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.
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
I use a diamond fingernail file that has a coarse and fine side. Relatively cheap.
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
I use the small files used for filling the points in older cars...
(https://i.imgur.com/EY8DuzB.jpg)
And I file 2 sides of the outside bend of the hook...
(https://i.imgur.com/o8de71h.jpg)
Cool
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?" :D 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
Quote from: PacRat on May 29, 2021, 10:16:39 PM
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.
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.
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.
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
Quote from: oc1 on May 30, 2021, 08:32:42 AM
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?
Quote from: philaroman on May 30, 2021, 05:54:00 PM
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.
Anything smaller than 2/0 gets tossed - for what a new hook costs it's not worth the time shapening it IMHO
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??
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
never figured this out to my satisfaction either.. can get a decent edge on a knife, using the Lansky kit, but my sharpened hooks are never better than 'not as bad as when I started'. Use the EZE Lap diamond pen sharpener, a small whetstone, small files, same same results.
Some of the flies I tie are fairly complex and time-consuming to tie up. One good whack on a rock, or repeatedly tumbled in the surf, and the point is dulled. I'm not going to toss the fly so resharpening is needed..
Good point (no pun intended) DougK. I inadvertently categorized "small hooks" into a general bucket for the type of fishing that I do, and completely forgot about fly fishing applications where "small hooks" are indeed the norm. My apologies.
Can totally understand that these are not as easily disposable given the amount of effort one would have spent to make a fly (if that's the right terminology).
In any scenario, I think we all can agree that when hooks are brand new, they are quite sharp, and I've even hear of them being referred to as "sticky sharp", which makes a lot sense after one has compared a "gently used" vs "brand new".
Hence, an even stronger reason to know the PROPER METHOD AND TECHNIQUE to restore as all hooks aren't easily disposable and I see no reason why it can't be done. One thing for sure is that myself and my friends are 100% convinced it's all user error since we are ignorant to the METHOD and TECHNIQUE, which with practice should yield favorable results.
Yes I think we are talking about a two different animals here - I don't think anyone on this forum would have an issue changing out a hook (even an expensive one) if it was simply a case of "tie a new one on" but when you start to look at hooks that are an integral part of the lure (intricately tied flies and streamers for example) or are not easily replaced when on the water (there is a great thread about replacing soldered rings on jigs - much great and valuable research done by both Bryan and The Boss) where in a pinch sharpening on the go to quickly get back on the bite is the way to go.
Researching "hook sharpening" as pointed out by DougK, Observer, Riverrat and others is a bit of an obtuse science, but maybe if we think of hook points as what they are - needles - there might be more info. Tonight when the dreaded insomnia hits I think I will cruise the Worldwide Electronic Resource and see what I can find about sharpening medical suture needles, dental tools, etc. - "almost" makes me look forward to my next trip to the hygienist, since you know they don't discard those tools - they get cleaned, sharpened, autoclave sterilized and back at it. Even carpet and upholstery needles are pretty substantial, and I suspect that they may be routinely sharpened as well. I suspect there is an opportunity for knowledge gain here - john
have some vintage Brit Sealey #4 octopus & old Gammy S/W fly in stainless
doesn't hold point as well as high-carbon & bends more easily (also, no good for C&R),
but easy to re-sharpen & re-shape many times before metal fatigue becomes a concern
(w/ light-wire high-carbon, if I have to bend it back a little once or twice, I'll replace even if point is good)
not all hook-points are needles -- for permanent placement IN a prized lure/fly,
maybe try a point style specifically designed for repeated/multiple sharpening:
anything other than "needle" -- triple-ground, knife, sword, beak, forged point...
maybe not as "sticky" as chemically sharpened needle straight from pack,
but you can return it to original/intended condition, again and again
BTW, not even on this Forum, where people machine & anodize at home
has anyone mentioned "home chemical sharpening" ;D so forget "like new"