mark poulson Posted March 9 Report Share Posted March 9 I use my Do-It Arky weedless jig mold to pour 1/2oz vibrating jig heads, using Mustad 5/0 60 degree jig hooks, but I found the hook eyes would crack when I tried to open them to insert the chatter blade. So I tried heating my hook eyes red hot with my torch, and that made them soft enough to open by driving an awl into them until I got enough gap to put the chatter blade on. That worked, but the hook eye felt soft and ovaled when I pinched it shut with the blade in place. So I took a batch of the opened eye hooks and put them into my toaster oven for a hour at 350 degrees, the same temp I use to bake my powder coat, to retemper them. When I pinched them closed this time I felt much more resistance, but none broke, so this is another step in my vibrating jig making process. Success! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted March 9 Report Share Posted March 9 Good Info Mark. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted March 10 Report Share Posted March 10 I’m glad you found something that works for you. I have never been able to do it so I just use spinner bait blanks or split rings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21xdc Posted March 10 Report Share Posted March 10 Perfect every time.... https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-7-in-End-Nipper-Cutting-Pliers-48060/203287749 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 10 Author Report Share Posted March 10 23 hours ago, CNC Molds N Stuff said: That is so weird. I'm not sure what is happening, but its doesn't sound like tempering. Various heat treating terms get thrown around all the time, and their slight misuse misunderstanding makes it hard to have a conversation sometimes. Tempering is used as defined above, to reduce the hardness of a metal that has been hardened. Why your hook appears to be getting harder from some sort of heat cycle is a weird one. Many alloys at maximum hardness can shatter almost like glass. By making them less hard through "tempering" they become tougher... or less likely to break or shatter. I read that reheating to 350-400 for an hour relieves the stresses that the initial heat hardening puts into the hook, or any metal that has been heat hardened. It seems to redistribute the stress more evenly throughout the metal, so it won't break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjiggin1955 Posted March 10 Report Share Posted March 10 Sparkie head do-it mold 5/0 mustard BN Spinner bait hooks Wey 525 wire form WB 400 wire form keppers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21xdc Posted March 10 Report Share Posted March 10 (edited) Too many parts for me. Too weak of wire for me too. These hooks are awesome>>>>> https://www.ebay.com/itm/155222891423 Edited March 10 by 21xdc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjiggin1955 Posted March 10 Report Share Posted March 10 I pour and build mine myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 13 Author Report Share Posted March 13 On 3/10/2024 at 3:34 PM, bassjiggin1955 said: I pour and build mine myself Those look really nice! Good for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crymdawg Posted Thursday at 01:36 AM Report Share Posted Thursday at 01:36 AM Hey, 21xdc and bassjiggin1955; I'm wondering about the hooks that you are displaying in previous thread pictures. I've used the Do-It inserts and then had issued closing the eyes after I put the blade on. Also 21xdc, how do you close the eyes of the Mustad hooks? Since they are already tempered what works for you ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjiggin1955 Posted Thursday at 04:31 AM Report Share Posted Thursday at 04:31 AM Why would you want to open & close the eye of a hook that been tempered I pour & build 100s of these types of baits every month with the traditional mustad 4/0 & 5/0 spinnerbait hook and there very sharp & use the open eyelet ive never had to replace a bait because of failure or a blade or skirt coming off. All the picture I've posted with the hardware its easy to make them yourself. I have custom molds yes there different but the head of the bait is still the same. The sparkie head mold is one of the easiest to use with very few modifications to the mold to use. Poison tail jig mold why because there eye sockets to put eyes in. The fish dont care about the eyes or the hook shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjiggin1955 Posted Thursday at 04:39 AM Report Share Posted Thursday at 04:39 AM Building these baits or any other types of baits or jigs you really dont have too be a rocket scientists to do this just use common sense it's easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21xdc Posted Thursday at 09:55 AM Report Share Posted Thursday at 09:55 AM 8 hours ago, Crymdawg said: Hey, 21xdc I'm wondering about the hooks that you are displaying in previous thread pictures. . Also 21xdc, how do you close the eyes of the Mustad hooks? Since they are already tempered what works for you ?? I have no trouble closing the hook eyes with my safety wire twister pliers. You cant open/close "Forged" hooks, But these are no problem. I also use EC3886BP hooks. They open and close fine too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crymdawg Posted Thursday at 07:21 PM Report Share Posted Thursday at 07:21 PM 21xdc. thanks for the response. Can you post a picture of the type of pliers you referred to. I've poured jig heads with the added eye insert but then have had mich difficulty reclosing the eye after baking. I've tried all types of pliers and almost always I'm scratching or denting the head. But I'll try again and leave the open eye more exposed and see if that helps. Being a relatively new lure builder, I'm not familiar with the hook model number you referenced. Who makes that model ?? I've looked at the Open Eye hooks you referenced on eBay, but the price is too high for me and I certainly don't need 1,000 hooks. Additionally that series is apperently no longer being made. I've searched multiple sites and always come up "no search results available". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dink Master Posted Thursday at 09:18 PM Report Share Posted Thursday at 09:18 PM Read this other thread. re-tempering hook eyes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjiggin1955 Posted yesterday at 12:27 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 12:27 AM Those two item make my blade bait bodies. Simple & easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
