How does everyone keep paint out of the hook eyes

[cub48]

How does everyone clean out the eye of the hook, or keep the paint out. I am powder painting them it is tough to clean .Cub48

[hunter7711]

I just take my time and don't even get any on them.

[Bronson]

I usually use a pair of straight hemostats and a pair of curved hemostats. I grab the hook at the gap with the straight hemostats and move it back and forth for about 8 seconds over a heat gun on high. I then take the curved hemostats and grab the eye of the hook and make sure the eye is completely covered, then swish it thru the powder coat, take it out and tap off any excess powder paint. I then put it on a wrap that I will put in a toaster oven when I have enough to cure.

Whenever I accidentally get some in the eye (which is rare when I handle it this way) I use a paper clip and straighten one end and heat it over the heat gun, then run it thru the eye of the hook. Do this before curing and it should clean it with no problem.

[PBUG2009]

i use the hook point from an old hook

[pondhopper]

Crimp a split shot on the eye. That is if you pour your own shots.

[ezgo]

I use old hook point also, I will dip tap and poke the hook threw. If it cools to much I will heat the hook point up and poke it threw. I like the hemostat on the eye, that is something I will try.

[Fatman]

I have an old pair of flat nose pliers and the insides are smooth. Any that get paint clogged up in them I just squeeze lightly and pull and it pulls it right off and doesn't hurt the eye

[litewirehooker]

I don't worry about getting paint in the eyes. When I get through painting jigs, I take a drill and just drill the eyes out. I can hold about 7/8 hooks at a time and just drill out the eyes. Works for me......

lightwirehooker

[bluethunder]

I bought a tool from BPS that is designed to punch the paint out of that hole. It wasn't but about 3 dollars.

[BarryG]

lightwirehooker, what size drill do you use?