Disappointed in poured jigs

I’ve brought this up before . Dull hooks. On poured lead jig
I use Mustad Titan X Ultrapoint jig hooks and size 10 Eagle Claw lil Nasty sickle style hooks .
Before I’d found some size 8 Ultrapoint hooks in a 1/32 jighead on the Bay site .
The hooks were dull compared to the hooks I’d been using to tie jigs using a tungsten bead , using the plain jig hooks .

I just ordered some size 10 1/64 jigs from the same guy I’ve been buying my Mustad lil Nasty hooks from . The jigs are poured using the same hooks I’m buying as hooks only .
The jigs aren't as sharp as hooks I use with the tungsten beads .

I still say it’s got to be the heat applied in the process that’s dulling the hooks .
I’ve always heard that heat will ruin a knife .
If it’s not changing the metal in the hooks causing the dullness, it has to be the heat doing something with the finish of the hooks . I’m using black nickel .
On the plain hooks the finish is smooth as glass. After they’ve been through the heating process of pouring , the finish feels rough .

I was hoping the poured 1/64 jig would be as sharp , they would be about a third or more the cost of making them with tungsten beads .
I also wanted them for fishing small plastics .
Just my observation .
I’ve poured a few jig years ago and know you need to keep the mold hot for the jigs to come out right .
With someone pouring for production, I’m sure those molds are kept pretty hot .
Guess I’ll stick with tungsten jigs , made without a heating process to join the bead and hook , even though they cost me around 35-40 cents each , compared to 13-15 cents each .
I’ve tried to sharpen the jigs and I’m not consistent enough to please me .
I’m going try and fish with the lead jigs and see how much difference it makes in my hookups .

Could be just a bad batch of hooks if they are lil nasty hooks. Mustads are better quality and so are the Victory sickles. High heat might effect temper but shouldn't effect the sharpness since it's furthest from the head. When I pour I always start with mold cold and never preheat the mold. Temperature settings on my pot goes to 10 but I pour at 4, no issues with dull hooks. Bronze hooks do get that dull rough look sometimes. I could pour some for you to compare.

I do not like them black hooks , never impressed me , seem brittle to me , just saying

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Originally Posted by Ketchn

I do not like them black hooks , never impressed me , seem brittle to me , just saying

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What hooks do you like then? Personally I think the red are the worse.

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Originally Posted by Ketchn

I do not like them black hooks , never impressed me , seem brittle to me , just saying

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In the Eagle claw lil nasty jig hooks , the black nickel ones have been the sharpest in size 10 . I’ve tried the red , and bronze ones . I don’t like the size 8 either . Seems like the bigger the hook the less sharp .

I think I’m most likely going to stick with the Mustad Titan X Heritage Ultrapoint in the size 10 jig hooks and the size 14 in the 9671 3X long streamer hooks and use tungsten beads to make my jigs . If Mustad made a size 12 in the Ultrapoint jighook , I’d be using them .
They are as close to a JDM hook I’ve found without paying $1 or more a piece for them .
I lose 4-5 jigs a trip and I only fish from 1-4 hours .
The rocks where I fish grab them and don’t let go about half of the time. A lot of the time it’s a green sunfish that grabs it and wedges under a rock before I can react .

I was only using the Mustad lil nasty jig hooks for the silicone legged jigs and was going to use them for soft plastic bodies , but I have more confidence in my rabbit fur jigs .
I can fish a spot with the silicone legs jig and not get bit , swap to a rabbit fur jig and catch one on the first cast . Hard not to throw the rabbit all of the time . Just saying. :)
My fishing trips are so short most of the time I need to be throwing something I have the most confidence in . I hate fishing a skunk !

I use Nustad trebles on my crankbaits. Gonna have to check on Victory brand hooks

I like those mustad ultra points as well. I just had a guy pour me 100 with a #4 hook to tie walleye jigs. I have some 10’s and 8’s I add tungsten slotted beads to as well. I do tend to use the JDM jigheads for my panfish still but I agree with you about those ultra points. Good hook for sure!