Bucktails and trailer hooks.

[makokeith]

This is some of the stuff I have been working on. Poured the bucktails (4 oz here) and powder coated them super glow white. Still learning the trick to tying especially on the trailer hooks. The trailer hooks go on my fluke balls and they get pretty beat up so I don't care to much. The bucktails with the red chin have mustard black nickle finish 32786. Much sharper and better size than the ones that Do-it tells you to use in the mold.
     One question I have right now is which epoxy should I use for the thread? Right now I am using Sally Hanson hard as nails but would like to switch up to epoxy once I get the tying perfected. Also can I go over the hard as nails with epoxy? Might be easier to go over the hard as nails after tying up a bunch of jigs.

[IKAT]

Hey Keith   Looking good Bud---I can't help with the ? but I am sure you will get a reply soon


 

[fluke - u]

 ...Nice job, I use softex on the wraps and on glue on eyes, I have also painted eyes with paint marker pens...

[Bucktail]

Looking good Keith.

[ChrisL]

Best bet is to hit the thread with Sally Hanson when you finish tying just to lock it in.  Let that dry good, then hit it with Devcon 2 ton epoxy.  Devcon dries in about an hour and is real hard and clear.  Thats what I use on most of my tail hooks and teasers.   

[ChrisL]

Oh yeah....the bucktails look real good 

[Pops Soul]

Looking good Keith, Nice work

[captainbailey]

First, your work looks great.

I also use Devcon by ChrisL's recommendation a while back, great stuff. Although I would be a little concerned using an epoxy with such a long dry time without the use of a spinner as the epoxy will run down the thread during the curing process and dry unevenly. 

[ChrisL]

Definitely gotta use a spinner.  Otherwise you can pace the room rotating the bucktails by hand. 
Another note....don't use the Loctite epoxy.  It doesn't come out good at all.

[makokeith]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Will the devcon turn yellow from the sun? Can I use the 5 minute devcon from HD? I will look into the softex.

 My 6 and 8 oz fluke balls I did early spring. These trailer hooks got destroyed after a couple of fish.

[BigAl13]

by destroyed do you mean that all the hairs starts to come out??

[makokeith]

Hair was getting broken , coming out of the threads and just messed up. I did not really look at them in depth. Just a assumed it was the flukes teeth ripping apart the threads. Have been out of commission for two months due to injury.  When I can start fishing again I will definitely check things out more.

[BigAl13]

just asking because I had a similar problem last year then I started to wrap the shank of the hook with thread apx 3/8" from the eye down then tied the hair onto that. it helped alot holding the hair on

[hiking]

everything looks great, any improvment on that work is only for the fisherman not the fish.  I had a lot of luck with purple teasers and brown teasers imitating baby sea bass and sea robins.

[wb]

great job Keith, looking tasty

just asking because I had a similar problem last year then I started to wrap the shank of the hook with thread apx 3/8" from the eye down then tied the hair onto that. it helped alot holding the hair on

good one Al  

[Reel McCoy]

Nice work 

[Hunter 2]

Nice bucktails!

   

[DJ76]

man they look good.  nice job there

[Reel Time]

Hair was getting broken , coming out of the threads and just messed up. I did not really look at them in depth. Just a assumed it was the flukes teeth ripping apart the threads. Have been out of commission for two months due to injury.  When I can start fishing again I will definitely check things out more.

 I'll test them out for ya. Hell, I'll even do it for free.


 They look awesome. Like any other big money bucktail you can buy, thats for sure.

[ChrisL]

Like Al said, definetly wrap the shank of the hook from the eye down 3/4 the length of the shank.  The epoxy will help lock the hair in as well.
The Devcon is less likely to yellow then any of the other brands, but it might yellow a little over time.  But the fish don't care and chances are it'll get beat up on the rocks before that happens.  
You can try the 5 minute, but I think that will set up way too fast.  The 2-ton in a 60 minute epoxy and will set to the point of not dripping in about 10-15 minutes.  The short cure time epoxy is more likely to yellow too. 
The hair is going to get beat up and broken no matter what.  Some of the hair is softer, some is more brittle.  Depends on the tail it came from and where on the tail.