I have been searching for info that I remember reading one day and now cannot find it. I know that the distance between the hook shank and the hook point determine what size hook it is, but, what I want to know is what is the unit of measure used to determine that distance??
Thanks in advance for any help with this…
Warren,
I found this on Wikipedia…
"Size
Hook sizes are generally referred to by a number. Currently Mustad manufacturers the smallest (size 32) and largest (size 19/0) hooks. The numbers do not represent any specific measurement of a part or portion of the hook, but they do represent a relative size. For hook sizes from 32 to 1, the larger the number, the smaller the hook. For hook sizes from 1/0 (one aught) to 19/0, the larger the number, the larger the hook. There is no internationally recognized standards’ body for hooks and thus size is somewhat inconsistent between manufacturers. However, within a manufacturer’s range of hooks, hook sizes are consistent."
Here’s a link to another interesting article;
http://www.flyfishinghistory.com/hooks.htm
It doesn’t answer your question but does shed some light on the subject. Best Regards…
WarrenP;
I’m sure, I’ll be shot down on this, by someone, but ya’ can “only post, from your own learned skills” and not much else, right!?
So, that said… there really is not a “standard” among hook manufactures as to "MY hook is an EXACT match to YOUR hook, when comparisons are being made.
Once upon a time, long long ago… like so many year’s past that Jack H. was still a young man, everyone used the “Mustad Scale”, or “chart” to compare hook likenesses.
Then, along came the “Redditich Scale”,(lr again, chart), that changed the way we looked at “hook measurements”. The two scales, were similar, bit not close enough to be much good in comparing apples to apples.
As to “what’s used to measure the hook’s gape”, both charts use a measurement using the Metric sizes of milling steel and drawing wire. But, because of variables, like the thickness of wire used, by a particular hook maker, is much different than another maker’s, even measuring the gape now, can not really assure your using a compatible hook model, from say; Daiichi to Mustad.
I like Don Goddard’s statement in his book “Hooks”… "Anymore, you need a micrometer,a calipers and a wild imagination to figure out why ONE manufacturer calls a certain hook a “dry fly hook”, when another calls one of the same dimensions and wire thickness, “a scud hook”.
Joel,
I really appreciate the info you sent especially the link. The only reason I asked was that I teach a Beginner’s Fly Tying class and last week was the first class of 5 and when I discussed the different hooks, I mentioned that the hook size was the distance between the hook point and the hook shank because I had read that somewhere. One of my students asked what the measurment scale was and I told him I did not know, but, I would try and find out for him. What I thought was going to be easy looks like it will not be!
We meet again tonight and I will pass on what I have found out. From the link you furnished I did look up the “Redditch Scale” and it did not answer my question, but, it did produce an excellent “Hook Comparison Chart” which I copied and will hand out to my students. It is a good chart showing the different hook numbers for the same size hook made by 9 different hook manuafacturers. It is a chart I can use for my own tying if I cannot find my brand of hook at a shop, at least I can get the brand they sell that is about the same size as my favorite brand.
Thanks a bunch for your help…I do appreciate it…
Paul,
I also thank you for your reply. I never make up an answer if someone asks a question and I do not know the answer. I always tell them that I will find the answer for them. I thought I had read the measurment scale somewhere, but, it may have been an article stating that the gap is what most use but it may never have mentioned the measuring scale unit used. Oh, well, at least I have something I can report on and if they want to “dig” further they can.
Thanks a lot my friend and please stay in touch and take care…
I may catch a lot of flak for this but here is what I do. I use Aberdeen hook gaps as a standard but not in the way you might think. Not as a straight standard. Aberdeens being light wire only are usually consistent diameter-wise most of the time (there may be some that are not standard but most that I’ve seen are) and are one hook gap size smaller than most hooks. For example, if I put a size 8 Aberdeen on the table so that it just fits into a hook by the hook gaps, then I know I have a size 10 hook. Size 6 Aberdeen/size 8 hook, and so on. If it doesn’t fit, then it is another size so I pick another Aberdeen that will fit it so I know what the size of that hook will be. This saves a lot of confusion and endless hook charts for me.