S) for stainless, etc. Lots of stuff in some #'s.
…lee s.
I should rephrase the question. Take the Mustad 3906. Do any of these numbers refer to the type of bend or the wire weight or type of eye or finish or length of shank, etc. If a rod has the designation 905 one might guess that it is a 9 foot rod for a 5 wt. line. I realize that a 100BL is a barbless 100 but is the 100 simply an arbitrary designation chosen by Tiemco?
The numbers do refer to style and specifications of a given hook, but they are specific to each manufacturer. Thus, a hook designated by Mustad as a #3906 could be referred to (in an more or less identicle hook) by Tiemco as a #100 (these are not actual identifications, just examples), or a #2403 by Eagle Claw or Gamakatsu. They all use their own designations.
Semper Fi!
Dfly,
We may hear from DR. Fish on this, but my experience is that the numbers are absolutely ‘arbitrary’ in their inception.
Now, after THAT, they may or may not take on ‘meaning’, but if they do, it’s an ‘in house’ thing and doesn’t seem to be carried from hook type to hook type, even within hooks made by the same manufacturer.
It would be ‘nice’ if we could take the typical four didgit ‘hook number’ and break it down into a logical description of the hook- the first number designating wire size, next number the type of bend, then shank length, then hook size. Add an ‘s’ afterwards if it’s a stainless hook, a ‘t’ for a plated one, etc.
Would take some thought and some industry cooperation.
Won’t happen.
Way too simple. Be nice, though.
Good Luck!
Buddy
I wish hook manufacturers would come up with a system for hook numbering. The first digit could be the wire weight, the second the shank length, then bend shape, eye type…
Once in awhile somebody trys to make sense and makes a 9672 one size longer shank than a 9671. But that guy is immediately fired and replaced buy a guy who uses one of those lottery machines with the ping-pong balls.
Jay,
Remember that these guys are competitors. I doubt that they want to make it too easy for you to quickly pick up an alternative. They would rather you spend a little extra effort to find theirs.
[This message has been edited by Ray Kunz (edited 19 March 2006).]
You have to think about it like a bureaucrat. If each number referred to a specific property then similar hooks or even not so similar hooks with the same properties would all have similar numbers and this may create confusion/mistakes as maybe you couldn’t remember the exact number of that 3709 or was it the 3708 or maybe 3706… (you’d be in the ball park but if you’re off by one number then you either have a hook too long or too short) but if short shank is 3709 and long shank of the same hook is 5584743 then there’s no confusion whatsoever…LOL