Jump to content
Fly Tying
patze003

Using hooks from the mid-90s

Recommended Posts

Hi all, I have some old fly tying hooks from my first Orvis fly tying kit in 1995 or so. Are these hooks still worth tying on? My concern would be that they are not as sharp as the new chemically sharpened hooks.

 

Thanks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

A lot of my hook collection was purchased between 1970 - 2000, and I still use them. Problem, a lot of styles that I really liked are now obsolete

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If they are the VMC brand, I would at least test one or two by squashing down the barb and see what happens. The ones that I have from an Orvis kit are very brittle. I always crush the barb down in my vise and the entire point would break off. After a few in different sizes that did it, I won't use them. My kit was older, from the late 70's, but hooks should last just about forever if stored correctly if there isn't something wrong with them to begin with.

 

Regards,

Mark

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I suppose if you really need to get rid of a barb from a brittle hook, one could always file it off maybe? would be a bit more time consuming, but if it's a particular style you enjoy or just don't want to waste any hooks that would work. I use a bunch of older hooks about half the time, but have never tried to smash the barb down. If I'm at a barbless waterway, I suppose I'd just use a hook I know will smash well or I have some flies on a barbless and save the good barbed older hooks for regular waterways.

 

Good luck with your older hooks. I would definitely use them myself if they are the right size/type that I would use.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Was the mid-90s that long ago? Geez, I'm getting old.

 

Many fly hooks on the market in the 90s were very high quality and chemically sharpened. Orvis has had a relationship with Daiichi probably since at least the mid-90s, so I wonder if they could be Daiichi hooks. If so, don't hit them with a file. Daiichi hooks are excellent quality with chemically sharpened points. A file will ruin them if so.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have a hook sharpening stone in my vest, it produces a very fine sharp point . I bought that back in the day when you sort of needed one, it still works today.

 

That said I do remember some of the hooks from the 90's being brittle , it seemed to be a transition time. even Mustad 94840 went brittle for a while there around 2000 or so, not only brittle but flat sided.. I'd still use them today, they hooked me up with some fine land locked salmon, same as any hook today will. But you could snap a point off crushing the barb or even on a rock on the bottom of a river now and then. I think I still have a few left in my tying box, as back then they were affordable in 100 packs.. To be honest i'd just as soon have the "affordable in hundred packs" feature and use my sharpening stone than today's expensive upgrades. It just went part and parcel with tying and fishing back then but you didn't go broke buying stupid hooks before you even got started..

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have some cork beetles that I tied in the 70s, hooks probably came from Feathercraft, brand unknown. I still catch fish on them, but I have found the hooks have gotten brittle and break at the bend every so often.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Agree with above posts ... use them. I got my Dad's tackle boxes when he passed. He never tied flies, but he had plenty of small hooks in there from his days fishing for trout in Wyoming with maggots and Power Bait.

 

I know some of those hooks are from the 60/70s.

 

As long as your hooks don't have rust on them, they're as good as the day they were made. Steel doesn't "age" ... it corrodes. No corrosion, no change in the metal.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have some cork beetles that I tied in the 70s, hooks probably came from Feathercraft, brand unknown. I still catch fish on them, but I have found the hooks have gotten brittle and break at the bend every so often.

 

I have never hear of hooks "getting brittle". Anyone else found that hooks actually change their tempering. I believe iron allows cannot change tempering unless heated to a critical temperature. Maybe the hooks are rusted and that has weakened them or the hooks were brittle too to begin with.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I may have misunderstood the OP. I took the question to be a concern that hook quality wasn't as good in the 90s, not that age has affected the hooks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was born in the 60's and I'm just as sharp. I would think about the only change in hooks since 1995 is the marketing sales pitches. I have never ever sharpened a hook. Hooks are sufficiently sharp regardless if they are "chemically" sharpened, "laser" sharpened or al dente sharpened. Sharpening new hooks is overthinking the minutiae. Hell I've never sharpened an old hook.

 

Use them as is with confidence.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I second flytire. Older hooks were not a sharp as the modern chemically sharpened hooks. Modern hooks also have "micro barbs" that aid in hook penetration.

 

Old Mustad version 9672 3XL Streamer hook

post-27478-0-91401300-1521907538_thumb.jpg

New Mustad 9672 3XL Streamer hook

post-27478-0-34704100-1521907611_thumb.jpg

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If the hooks were ever good and are not rusty nor have been heated to over 600F then they will still be good. I have lots of Mustad hooks that I bought in the '70s.

I break barbs prior to tying and if an individual hook is brittle it will fail at that point, usually. I have tendency to sharpen all hooks when I tie them to the leader, just a couple strokes with a diamond file, for peace of mind.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...