Fatman part of the secret of putting a kink bend in the hooks is to hold it at the bend with the (big secret) a pair of round nose pliers. These pliers are some times called rosary pliers. A pair of medium round nose should do the trick. That is the only kind that I have ever owned. It works great and you will not break any hooks by using this method. The reason is that the bend has the temper taken out of it already and will be ease to bend at that point. The new hook bending machines are really good at takeing just a small amout of temper out at that point just don't power bend it and you will be ok.

Redman