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sawmilllawyer, Wlmedley, reedco, YellowHammer, Dan_Shade, NewarkChopper, LeftFinger, SCSawyer, Resonator
sawmilllawyer, Wlmedley, reedco, YellowHammer, Dan_Shade, NewarkChopper, LeftFinger, SCSawyer, Resonator
Recent posts
#1
The Outdoor Board / Re: Sharpening hooks
Last post by YellowHammer - Today at 11:16:37 PMSure, all the time. It's not unusual to dull a hook after just three or four fish, so I reach into the tackle tray and sharpen them up, because it's generally faster than tying on a new hook.
Of course the ease and sharpness depends on the quality of the hook steel, and can't sharpen soft steel very well, to hypodermic sharp. I use 5/0 to to 8/0 Owner circle hooks 90% of the time, the size is basically a match of the hook gap vs the thickness of the upper lip of the fish jaw.
I use a narrow flat polishing hone, or a very fine grit flat file. Most hook sharpening stones in stores are way too coarse. You can't sharpen a razor blade on a piece of concrete and you can't get a circle hook needle sharp unless the grit of the file or hone will let you. Some of the saltwater diamond files are good, I've never used a freshwater sharpener that was worth using.
Diamond files work fine, ceramics also. Flat. I'm not sure how to sharpen a hook with a round file.
It normally only takes a few light strokes, the point should be sharpened Trokar style, into a three sided pyramid. The left side, the right side and then a light stroke on the beak, toward the shank. Nothing on the inside. The tip should have three cutting edges, and if you look real close at an Eagle Claw Trokar hook, you will see the three flats and cutting edges.
Even straight hooks on lures are sharpened this way, and it's real important because the hooks of the $30 lures will dull just from saltwater, overnight.
Fine grit, light strokes, and you can sharpen a hook that will stick in an arm hair.
Of course the ease and sharpness depends on the quality of the hook steel, and can't sharpen soft steel very well, to hypodermic sharp. I use 5/0 to to 8/0 Owner circle hooks 90% of the time, the size is basically a match of the hook gap vs the thickness of the upper lip of the fish jaw.
I use a narrow flat polishing hone, or a very fine grit flat file. Most hook sharpening stones in stores are way too coarse. You can't sharpen a razor blade on a piece of concrete and you can't get a circle hook needle sharp unless the grit of the file or hone will let you. Some of the saltwater diamond files are good, I've never used a freshwater sharpener that was worth using.
Diamond files work fine, ceramics also. Flat. I'm not sure how to sharpen a hook with a round file.
It normally only takes a few light strokes, the point should be sharpened Trokar style, into a three sided pyramid. The left side, the right side and then a light stroke on the beak, toward the shank. Nothing on the inside. The tip should have three cutting edges, and if you look real close at an Eagle Claw Trokar hook, you will see the three flats and cutting edges.
Even straight hooks on lures are sharpened this way, and it's real important because the hooks of the $30 lures will dull just from saltwater, overnight.
Fine grit, light strokes, and you can sharpen a hook that will stick in an arm hair.
#2
Forestry and Logging / Re: My new client and Quarry u...
Last post by Wlmedley - Today at 11:00:05 PMLooks really nice. Something to look at and be proud of.
#3
The Outdoor Board / Re: Sharpening hooks
Last post by WV Sawmiller - Today at 10:32:35 PMTroy,
That is basically what I did only 12C Oregon sharpener for my chainsaw and use the sharpening stones.
OTS,
I have a set of those HD files and tried them today but had let them get rusted and no good. I'll pick up another set and take better care of them and see if they are easier than the chainsaw sharpener.
That is basically what I did only 12C Oregon sharpener for my chainsaw and use the sharpening stones.
OTS,
I have a set of those HD files and tried them today but had let them get rusted and no good. I'll pick up another set and take better care of them and see if they are easier than the chainsaw sharpener.
#4
The Outdoor Board / Re: Building a Kestrel nesting...
Last post by WV Sawmiller - Today at 10:28:49 PMNeat! Do you put sawdust or shavings in for nesting material?
I am thinkin g about building a couple of screech owl boxes and they say use shavings or sawdust like the punky material in a fad tree woodpecker den.
I am thinkin g about building a couple of screech owl boxes and they say use shavings or sawdust like the punky material in a fad tree woodpecker den.
