Advice Please? Hook Sharpening...

[Gfish]

What do you do? How do you get yours acceptably sharp? I've tried various methods and implements and get mixed results, nothing consistent. Mine just godda be fingernail scratching sharp. Do you protect the points with anything?
Nice YO-ZURI deep diver pictured, got me a medium size Mahi once, might get 25' at it's deepest.

[PacRat]

I've always kept a diamond hone in my pocket. It's about 2 1/2" long and has a cap like a ball-point pen. Put the cap on the back for a handle. I never fish without one.
-Mike

[smnaguwa]

I use a diamond fingernail file that has a coarse and fine side. Relatively cheap.

[happyhooker]

Have an ancient Old Pal tackle box that has a hook hone built right into the handle.  Has a groove down the middle so you can get at the inside part of the hook end, where you need to reach to get the hook sharpest.  When that isn't handy, I have an old pocket knife stone (about 1" wide, 4" long and 1/2 " thick) that has always worked pretty well too.  Couple scratches on the dry stone & all is usually well.

Frank

[CooldadE]

I use the small files used for filling the points in older cars...

And I file 2 sides of the outside bend of the hook...


Cool

[Brewcrafter]

I loved CoolDade's post - since I have to believe a lot of the folks are saying "What are Points on Cars, and why do you file them?"    My response would be that you probably want to also have a book of folding matches when you do it 
One of my fishing buddies has a cool batter powered gizmo that works as a line stripper, but also has a small stone to function as a hook sharpener.  Think of a mini Dremel that runs off a couple of AA cells.  But we got to thinking one day (beverages were involved) and came up with some thoughts:
Dull hooks are ALWAYS bad.
Modern, high quality hooks are pretty advanced, and many times made from trick materials.
Grinding excessively on them to sharpen them using rotary tools "might" build up heat and "might" actually degrade the strength of the point of the hook, even as you are making it sharp.
If you are going to sharpen - do it by hand. - john

[Cor]

I've always kept a diamond hone in my pocket. It's about 2 1/2" long and has a cap like a ball-point pen. Put the cap on the back for a handle. I never fish without one.
-Mike

Sounds like the device I use, cheap, blue outer, round diamant covered round "file" with flat side and a grove in it.   Perfect for hooks.

[Gfish]

Ok, thanks.
Pictured are a grooved metal sharpening block, a grooved stone I carry on my vest and a 3-sided fine file. All seem to work the same. Technique: I try and do 4 sides stroking towards the point only. Oftentimes I end up with a point duller than when I began. Any suggestions relative to those things?

Those were some good pictures Cool and a real penatratin lookin hook point. 2 sides, huh? Where do you get a points file. I remember filing points used to get you more miles out of an old set, but changing 'em was always better.

[oc1]

I've tried all the files and hones except the battery one and still suck at sharpening a hook.  The only recourse is to replace them.

[CooldadE]

I think the last points file I got was at NAPA auto parts. But Amazon has them for like $6.19 for 2... shipped free !

Cool

[philaroman]

I've tried all the files and hones except the battery one and still suck at sharpening a hook.  The only recourse is to replace them.

good high-carbon in smaller sizes -- correct?
if you can PLAINLY SEE the point deformation -- toss it!
if you can BARELY FEEL it -- diamond-dust jewelers file
if it's somewhere in-between -- what's the hook worth?
if it needs 20-min micromanagement to sharpen -- WHAT'S YOUR TIME WORTH?

[oc1]

good high-carbon in smaller sizes -- correct?
i

Bucktail jigs tied with Gamakatsu 1/0 Live Bait hooks.  The only hook I know that can stand up to being drug over coral rock all day.  When they snag they will not bend, but the point begins to get dull.  They are most often lost before they get too bad.

[Tiddlerbasher]

Anything smaller than 2/0 gets tossed - for what a new hook costs it's not worth the time shapening it IMHO

[Observer]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is "How to sharpen..."

As an example, a photo of my file is attached.  There are grooves starting from the edge of the file that go towards the center, which suggests there is a "correct direction" AND orientation when filing. 

For orientation, a hook being held by it's shaft can either have the business end pointing towards the handle or away from the handle.  For "correct direction", holding the hook in some orientation can be "pulled" down towards the handle, or "pushed" away from the handle.  Finally, the hook being sharpened could be held stationary, while the file is moved in one direction (either up or down), or vice versa the file could be held stationary, and then the hook could be moved up or down. 

This leads to 6 different combinations, and I've gotten mixed results with my experimentation, with none "better" than any other, and hooks not much better afterwards.  Convinced it's user error, searching for videos on hook sharpening is a bit esoteric, but knife sharpening videos using a stone are a bit more common.  The amazing (or not) thing is that there is so much conflicting information where one video suggests a particular direction and another has the sharpening demonstration going the totally opposite direction.

It's interesting because (not surprisingly) hook manufacturers may suggest their hooks can be sharpened, but won't tell you how to do it properly since they just want you to toss them and buy new ones.  As another has posted, when they are small sizes, sure, that makes sense.  But for the larger and more expensive hooks, I can't see just tossing a perfectly good hook that could have plenty of service life with the proper maintenance.

So...  does anyone here KNOW FOR SURE THE PROPER WAY??

[Rivverrat]

   I just went through hook sharpening with some fellas. Just keep in mind the reason for a sharp hook is to penetrate flesh & connect with bone. A hook point that has a longer thinner transition to its point will penetrate best but can lack the strength needed when using heavier drag.

 For the most part I only buy high end hooks that dont need sharpening for first use. As my hooks get used they get tossed in a snuff can to be sharpened later. The way I was shown by my my grandpa was to keep the transition     ( area filed or ground ) into the point as short as possible & dont file or grind flats into this transition area but keep it round when possible.  Clear as mud ? ... Jeff