Quote Originally Posted by speckle View Post
Best not to. The cleaning process can cause problems. Poking the paint out can leave burrs on the eye and cut your line. Paint left on or in eye can be abrasive and cut line. Poking out the eye with bodkin or a eye punch can open the eye and line can come out. Although I also get paint in the eye at times I try to be cautious when cleaning.
I have no issue with removing paint from the eye hole. Just stick a tooth pick in before it even gets hard. Actually there is also a very safe way to make the hole after it's even cured, just heat a thin bodkin or large needle and stick it through and it will melt it's way through leaving no sharp spots. Have done this for 12 to 14 years and as of yet, no issues!

I do know lots of guys like to avoid painting them and that's fine too, but I just don't see that as an issue or a problem either way. SO in the end no big deal and just do it however you like it!

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