#5
Sawmills and Milling / Re: New sawing venture
Last post by Magicman - Today at 10:27:22 PMQuote from: Hilltop366 on Today at 07:37:21 PMI understand, and yes they were legitimate in that they were buyers and paid the refundable down payment. These "buyers" were ordering multiple sawmills with the intent of reselling and making big bucks. Wood-Mizer, etc. had no choice but to accept their orders knowing the intent of many of them.Quote from: Magicman on June 19, 2025, 05:44:11 PMthey screwed up sawmill ordering for the legitimate buyers.I suspect if you are in the sawmill selling business "legitimate buyers" are the ones with the money or good credit.
My definition of a legitimate buyer is someone ordering a sawmill with the intent of sawing. These buyers fell into the 18 month waiting period because of the artificially choked supply line.
This same artificially choked supply line caused stores to have to ration toilet tissue. Legitimate if you say so, but I have a different term for them.
#6
The Outdoor Board / Re: Texas Flood and loss of Ca...
Last post by Ianab - Today at 10:11:05 PMThing is there were warnings, just they didn't reach the folks that needed to know, probably because they were asleep. This sort of event IS hard to predict ahead of time, but once it starts the info is there with rain radar, remote rain gauges and river flow measurement. Folks would have been watching the disaster unfold on their screen, but had no way to get the message out to everyone. An extra 15 mins might have saved a LOT of lives, rather than waking up when their cabin started to float away.
I get what you say about the tornado warning, it's a "general area" sort of thing, that conditions are ripe for a tornado to form. 99% of the time it's not going to hit you. But at least you might go outside and look around. It gives you that heads up, and if there is a big ugly cloud heading your way, you know to take cover.
I get what you say about the tornado warning, it's a "general area" sort of thing, that conditions are ripe for a tornado to form. 99% of the time it's not going to hit you. But at least you might go outside and look around. It gives you that heads up, and if there is a big ugly cloud heading your way, you know to take cover.
#7
Sawmills and Milling / Re: Whatcha Sawin' 2025 ??
Last post by caveman - Today at 09:44:59 PMJmoore and I sawed for about three or three and a half hours this evening for a guy I went and loaded and hauled logs for a week or so ago. I try not to haul other folk's logs, but this was a short trip, and the guy did not have any other options. I wanted the client here since his cut list was variable and on the fly. He was very surprised how much lumber came out of his logs.
I was surprised how much live edged 1x he wanted, but the customer makes the choices.
I still have to tally it all up and figure out what the guy owes us, but he did leave a decent down payment.
Last Tuesday, we got hosed. I delayed departing for a short vacation for a couple of days to procure logs and saw boards for some folks who wanted to have barn siding available for 7/4. JMoore and I sawed 84 16' 1x10's and a bunch of battens on 7/2 and I waited around on 7/3 to load them. I've sent four or five texts and called and have had zero response. Prior to sawing, I have had close to a dozen texts or conversations with them. I might need to build a barn. No good deed goes unpunished.
I was surprised how much live edged 1x he wanted, but the customer makes the choices.
I still have to tally it all up and figure out what the guy owes us, but he did leave a decent down payment.
Last Tuesday, we got hosed. I delayed departing for a short vacation for a couple of days to procure logs and saw boards for some folks who wanted to have barn siding available for 7/4. JMoore and I sawed 84 16' 1x10's and a bunch of battens on 7/2 and I waited around on 7/3 to load them. I've sent four or five texts and called and have had zero response. Prior to sawing, I have had close to a dozen texts or conversations with them. I might need to build a barn. No good deed goes unpunished.
#8
The Outdoor Board / Building a Kestrel nesting box...
Last post by Jeff - Today at 08:48:38 PMToday's Project. Kestrel Nesting Box. Interior approx. 8" by 8" by 16" 3" Entry hole, 12" from the floor.
#9
The Outdoor Board / Re: Sharpening hooks
Last post by TroyC - Today at 08:22:19 PMMight think about a Dremel with small grinding wheel on the circle hooks.
#10
Sawmills and Milling / Re: New sawing venture
Last post by SwampDonkey - Today at 08:17:55 PMIt's like most any venture. Take weaving as one of those ventures. It all looks enchanting and you get to make your own cloth. Then when you get one and you start to understand you're not the weaver in your dreams. It's a lot of work and new knowledge to be gained before you can make great cloth and have the gumption to stick with it and want to repeat the process of setting up, weaving and maybe selling something or just donate product. There are lots of idol looms out there from folks that decide weaving is not their thing or inherited ones or folks that can't continue because of health or age. Everyone deserves a chance. 
