Munkin Posted January 13, 2019 Report Share Posted January 13, 2019 free image host So, to not hijack the titanium wire thread anymore I figured I would start another thread on tungsten. Here is a pic of a tungsten shakeyhead that I made using sithered tungsten powder and epoxy with some Lure Craft GP for the GP color. Tried to duplicate the Keitech jigheads but I cannot get the density correct. Allen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted January 13, 2019 Report Share Posted January 13, 2019 Look good to me. How did you form the round head? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munkin Posted January 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2019 Poured this in my Do-It mold as a test case actually. Problem is the tungsten to epoxy ratio has to be really high to get the desired density. Such ratios do not pour very well so I am guessing Keitech has some sort of high pressure injection machine. Allen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted January 14, 2019 Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 I thought it might be something like that. I am working on a "triple" spin mold and am checking out all of the new ideas that I see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munkin Posted January 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 I will say that I pour my own flukes and like them to sink quickly. Tungsten powder is great for this purpose as long as I remember to not try and re-melt the old baits. Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted January 14, 2019 Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 I'm not sure what makes the Keitech heads different but I assumed all Tungsten was done the same way. The hook is placed in a special mold and Tungsten powder along with nickel and/or copper is pushed into the mold under intense pressure that generates enough heat to melt the nickel and/or copper which binds the tungsten powder together. The process is called sintering, and as I mentioned before, I talked to someone who is familiar with Tungsten products and was told most Tungsten is done in low wage countries because it is a high cost process. I know Keitech Tungsten heads say made in Japan but they may follow a rule similar to the U.S. in which you can label imported products as made in country is the product is transformed in some way in this country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munkin Posted January 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 So spinnerbait and most jigheads made of tungsten in two parts like the two halves of a through wire crankbait. The hooks and wire are then added and like you said they somehow fuse them together. The Keitech ones are different as they are a mixture of powdered tungsten with epoxy. If you hold a Keitech head they feel plastic instead of metal. I know they are not a solid piece of metal as I have chipped chunks out of them hitting pilings. Allen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...