EironBreaker

I've dipped chatter blades in green pumpkin powder paint and had no issues with the action. Seemed just the same to me. I've done other colors for customers. I don't think it changes the action and nobody as said anything negative about it.

I would think you could run a wire that is slightly smaller then the hole through it right after powder painting but before baking it to set the paint. The paint would be uncured so you would be able to push it out and the hole would smooth out after baking it. Baking to cure the paint would/could be difficult, have to hang on a small wire to cure. That's how I did buzz blades and the holes stayed open.

I've gone to the Eagle Claw equivalent, I believe it is 2706. Sharper and the point is just as strong in my opinion. Better price and made in America. Mustad's quality changed when they moved the plant to China several years ago. Just my two cents.

I have made about 60 covers out of wooden dowel back when I used to pour with the guard in place. This was back before Teflon pins were introduced. I think it was 3/8" or 7/16" dowel. Cut pieces to length a little longer then the fiber guard. Use a 1/8" bit or the next size up and drill out the center of each dowel. Then use a large bit and cone one end. This makes getting the fiber guard into the hole much easier. You can reuse them for years. I baked at 285 degrees for 45 minutes and had good results. There are two brands of fiber guards on the market. The better one for baking is from Kayser Lure Co and tolerate a higher heat. Most places like Barlows and LPO, etc carry this weed guard. You can tell it is this brand by the fuzz that is on the fused end of the guard and a thin fused portion. Fishingskirts.com has a different guard that is made overseas. Nothing wrong with it but it doesn't act the same in the oven. Much softer with lower heat and will deform easier. These have a more pronounced fused area at the end. As far as I know, fishingskirts.com is the only seller of this guard. Either way, if you bake with the guard in place you will need a heat guard to keep the fiber guard from flaring.

It would come through grass or wood cover better then a FB swing head. And it looks cool! It sells quit well with a skirt and sweet beaver rigged on the hook.

Hey Derek, I've got some 28 degree, cross-eye EWG Eagle Claw hooks that would likely work for you. They seem to run larger in size and they are pretty heavy. The points aren't turned down like the Mustad EWG hooks so they should work good for your application Shoot me your address at Eisenbacher@sbcglobal.net and I'll send you a few of each size to try out. If you want. Matt

No problem, anytime. If you have any questions about pouring just ask. Someone on this board will have had the very same issue and will have a solution. Mixing lead types is a good way to save some money. Sure you may pay a little extra to get good clean lead but you can save a little by mixing in a little other stuff also. You can get lead from plumbers, construction demo guys, your local scrap yard and tire shop for wheel weights. You never know where you will run into stuff at and may get a good deal or even some for free. I've gotten quite a bit from some demo guys who knock down old houses. They save me the leaded piping joints on the old cast iron piping. A little work to clean it up (done outside) but whatever to save some money. Good luck!

I don't see why that wouldn't work. I've made hair jigs with mine. Just don't add the bottom wire for the spinner blade and clip off the lead tag under the head and you are good to go!

No grass to worry about around here but a wire weed guard will do the trick for wood cover also. Easier to modify the mold for. I've done some molds to take a 1/8" weed guard. Takes a little time but doable.

Bogie, you are referencing the finesse cut that fishingskirts.com has correct? It has the same strand count as the regular skirting but just finer in size. Another source is livingrubber.com but their price is higher. Between the two sources, you will have a decent selection but nothing close to the regular sized skirting.

I wouldn't throw out the lead that you removed, it is just harder lead. I'd add a little bit to your clean soft lead and see how it pours. You will be able to use the hard lead up then. I like to use as hard of lead as I can get away with but have to mix. Some molds are more forgiving with harder lead. Some require only using pure lead, some you can pour with wheel weights and get perfect pours. Just takes a little experimentation.

With the hook at the nose it should be a great head to run through grass, I'd say it would work. With the lighter heads anyways, one would think a bulky plastic like a Keitech would overcome the head balance issue or at least minimize it. The large sizes could be a different story but when continuously moving the bait, might not make much of a difference. But yes, fairly easy modification and a good idea for another use of the mold.

Yep, that's the mold. I bought one and poured a bunch of 3/8 oz heads yesterday. It will take either a light or heavy wire flat eye hook. It has a collar for the skirt and also another for the trailer.

I've used the Mustad 32833 hook in that mold but I forget off the top of my head what size of hook fits in which size of head. Which size of hook do you want in what weight of head? I could check to see if it fits when I get home tonight and let you know tomorrow. That Mustad hook is a little heavier/thicker then the Owner but it is really sharp. I too like the Eagle Claw black platinum hooks as well but they aren't as heavy. But that isn't a concern for me when using 4 or 6 lb line with a Ned rig. Just depends on how you want your setup.

