How do you trim your baits?

[NJFishRGuy]

My first mold has produced a bunch of finesse baits, but mold imperfections have left them needed trimming. I've been using small surgical scissors, but that hardly seems efficient. I thought of using an X-Acto knife on a hard wood surface. Then I thought I'd ask what everyone else does? I tried to find a thread on this by searching the board but struck out.

So how do you trim your baits? (Except for those of you who are so good that you NEVER have to trim... for you guys, the question is "how did you USED to trim your baits when you were still perfecting your technique?")

[woodsac]

Except for those of you who are so good that you NEVER have to trim... for you guys, the question is "how did you USED to trim your baits when you were still perfecting your technique?")

Wish I could say I was in that catagory I still have to trim at one point or another. I don't like to have any flash on my baits! It just doesn't look good.

When I do have to perform the tedious task, I use a small pair of sewing scissors. They have a very fine point, I can still hold them comfortably and they are sharp. I like to rub a little worm oil on them with my fingers before I start. It helps keep the plastic from sticking to the blades.

I've tried the exacto, my fingernail, a pizza cutter :oops: and who knows what else. I just found that most of my baits have too many curves to use anything other than scissors. For straight worms an exacto or your nail work ok. But you're right again, the key is less overpours Not much you can do about mold imperfections though?

[siebler_custom_baits]

exacto knife and hard surface

[D.J.]

I use the trimming scissors sold by Lure Craft. They are Fiskars brand and they have a spring to keep them open. They work great!

[siebler_custom_baits]

those scissors are awsome. If you use scissors id recomend those.

[bass4cache]

If its not to thick of I like to use a Soldering iron. Kinda smokes sometimes but looks pretty good. You can smooth the flash quite quickly. If your using an Aluminum mold you can trim while waiting for them to cool with the soldering iron. If I dont do that then its the Pizza Cutter or small sharp scissors (but honestly if they are for personal use, the fish like them better with a little bit of "flash" form the mold)

[NJFishRGuy]

Great! Thanks for all the input, guys... guess everyone goes through the same thing. I'm going to have to try the soldering iron, especially for very thin flash. And worm-oiling the scissors to prevent sticking is an awesome idea... I should have thought of it! :oops:

[alsworms]

I used to go with an exacto knife on a wood surface, but now (knock on wood), I rarely have large overpours. So.....I've learned a neat little new trick..........

For minor overpours, keep a couple toothpicks by your workbench. If you overpour the cavity, simply use the toothpick to touch it up while the plastic is still hot. It may seem like lots of work, but I have found it to be a lot less time consuming than trimming your baits when you're done.

Chris

[GB GONE]

If you know anybody that works at a hospital, ask them to get you some small scisors from the Operating Room when they are going to discard them. (Good place to get hemostats also..great hook removers!!)

They are really sharp and have a curve in the cutting part..makes for easy trimming on curved areas, even small ones.

Gotta agree with Chris though...if you get it as you pour the baits, its a whole lot easier.

Course, overpour to some of us "rookies" might be a flood to more experienced guys !!!

Jim

[BuMMeRBaits]

I do it like woodsac, I have a small pair of sewing scissors I stole from the wife (she never used them), really small, nice and sharp.

But I have noticed that the more pours you do, and the better you get, the less you have to trim.

[texasbass1]

I use a scapel, it works real well for curves. An exacto knife would work as well. But I use to work in a hospital so I have handles and blades.