Tj_Ryan18 Posted June 10, 2019 Report Share Posted June 10, 2019 Hey guys, just wondering, I’m going to try to start pouring baits really soon and have seen hardeners and softeners on the different pages and just curious as to what those two components do for the bait? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 10, 2019 Report Share Posted June 10, 2019 I buy medium plastic, and then add one or the other when I want softer or harder plastic. Softener makes stiff plastic softer. I add it when I add salt, because salt makes plastic stiffer, or if I'm pouring finesse worms. Hardener makes soft plastic stiffer. I add it to my swimbait plastic, to make the tails swim better. Some baits just work better with harder plastic. I don't ever add hardener to hot plastic. Add hardener before you heat your plastic, and mix it thoroughly, or you'll wind up with hard lumps from unmixed hardener. For reheats, where I want to add more hardener, I mix the hardener into new plastic first, so it is completely mixed, and then cut up the stuff I want to reheat, and add the new stuff before I reheat it all together. I add heat stabilizer so my reheated plastic doesn't get scorched when I reheat it all to 350 to kick over the new stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass-Boys Posted June 11, 2019 Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 TJ, message sent . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryDel Posted May 23, 2021 Report Share Posted May 23, 2021 (edited) I'm trying to get my sinkos and swim baits as soft as possible. Any suggestions? Are all softeners about the same? Edited May 23, 2021 by GaryDel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass-Boys Posted May 23, 2021 Report Share Posted May 23, 2021 Add softener .. Start with a table spoon to 8 oz of plastisol and adjust from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryDel Posted May 23, 2021 Report Share Posted May 23, 2021 5 hours ago, GaryDel said: Are all softeners about the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted May 23, 2021 Report Share Posted May 23, 2021 5 hours ago, GaryDel said: I'm trying to get my sinkos and swim baits as soft as possible. Any suggestions? Are all softeners about the same? Yes most softeners are the same. It's the hardeners that are not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryDel Posted May 23, 2021 Report Share Posted May 23, 2021 How do I learn about the differences? I'm new into the world of pouring my own plastic baits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted May 24, 2021 Report Share Posted May 24, 2021 To be honest, with experimentation. None of the hardeners are "bad", but they are different. What one person observes can be 180 degrees different than another observation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted May 24, 2021 Report Share Posted May 24, 2021 The hardener I have, which I got from Bear many years ago, needs to be mixed with raw plastisol before it is cooked, or it stays unmixed and forms hard lumps. I have never used any other brand, so I don't know how others behave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robalo01 Posted June 14, 2021 Report Share Posted June 14, 2021 (edited) You can add hardener to hot plastisol if you thin it with frresh plastisol and mix well before adding.I would also add a squirt of temp stabilizer when you do. Edited June 14, 2021 by robalo01 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted June 14, 2021 Report Share Posted June 14, 2021 1 hour ago, robalo01 said: You can add hardener to hot plastisol if you thin it with frresh plastisol and mix well before adding.I would also add a squirt of temp stabilizer when you do. Very, VERY good advice! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRum Posted June 21, 2021 Report Share Posted June 21, 2021 I happen to have saltwater plastic and super soft plastic at all times and I just mix ratios as necessary. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Young Posted July 1, 2021 Report Share Posted July 1, 2021 I use medium baitplastics myself & never use softener because i think my baits are plenty soft. If i want a bait firmer i just replace some of the medium with hard. Most times i work in 4 ounce batches so it works easy for me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
