Acuna Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 On my Collins Mold that I am using, it has a pin you insert into the eye of the hook to keep lead out. I recently ordered three new boxes of 32798 BLN 4/0 hooks and all but like five of the hooks had the eye too small to fit the pin. I have never had this issue in the past and it does not seem to be present in the 5/0 hooks. Technically, there is nothing "wrong" with the hooks so I don't know if I can return them, and even if I do who knows if the replacements will have the same issue. Have you ever dealt with this issue? If so, what did you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 (edited) There are a couple of things you can do. #1 Remove the pin in the mold, providing you have enough material on the outside to hold the hook eye in place. #2 File down the pin to make it smaller in diameter #3 Use The Eagle claw version of that hook. I have never had any issue with Mustad hooks as far as hook eye goes. The eye size varying doesn't surprise me. It seem ever since Mustad took their product to China well quality isn't as tight as it used to be. If you return the hooks you will probably have to pay for return and shipping all over again. I personally would file down the pin and call it a day. Just my opinion. On another note just thinking about this, the 32798 is a flat eye hook. How is this pinned in the mold??????? Collins must do this differently than Do-It Molds does, because Do-It never pins a flat eye hook? Edited March 17, 2015 by cadman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acuna Posted March 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 I will take some pictures and post them. It will probably be tonight.... about to start getting ready for work. Man I am having some ISSUES lately! LOL, just making me appreciate the good times all the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Thank God you don't have 10,000 jigs to pour. Then I would find a new hobby. LOL. Just kidding, I am always willing to help if I can. Just trying to lighten up your mood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EironBreaker Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 If the mold is his flippin jig mold, I have that mold and it takes a pin to hold the cross eye hook. I've had the same issue with different hooks. You need a smaller sized pin, you can make one from an old spinnerbait with heavy wire or sacrifice one hook and cut it to length. The pin doesn't have to fit snug in the hook eye to keep the lead out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 If that is the freshwater stand-up jig he is selling on ebay, you got the wrong hooks as it is made for the 32796 hooks. The 5/0 in that 32798 is close to the same size as the 4/0 32796 and that would explain why the 5/0 has no problem and the 4/0 is too small. Cadman is correct, ever since Mustad went to China, their quality has dropped a bit, he and I both agreed that Mustad offered the best bang for the buck. I'm not surprised at some of the eyes being a different size but I'm pretty sure you got the wrong hook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acuna Posted March 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 (edited) It is the flat eye stand up jig head mold, and I see where he has the hook listed as the 32796 hook on his current ebay auctions. I will have to double check the listing for the mold I purchased (if I still can) but I am 99% sure he listed the hook at the 32798 hook, and checking his actual website shows the hook for the mold as the 32798. I am still having issue with my melting pot so I am not pouring heads at this time, but did cut one of the hooks into a pin and it seems to fit appropriately in the eye of the hooks at issue and mold. Will keep you posted about whether I can substitute in the actual smaller pin without issue once pouring starts again. Edited March 17, 2015 by Acuna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acuna Posted March 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 (edited) Thank God you don't have 10,000 jigs to pour. Then I would find a new hobby. LOL. Just kidding, I am always willing to help if I can. Just trying to lighten up your mood. LOL, I just saw this. I would cry if I had that many to pour. And once I can get these issues with melting the heads ironed out, I hope to be well on my way. I think I make a decent enough jig: Edited March 17, 2015 by Acuna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 LOL, I just saw this. I would cry if I had that many to pour. And once I can get these issues with melting the heads ironed out, I hope to be well on my way. I think I make a decent enough jig: Unless you are going to start selling jigs, they don't have to be perfect. The fish really don't care what pot you used to pour them, how long it took or anything else, they just want a meal. BTW that is a nice looking jig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EironBreaker Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 Acuna, yes that's the mold I have also. Mine says to use the 32796 hook. I've switched to Eagle Claw 2706 hooks which look identical to the Mustad but feel even sharper. Plus a better price and being made in America. I've never had an issue with rolling the points on the EC hooks either. And they seem to be consistent. After going through a box of 1000 hooks, you usually find several "duds" in the box no matter the manufacturer. Before switching completely to EC, the Mustads seemed to have more bad hooks than prior to being produced in China. I just finished up boxes of 2/0 and 3/0 EC 2706 hooks, I'd say I only had 3-4 bad hooks between the two boxes. The pins that Collins provides will fit in the EC eyes down to a 2/0 hook. In the past I had to make a smaller pin to fit in the Mustad 32796 2/0 eye and also in a 4/0 32798 hook. Are you having trouble pouring this mold? I talked to Mr. Collins about it and he said he designed it to be poured with a bottom pour pot. Stick the pour spout tight into the cavity and it should fill properly. I have a hot pot so I pour from the top. If you don't have real clean, soft lead, sometimes the skirt collar doesn't want to pour right. I've done some modifications to take a longer base pin and also a wire trailer keeper so mine pours differently than the original. The wire keeper mod I think helps get the lead down to the bottom properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acuna Posted March 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 Yes it is a finicky mold to get to pour right IMHO. I got pissed with my bottom pour pot, ordered a regular pot and ladle thinking that would solve my problems and I could NOT for the life of me cast clean heads when trying to fill the cavity with a ladle. Therefore I ordered a new bottom pour pot and also will be sending my old one that I was having issues with off to be refurbished. Thanks for the EC hook suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apdriver Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 I have that mold and yes I agree the pin through the hook eye is a PIA. That said, for me this is a great pouring little mold. It's vented well and without preheating it pours perfectly. I don't pour the small sizes though and that's probably the ones you have trouble with. I only use the 5/16 and 3/8 cavities so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acuna Posted March 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 Well I will be a monkey's uncle, it DOES say 32796 hooks on my mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EironBreaker Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 The 32798 hooks will fit in the mold though if you want a standard wire hook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acuna Posted March 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) yep, I take it the 32796 hooks are a heavier wire hook. Per the specs they seem to be... Edited March 20, 2015 by Acuna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flippinfool Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 I have that mold and it makes a great hidden eye jig. It is a real pain with that pin. I have opened up all/most hook eyes and went with a larger pin. I felt it left to much lead around the hook eye that could easily cut you line. As others have said you can cut up hooks to make replacement pins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
