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Hook choice???

Another thing as well. If you are able to hand sharpen your Knackered hooks then it’s definitely worth doing. Rubbing them up something like on the bank isn’t sharpening them and will probably make them worse.
It’s a real skill to get them right. I have glanced them over on the bank before but it’s much better to take them home and take time and care on them.
The difference is night and day but not many people I know that claim to be able to sharpen hooks can actually do them properly
50D6A010-11A7-48F9-AC9B-6ED791D4487C.jpeg
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Another thing as well. If you are able to hand sharpen your Knackered hooks then it’s definitely worth doing. Rubbing them up something like on the bank isn’t sharpening them and will probably make them worse.
It’s a real skill to get them right. I have glanced them over on the bank before but it’s much better to take them home and take time and care on them.
The difference is night and day but not many people I know that claim to be able to sharpen hooks can actually do them properly View attachment 19918
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Rich,
Could I ask a favour ? Could you take either a front or rear view of the eye please to show how it is formed?
Cheers
Bill
 
I love the Drennan specimen plus hooks and the Drennan specialist Barbel hooks
they have never let me down

​

 
Gerry Giles said:
I love the Drennan specimen plus hooks and the Drennan specialist Barbel hooks
they have never let me down

​

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Hmmm!

I've never come across these before, just checked them out (DSP) and they look OK

I'm a big fan of Drennan hooks, I can't actually remember being let down by one.
 
Korda wide Gape hooks I've done well on no complaints. (Currently using)
Korda kaptor hooks were brilliant for me, as were the old fox ssp jobs.
Be using the Korda mixa hooks later tonight on paste tactics for hit and hold chub sport.
Still available are the Drennan continental boilie hooks. But discontinued and stocks in shops are running low.
 
I really miss being able to get Raptor D7s .
The size 9 did me for barbel and carp.

The gap in Size between the size 10 and size 8 of the new version cryogen is far too great and bigger than the originals.
The 10s are smaller the 8's larger IMO
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Another thing as well. If you are able to hand sharpen your Knackered hooks then it’s definitely worth doing. Rubbing them up something like on the bank isn’t sharpening them and will probably make them worse.
It’s a real skill to get them right. I have glanced them over on the bank before but it’s much better to take them home and take time and care on them.
The difference is night and day but not many people I know that claim to be able to sharpen hooks can actually do them properly
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Agree with this - although I've been practising for some time so will happily 'touch up' hooks to a decent level on the bank and do so regularly.
To re-hone a point altogether is a different story and needs a vice / eye glass and time. Would recommend the Jag SP Max file or better Swiss Pillar Cut 4 . . .I can get most blunted hooks back to passing the 'nail test' with 2-4 strokes . . .be careful if you've never used one before as you can make the hook even blunter if you apply too much pressure / don't know what your doing!
 
Honestly cant understand why anyone would go to the trouble of sharpening a hook, unless your a tight arse 😁, just discard safely, and replace with a new one. Even at £5 for a pack of 10, they are as cheap as chips, just 50p a hook. When you consider the money people spend on expensive rods, reels etc etc, hundreds and hundreds of pounds. The hook is the MOST important thing that keeps you in contact with the fish. At just 50p each for a good one. Come on guys. 👍
 
Derek Funcks said:
Honestly cant understand why anyone would go to the trouble of sharpening a hook, unless your a tight arse 😁, just discard safely, and replace with a new one. Even at £5 for a pack of 10, they are as cheap as chips, just 50p a hook. When you consider the money people spend on expensive rods, reels etc etc, hundreds and hundreds of pounds. The hook is the MOST important thing that keeps you in contact with the fish. At just 50p each for a good one. Come on guys. 👍
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It soon adds up Derek If you dull off 4 or 5 in a session
It doesn’t cost anything to give em a once over.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
It soon adds up Derek If you dull off 4 or 5 in a session
It doesn’t cost anything to give em a once over.
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I suppose so Rich, all depends on how regular you fish, which for me, is not often enough. But ye, if your on the bank several times a week, i suppose it makes sense.
 
Derek Funcks said:
Honestly cant understand why anyone would go to the trouble of sharpening a hook, unless your a tight arse 😁, just discard safely, and replace with a new one. Even at £5 for a pack of 10, they are as cheap as chips, just 50p a hook. When you consider the money people spend on expensive rods, reels etc etc, hundreds and hundreds of pounds. The hook is the MOST important thing that keeps you in contact with the fish. At just 50p each for a good one. Come on guys. 👍
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It is the most important item - that's why its worth sharpening! Changing hooks on direct long links also means (for a lot of barbel anglers) changing / shortening a 4' hooklink as well . . .I'm not sure anyone on here uses / or has even heard of a multi-rig (now there's a thought for coated hooklink users!)
 
Chris Belcher said:
It is the most important item - that's why its worth sharpening! Changing hooks on direct long links also means (for a lot of barbel anglers) changing / shortening a 4' hooklink as well . . .I'm not sure anyone on here uses / or has even heard of a multi-rig (now there's a thought for coated hooklink users!)
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And that, gents, is the crux. It's not just the hook, but the hooklength (which definitely isn't cheap). I use a Diamond nail file to sharpen hooks on the bank and, like Rich, hold steady in forceps.

I use Bank Tackle wide gape, in (normally) an 8. Had a 10 straighten on me last season, but use braid as mainline so the hook's under massive pressure. I think an eight would've held.
 
Derek Funcks said:
Honestly cant understand why anyone would go to the trouble of sharpening a hook, unless your a tight arse 😁, just discard safely, and replace with a new one. Even at £5 for a pack of 10, they are as cheap as chips, just 50p a hook. When you consider the money people spend on expensive rods, reels etc etc, hundreds and hundreds of pounds. The hook is the MOST important thing that keeps you in contact with the fish. At just 50p each for a good one. Come on guys. 👍
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Some anglers are of the opinion that honing a hook can improve sharpness/hooking ability vs straight out of the packet:
 
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