Gentlemen,
1. How hard do you crimp down? I notice that on my crimps, there is some roughing up of the outside of the crimp--not terribly, but you can definitely feel rough edges where the tool has bitten in, and there is some obvious brightening of the metal. I suspect that this is normal, but do not have a very high confidence level. How does this sound?
You should be just fine. The main thing is to squeeze the mono a little bit. Using a hand crimp it's hard to overcrimp 400# mono. Rough edges on the surface of the crimp really doesn't matter.
2. I have decided to use double crimps on the hook and the swivel ends. Do you feel this adds any security?
I really isn't necessary, but I find myself doing it sometimes. Cut off a 5 foot section of the 400# mono and put one crimp on it. Hang the loop on a 16 penny nail or big screw in a tree. You will find that you can hang on the loop with just one crimp.
3. I discovered that if the eye of the hook is not big enough (duhhhh) for the stainless thimble to fit through, I have to go without a thimble. How much does this detract from the durablity of the loop at the hook's end? I guess if I am using a 10/0 hook, I am going after smaller grouper and amberjack than MrBill is anyway, so probably less to worry about? Or should I try anti-abrasion tubing?
They do make different size SS thimbles, but not using one is OK. Just check the loop after a big fish. 400# mono is hard to chew through.
4. The thimbles do not fit nearly as snugly as I thought they should with 400# mono. I realize how difficult it is to describe something like that in words, but any help?
If you look at the tips of the thimbles you will notice pointed ends. Use pliers to bend them inward towards the mono leader material. Move the crimp up as close to the thimble as possible. That gets rid of any play around the thimble. Thanks,
Russ
Hope this helps.
1. How hard do you crimp down? I notice that on my crimps, there is some roughing up of the outside of the crimp--not terribly, but you can definitely feel rough edges where the tool has bitten in, and there is some obvious brightening of the metal. I suspect that this is normal, but do not have a very high confidence level. How does this sound?
You should be just fine. The main thing is to squeeze the mono a little bit. Using a hand crimp it's hard to overcrimp 400# mono. Rough edges on the surface of the crimp really doesn't matter.
2. I have decided to use double crimps on the hook and the swivel ends. Do you feel this adds any security?
I really isn't necessary, but I find myself doing it sometimes. Cut off a 5 foot section of the 400# mono and put one crimp on it. Hang the loop on a 16 penny nail or big screw in a tree. You will find that you can hang on the loop with just one crimp.
3. I discovered that if the eye of the hook is not big enough (duhhhh) for the stainless thimble to fit through, I have to go without a thimble. How much does this detract from the durablity of the loop at the hook's end? I guess if I am using a 10/0 hook, I am going after smaller grouper and amberjack than MrBill is anyway, so probably less to worry about? Or should I try anti-abrasion tubing?
They do make different size SS thimbles, but not using one is OK. Just check the loop after a big fish. 400# mono is hard to chew through.
4. The thimbles do not fit nearly as snugly as I thought they should with 400# mono. I realize how difficult it is to describe something like that in words, but any help?
If you look at the tips of the thimbles you will notice pointed ends. Use pliers to bend them inward towards the mono leader material. Move the crimp up as close to the thimble as possible. That gets rid of any play around the thimble. Thanks,
Russ
Hope this helps.