So there is a tool for cleaning hook eyes. Never knew there was such a tool. Then again, never needed it until now. Thanks.
Yep, I got one too, but found that covering eye with pliers or hemostats works better when dipping. Just saying...
Proud to have served with and supported the Units I was in: 1st IDF, 9th INF, 558th USAAG (Greece), 7th Transportation Brigade, 6th MEDSOM (Korea), III Corp, 8th IDF, 3rd Armor Div.
1980 Ebbtide Dyna-Trak 160 Evinrude 65 Triumphskeetbum LIKED above post
So there is a tool for cleaning hook eyes. Never knew there was such a tool. Then again, never needed it until now. Thanks.
Alright fish, I know I got something in this boat you'll eat.....Yep, the 'ol boat carpet seat cushion jig does it every time!
I always hated having to bust out the eyes in the jigs I bought. That’s what started me down this obsession of making my own LOL!
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Pondfisher42 thanked you for this post
I got some eye cleaners from a reccomendation from another member - they're surgical towel clamps and they work great for cleaning jig eyes!! even if they've been baked!!
10 PCS BACKHAUS TOWEL CLAMP 3.5" SURGICAL MEDICAL NEW | eBay
Lure parts online carries one like that for $9.99
Last edited by gaspumper; 06-29-2019 at 08:46 PM. Reason: Added text
Lure parts is just buying bulk packs and reselling I got 6 pairs for less than that! https://www.ebay.com/i/312036880352?...&ul_noapp=true
I have been using a bead reamer from Walmart craft section. It works ok but really have to watch and not punch a finger. May try some of the ideas posted here. Thanks for the ideas.
I HATE HATE HATE dealing with paint in the eyes of the jigs I make so I started using heat shrink tubing on the eyes of the jigs when I paint them. I use it on jigs from 1/80 to 1/2 ounce and the eyes come out clean as a whistle every time. The tubing comes in a variety of sizes and lengths and is pretty cheap on Ebay, Amazon etc. It is a little time consuming cutting it to length , putting it on and taking it off the jig eyes but it's the best way I have found to keep your eyes clean. It takes me about 15 minutes to easily cut enough tubing to cover a few hundred jigs.
I cut the tubing into roughly 1/8" pieces and keep them in a little tub like what sour cream comes in or a pill bottle. Once I get my jigs poured and ready to paint I cover the eyes of the jigs with a piece of shrink tube then paint them like normal. Once the jig cools I use a pocket knife and scrape the tubing off. It usually just pops right off then in the oven the jigs go. It is a little futsy but it takes about the same time for me as it does using an eye buster or knife to clean paint out of jig eyes. Bottom line is that it's well worth the effort it to me.
Hands down, the easiest way to clean eyes is to not paint them in the first place. If they do get covered, heat a bodkin and it will melt whatever paint is on it when it’s pushed through the hole. Haven’t used the bodkin for years since I started doing my own and holding the jig by the eye when painting.
Creativity is just intelligence fooling aroundJamesdean LIKED above post
My technique is to heat the jig with an alcohol lamp, dip jig in powder, then while the paint is still soft, poke a sharp object through the jig eye. After hanging to cool but before baking, I clean any remaining paint with a jig eye cleaning tool which comes out fairly easy at this point. Very difficult to remove the paint after baking. I then bake the jigs at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Super fast process and easy to do.