cleaning out hook eyes

[Prtly Cloudy]

do you all use a method to keep the powder paint out of the eyes or how do you get it out of there - it's taking me too long. I just make the heads for my own use so if I can't find a better way I'll end up going Au-natural.

[smoothlures]

As soon as you dip it, hold it over the flame/heat source for a few more seconds. The eye will fill up, then take a bodkin and poke it from one side. Let it cool and it'll pop right off, then cure it and you won't ever have another full eye.

If one does slip by you, heat up a bodkin and stick through the eye and it'll melt the paint like butter.

[Jiggin_Joe]

i use a hemostat to hold my head by the eye so when i dip in powder it wont get in eye

JJ

[azslabber]

I use a size 6 jighead,clamp the barb closed on the hook and just put it through there a couple of times,then just use my nail while it's cooling off for the toaster oven and it all comes off.A completely bare hook eye.

[ragged edge]

+1 jiggin joe

[sloedown]

I use needle nose pliers on the eyes and dip the jig..

[GCD]

I use one of these:

Lincoln Electric Tip Cleaner, Oxygen-Acetylene Torches - KH575 at The Home Depot

The wires are different sizes and have a small round file on them, just push it through the hook eye after dipping in the powder. I find the wire size that fits the eye the best before painting.

[skiptomylu]

I just take a little extra time and don't like using my stats to need to clean them after every few. I keep wood tooth picks for each color I use in a small container and get out what colors I am painting with. As I dip the head and as soon as I pull it out I stick the tooth pick through the eye and if need be I do it again after putting it back in the flame for just a second. Now sometime even with this when I cure the heads the eye will close back again. When this happens I clean it when I tie it and I do this with a old bodkin I keep just for this. I keep a cigarette lighter where I tie and heat the bodkin and stick it through the eye melting the paint out when I do this. Sometimes it may take an extra time , but usually not that long of a thing. Been doing it like this since I started and works fine.

I may need to get one of the tools in the link above as I have been looking for something like a very small round file for this, but have not been able to find exactly what I am looking for, but will look at that thing next time I go to Home Depot or Lowe's.

Skip

[ShilohRed]

i use a hemostat to hold my head by the eye so when i dip in powder it wont get in eye

JJ

Same here and each eye comes out clean and clear. Takes a few seconds more but sure way less time then cleaning out each one after the fact.
Pete

[skeetbum]

Stats or a small pair of needlenose when being dipped and haven't cleaned one since. I hold the jig in my thumb and index by the bend of the hook, count to 3 slow, then flip it over and heat the other side. When heat transfers down the shank and begins to warm to the touch, I grab the eye with the needlenose and do a quick dip left, then right, tap off the excess and hang it to cool. No paint in the eyes. If I dont paint the whole shoulder I don't sweat it cuz it's covered anyway.