I just use my thumb to put a little pressure on the end of the wire form and then it will stay in place. I pinch the wire loop around the hook eye, place where I want it in the mold and close it. While its on its side, grab the handle and put pressure on the end of the wire form as I turn it upright. But I use a hot pot to pour from the side so this works for me. Not going to work if you need to get under a bottom pour I'd imagine. This allows me to make sure the wire form is centered with the mold also as I pour the lead. Everything stays lined up. I like the idea of the magnets also. I'd guess that a couple magnets, one for the hook and one for the wire would keep everything centered also correct?

I think the mold you are talking about is the Yamamoto one that was designed for a swim senko. The gammie hook comes out of the front of the mold. If you want to add a wire keeper, just take a triangle file and cut a small groove out on the opposite side as the lead keeper next to the hook groove. Then you will have two keepers that will hold better. Just take a little at a time on each mold half until you can get the mold to close. Sorry, I reread your first post. the 60 and 90 degree hooks are not the ones for this mold. My mistake.

Yes, that's what I was trying to think of - pad printing.

What happened with Zeiners? I've used them many times and had not problems but usually just to buy molds. I've had great service with Zeiners. They even called me about a mold that was due to arrive to them in a few days but didn't want to hold the rest of my order. I told them to wait on the mold to arrive and then ship the entire order. Very pleased with customer service so far. I've been pleased with Barlows as well though. I got my catalog last Saturday and haven't had time to look it over yet but will soon.

I think some places have a stamp that puts on the logo but could be wrong. Would this be an option? I thought I saw that one of the major blade suppliers offers a stamping option for logos. Maybe if you aren't worried about a super detailed or absolutely perfect logo, maybe a simple stamp would work. I think some of the office supply places make custom stamps, maybe they could do a stamp that would work on a blade and then you could clear over it. Potential cheap solution but I've not tried it.

I will second the use of recycled lead. But also agree with mastering simple pouring with pure lead and then if you get into it a little more, start to play with cheaper sources of lead. Of course not everything works out to your benefit and occasionally you waste your time and/or money. But for the most part, you can greatly reduce $$$ with little effort. I've sourced lead from contractors who take down old buildings, plumping fittings in old houses have good lead. The best score was 4x8 sheets of pure lead inside a dentist's x-ray room that was demo-ed. I wish I could have hauled more off that day, I'm down to my last sheet of that lead. Wheel weights, bullets, whatever. You just need to know what you have and how much pure soft lead to add to make it pour right. The harder the better is my opinion but needs to be soft enough to fill the mold. And every single mold I have is it's own critter. Some don't care if you use the worst crappy wheel weights, you get a perfect pour every time while others need pure lead. If you pour enough, you will figure out what each mold takes to make good baits with what you are working with. To clean recycled lead, I use a propane fish cooker and a big cast iron pot OUTSIDE away from the building. Prefer to do it when a breeze will take away the fumes. Fire it up and melt everything down but I like to keep similar stuff together, like lead that has impurities away from known pure/soft lead. Then I can mix them as needed on my bench to get the right hardness for what I'm pouring. I flux the big pot with wax outside before pouring into smaller ingots and again in my bench pot before the final pour. This is a fun hobby, enjoy yourself and ask questions as they come up. Great people on this site!

Thanks Smalljaw, I noticed that when comparing pricing between them. That's also why I was happy to be able to get the original blade from my initial supplier. I know it works and my clients are happy with it.

Well I'm in luck, my former supplier has been found again. Must have gone off-line during the holidays. Anyways, I have what I need in the mail. Thanks guys.

The on-line supplier whom I believe was just clearing out old stock has evidently finished selling. So I need to buy some gold willow blades. I sell mostly 1/2 oz so would usually only need up to a #5 blade. But I have a special 3/4 oz spinnerbait that a guy came up with and it takes two #6 blades. So, looking at Hagen's, Lakeland and Worth, I'm seeing gold plated blades for around $0.90 each. I've bought gold blades in the past for much less then that and they have a decent mirror gold finish. Did I buy polished brass blades that were lacquered? Is that the reason for the more reasonable price? Anyone have some insight or suggestions?

I have this mold on the way from Zeiner's. With other molds that are designed to take the lighter wire style hook, I'd say if you can modify it to accept the heavy wire version, that is what you are stuck with unless you want to deal with flash. But I'm interested to get this mold. Any possibility to have one keeper on each side of the hook with a little modification?

Just add a wire keeper for the trailer. The wire keepers are sold through Do-It for the newer molds. You need to file a small groove under the hook slot for the keeper to set in. I've done this with many older Do-It molds that just had a collar but no keeper for a trailer.