Hook Sharpener

[SpoonMinnow]

I know some of you have tried hook sharpeners (battery) and files, but recently I tried my wife's Dremel to sharpen and sand. Sharpeners have their limitations because you can't change heads having less grit and can take off too much metal at the tip resulting in a ruined hook. Dremels take many attachments such as thin abrasive discs , cones and cylinders, have low and high spin rpm settings and are rechargeble. Nice is being able to buy disc replacement packs for a buck each at the dollar store.

I usually try to check my hooks before leaving the house. Rust is the eventual death of all hooks it comes in contact with and a fast way to take it off is with a thin abrasive flex disc with low grit which I've also found better to sharpen hooks with. I lightly sand three sides for a diamond point and do a much better job than with a file. The sharpened point easily catches my finger nail.

Sanding the lead on the sides fof leadhead jigs to make them shiny is also something I've done for years which I think adds to a grubs appeal. I used to use light grit sand paper but my arthritis makes it difficult to sharpen many hooks or jigheads at one time.

[brendanc]

Sounds like a nice alternative... thanks for sharing.

[Crestliner]

The only problem with using a Dremel is the fact that the rpm's are very high. If you are not careful, you can draw the temper from the hook points. They will be sharp alright, but if drawn at all, you could jeopardize the integrity of the hook point's hardness.

If you are using a polishing pad, that might work better than actually stoning the points. JMO.

[brendanc]

I like a jeweler's file... they are expensive, but they really do the job right.