BN sickles from Matzuo seem to have their best plating. I have round bends from them and really don't care much for them. The plating breaks off when heating to dip, (it splits right where the lead ends) it breaks off cleaning the eyes out, and if you adjust the bend it splits then also. I haven't had these problems with their sickles. I did get some EC-570B's and honestly love them. I do pour some gammies when guys request them. I used the 114's and 604's and I'm convinced that they are by far the best hooks made, but even at wholesale when you break some off your talking paper not pennies. VMC's BN hooks sure seem to take the elements though, I've got a few in the bottom of my boat for a year now and they look like they did when I poured them. I only wish they had a better point out of the box. Wouldn't even know which Mustad hook to try, the older ones had a tri-point like Owner and I didn't care for those either. I hold a jig above my thumbnail and drop it, a good sharp hook will stick in my nail, there's not many brands that stick but the gammies, sickles and 570B's sure do.