KEN,OTHERS....
I started out using Mustads, as they were the only hooks available to most of us. Unfornately Mustad figured no one would ever challange them as "The" source for the U.S.A.... They allowed their quality to slip to the point where by the early '80s you were gambling when you bought a box of their hooks; damn good chance you'd get defective hooks. Their 36890s were very pathitic in the Black Enamel jobs they'd come with, the bends started approaching a Limerick type bend,as opposed to the Sproat style bend they should have had. I got some of their Streamer hooks that had eyes opened & hook points too long for their own good.
Well they(Mustad) allowed the rug to get pulled out from under them in the mid '80s by the likes of Tiemco, Vmc & other small companies... These "Up-starts" began slowly to introduce Quality hooks with true hook bends, closed Eyes, with tapers, smaller barbs & even finishes to them... Slowly ,but Steadily the "up-start" companies began to take larger perchentages of the Market... After using afew Tiemco styles in the mid-'80s..I began to switch over to them as they were better quality overall...my Inventory of Mustads dropped to damn near nothing, I still had some boxes, but they just gathered dust...
Finally Mustad "woke-up" in the early/mid '90s...releasing new series of hooks that were vast improvements over the "ancient series" they had produced for years. Their "accu-point" series were vast improvements over the older series... Their latest series...the "Signature series" has quality hooks across the board. I Love their 80501BL model of down eyed Steelhead/Salmon hooks...which they discontinued making 2 years ago due to small sales...I buy them up as I find them.
Unfortunately for Mustad, they will never command the Tying hook world as they once did, and it is all their own fault.... Thought they certianly have learned their lessons the hard way & are producing quality hooks nowadays...to the benefit of us all.
As to some hooks in packages being weak or deformed...that happens with EVERY HOOK COMPANY OUT THERE... it's just the odds game in producing soo many hooks over a given stretch...... some are going to be weak, tweaked, deformed and otherwise "not up to snuff".... I have had Dai-Riki replace hooks for me that were deformed & they also sent a letter of apology, & sent 3 boxes of the same model & Size... I'm sure most of the companies will stand behind their stuff. Reputations are on the line...
the bottom line is Use what you like, check it out to be certian it's O.K. and tye til your heart's content...which in my case will be 10 years after i die....
DEAN....
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