topcoats

[hambandit]

Looking for topcoat opinions, my only exposure thus far is with D2T.  Experience - dont have a turner so made a fixture and put it in a drill.  Worked OK, seemed like an awful lot of fiddling with it mixing/application/turning/etc.  The idea of dipping is appealing to me - dip and hang done deal.  Dont really care about smell, I have a vented area.  Dont really want to mix anything, best option is a single stage product.  Ive been eyeballing the KBS DiamondFinish clear pretty hard - its sitting in my amazon cart, but have a couple questions. 

1) if I buy it in a quart (cheaper by quantity than pint), and then reduce that by volume 30% with a thinner, approximately how many baits in the 2" range will that cover for say two coats? 

2) Ive heard of people using mason jars as an application station, can I pour half in the mason jar, leave the rest in the factory container, without having to worry about it hardening in the can? 

3) I could purge the can/jar with argon from my welder, is that advisable or pointless?  Seems like an extra step and a pain if it doesnt help anything I dont wanna fool with it. 

4) Is there a better option? 

 

Thanks in advance

Edited January 18, 2019 by hambandit
Number

[BobP]

Why not just not thin it and use one coat?  Yes, argon gas is the active ingrediate in Bloxygen finish preserver.  Anything that prevents water laden air contact with the surface of the finish works, including argon welding gas, I suppose.  Bait numbers:  I don’t know how anyone can answer this except to say a quart of MCU will do a bunch of baits.  The only alternative to KBS I know is Dick Nite Fishermun’s Lurecoat.  It is thinner than KBS, is more sensitive to  store, but also yields a nice finish.

[hambandit]

I’d rather thin it so that I don’t have to stress over surface or coating imperfections that appear to be consistent with a heavy single coat. I may be wrong in that assumption but based on my research that’s likely and multiple thin coats are generally considered to yield better/more consistent results.  I’d love to only have to do a single coat if possible. 

 

I understand that argon is what makes bloxygen work, but is it necessary for this product or is it just a good idea?

 

Specific to thinners - should I use their proprietary solution or xylene? Something else?

Edited January 17, 2019 by hambandit

[BBK]

The KBS is really thin, like water thin. You should still do 2-3 coats with it not thinned. 

For the "ventilated area" make sure you have a volatile chemical proof fan, or you may have a boom. You need a mask too, the fumes are horrible. I do all my dipping outdoors and then bring the baits inside to my drying racks to cure after about 15-30 minutes, almost all of the stink is gone by then.. I just dont like having them outside any longer for fear of dust/debris landing on them. 

You need to empty the entire can into a mason jar, you can buy really large ones at walmart cheap, then just transfer into a tall skinny one for dipping and refill as needed. Be sure to put the plastic wrap under the lid. You will absolutely destroy the KBS can when  you open it, I swear they glue the lid down with D2T when packaging the KBS. It will take screw drivers, tin snips, pry bars... 

I have had KBS in a jar for 2 months and no issues, no preservative gasses.  But if you do the two mason jar strategy like I suggested, definitely pick up some sort of heavy gas oxygen blocker for the storage jar... your argon will work fine. 

2" baits per quart... hundreds. I think I dip around 50 cranks out of my tall skinny pint jar before refilling, and that's just refilling because its too low to dip anymore not because its empty. I've never really counted before though. 

 

For buying, you can sometimes find discount codes on the lure making websites and facebook groups for buying direct. 

[BBK]

15% off Kbs code-  LoveKBS