27 minutes ago, WRB said:

Sewing needle, hypodermic are hollow.

Machine or hand? I've found that there is a wide disparity in needle sharpness, especially with the cheapies. Hypo's, although hollow, will have a much sharper/finer point.

4 hours ago, Crow Horse said:

Machine or hand? I've found that there is a wide disparity in needle sharpness, especially with the cheapies. Hypo's, although hollow, will have a much sharper/finer point.

Hypo are a hollow tube cut off at an angle knife edge. Pick the sharpest needle you know of it's intended as a base line for "needle" point hooks.

Tom

I'm thinking that a suture needle would be a better baseline than sewing needles.....

I ordered some suture needles. Being that they are designed to pierce tissue, I'm figuring that they'll be a good benchmark.  When they arrive I'll snap some pics.

The Razors Edge Hook Sharpener arrived today and I'm pretty stoked about it. It's intended to be "bench" mounted but I had to try it out without properly mounting it. I also got their dvd explaining the technique and concept behind the sharpener and it makes sense although a little "dated".

 

Basically, you triangulate the hook point but it's more than just that. You create a "shovel" edge on the inside of the hook point which "forces" the hook to dig in. And dig it does....

 

Here's my first attempt using their system. A used Gamakatsu EWG 5/0 hook......

Seems like a triangle like the trokar.

What is REALLY cool is the test for sharpness. Take your sharpened hook, tie on a short piece of line or leader and attach a weight to the opposite end. Then, with your thumb upside down and vertical, place the hook into your thumbnail lightly then release. If sharp, it will dig into the nail and hold even with the weight. Very cool!

 

Here's a pic of a taper point suture (surgical) needle......

 

 

Sharpness test......not too shabby....

On 1/28/2018 at 4:47 PM, Crow Horse said:

Getting hold of a new hypodermic needle might be tough.  I'll have to ask my vet if he can part with one....

They can be purchased at pharmacies, or at least they were a couple years ago.  Very low price, as I remember.

Are these all at the same scale?  It looks like all of the hooks are sharper than the taper point suture (surgical) needle.  The next time I need surgery, I'll bring some hooks they can use to sew up the cut.

I think I magnified it more but I don't know how much. As I use the microscope more hopefully I'll become familiar with it.

 

I'll be checking the hooks that are pictured (new ones) to see how they fare in the sharpness test. I'm thinking that the Trokar might be the only one that might pass, but the proof will be in the pudding.....

I tested all the hooks that I have pictured with the "sharpness" test. Gamakatsu, Owner, Trokar and VMC. The only one that passed was the Trokar and that was "conditional". Even the Trokar didn't match the sharpness of the used and sharpened Gamakatsu with the Razor Edge sharpening system. The Gammi just wanted to dig into my thumbnail. The Trokar didn't "dig" in as easily.

 

I'll photograph and test more hooks as I come across them.....

 

 

Here's what the Razors Edge Fish Hook Sharpener looks like. The center section that actually holds the hook is a turret with detents for the correct angles (shovel and side cutting angles).

 

 

On 2/2/2018 at 6:40 PM, Crow Horse said:

The Razors Edge Hook Sharpener arrived today and I'm pretty stoked about it. It's intended to be "bench" mounted but I had to try it out without properly mounting it. I also got their dvd explaining the technique and concept behind the sharpener and it makes sense although a little "dated".

 

Basically, you triangulate the hook point but it's more than just that. You create a "shovel" edge on the inside of the hook point which "forces" the hook to dig in. And dig it does....

 

Here's my first attempt using their system. A used Gamakatsu EWG 5/0 hook......

This is pretty impressive to me.

I'm going to take a look at that Razors Edge system.

 

I'm very pleased with the results.......

 

Berkley Fusion hooks will arrive soon for pictures.....

it looked to me like VMC had the sharpest hook, is it just me?  which would you say is the sharpest?  I've always used Gamakatsu, hmmm.

The VMC hook definitely had a finer finish and visually appeared to have the sharpest hook point. However, I'm finding that appearance doesn't equal sharpness.

 

Out of the package as is, the Trokar did the best but it didn't equal the sharpness of a "sharpened" hook......

Berkley Fusion 5/0 EWG

 

 

On 25/1/2018 at 7:09 AM, reason said:

Please oh please dear God send them some warm days...

Define warm ....

 

ooooops, sorry, wrong side of the Mason-Dixon line .....

Just out of curiosity, I sent an email to Gamakatsu and asked them what the irregularities were on the hook point. Below is my inquiry.....

Greetings, I've been using Gamakatsu EWG Worm Hooks Offset Shank (5/0) (58315-25) with success for the past 3 years. I recently began investigating hook sharpness as it's extremely important to fishing success. Using a Nikon SMZ645 microscope I looked at the hook points and discovered many irregularities on the hook point. Can you explain what these irregularities are? Thanks.....

Attached are pictures taken through the microscope....


No response and I doubt that I'll get one. It's been almost 2 weeks since I sent my question....
I'm not calling out Gamakatsu as I suspect the other manufacturers will probably have the same "non response"........

Photographing hooks under the microscope has been an interesting endevour. It highlights visually what I already knew but seeing them closely emphasizes an important fact. New hooks right out of the package are "sharp" but not nearly as sharp as they could or should be. I'll be spending more time sharpening my hooks and I firmly believe that it will be time well spent.......

 

If I come across any more hooks of interest, I'll snap some pics.......

For a brand that seems to be often overlooked (or at least doesn't show up on this forum nearly as regularly as a few others), that Berkley looks pretty good.

14 minutes ago, RPreeb said:

For a brand that seems to be often overlooked (or at least doesn't show up on this forum nearly as regularly as a few others), that Berkley looks pretty good.

I agree. I was really impressed with the finish. I haven't given it the thumbnail test but will shortly.

Your photos made me curious, so I thought I'd have a go at it.  Mine is taken with a Canon 60D with 100mm L IS macro lens, then processed and cropped in Adobe Lightroom.  Light source is a handheld LED tac flashlight.  This is a weighted Owner Twist Lock 4.0:

 

12 minutes ago, RPreeb said:

Your photos made me curious, so I thought I'd have a go at it.  Mine is taken with a Canon 60D with 100mm L IS macro lens, then processed and cropped in Adobe Lightroom.  Light source is a handheld LED tac flashlight.  This is a weighted Owner Twist Lock 4.0:

 

Awesome pic!!! Yours is a LOT clearer than the one's I took. Beautiful!!