bug11 Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 Everybody know when your pouring jigs you'll get the occasional mishaps. The lead didn't cover or a blank spot on the jig. Its going to happen & over time the bad jigs tend to stack up. My question is, can I melt the lead off the hook & reuse it? I don't know if the heat from the failed pour & the heat to remove the lead would weaken the hook. I've never tried to reuse a hook before, I thought I would get everybody's opinion. Thanks for your replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 Just melt it off and you'll be fine. I just take a pair of needle nose pliers and hold the hook bend and a slight angle it'll melt right off, put it back in the mold and repour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasilofchrisn Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 Yup I do it all the time. You shouldn't have any issues remelting the lead and reusing the hook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 (edited) I have no idea what temps you guys use to melt your lead, but the chart below might help if your worried about getting steel hot enough to alter it's temper. Ben Edited August 2, 2013 by RayburnGuy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 I do it all the time as well. You will not damage the temper of the bass hooks we use. Now if you are using std. Aberdeen hooks, that might be a different story. I accidentally forgot a hook that was sitting in my pot for a full day of pouring, and other then discolor the hook, it felt like the hook was stiffer. But you have to remember that it was lying in the hot lead all day long. On small jigs with Aberdeen hooks, I quickly dip bad pours in hot lead, and those hooks are fine as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bug11 Posted August 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 Thanks again, very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasilofchrisn Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 I think most of us just dip them in the lead pot with pliers to remove the lead. I could potentially see issues if you were to use say a propane torch to melt the lead off as that could get it too hot. So be carewful if you decide to use other heat sources to melt the lead off. Even my bigger 20+oz stuff melts fairly fast in the pot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKFerzy7 Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 what if they have been powder painted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlaery Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 It's a PITA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 what if they have been powder painted? If they are powder painted and you just don't like the paint job, paint stripper is much faster and you can just rinse them off, dry and repaint. The reason paint stripper is faster, is that it takes awhile for the pot to melt the paint and then it has to melt the lead under the paint, which the powder paint acts as an insulator. If I were to do one or two painted bass jigs, then I would dip them in the pot. If I had 6 or more then paint stripper. Also if you put powder paint in a melting pot, the paint does smell when it starts to melt and burn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1976 Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 As soon you pull the hook out of the lead smack it to get the lead off the shank so the hook is clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSC Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 X2 What Andy Said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
