[bassboatjockey]

Hey guys.. I made the bone head mistake of leaving my jig box exposed to moisture and now all my jigs are rusty. Anyone have any surefire ways of cleaning up the rust without damaging the paint on the jig heads? The hooks are still plenty sharp, so I'd hate to throw away $50 worth of jigs.

 

[Mr. Ed]

My neighbor likes to soak rusty metal car parts in Coca Cola (regular flavor - not diet) for a day or two to get the rust off. I've never tried it, but I've seen the results. It might be worth a try though I would only do a couple first - not sure what it would do to your paint.

 

[TthePikester]

    BBJ...This goes back to another thread on attractants, WD-40. Spay some on the hook, let soak a couple minutes then scrub with a scotch brite pad, plus won't take the paint off the jigs and it will put a rust barrier coating on the hook. Kills two birds with one stone, cleans the rust off and scents the hooks!! Hooks are made of carbon steel and tends to rust fairly fast after the plating has wore away.  LOL...  not to discredit Mr. Ed but coca-cola is very corrosive and will actually start to eat the metal away and will weaken the hook. It does do great on car parts though!!!  ;D
good luck !!!

 

[reg]

I would be sceptical about the strength of the rusted hook. If they are jigheads you're pretty much screwed, but you can pick up the Northland Jigs at Sportsman's for 2 bits a piece. If they are removable hooks on a lure, I would simply replace them. If you lose a big fish due to a weak hook, you will never forgive yourself! Murphy's Law will get you if he can!!

 

[farmer ted]

If it's just a little surface rust it won't affect the strength of the hook. I use steel wool or scotch brite to clean up hooks if they just have a little surface rust on them. The WD-40 and sctoch brite sounds llike it would work well too.

If the hooks are so rusted that they're pitted, then I'd replace them.

 

[jipa73]

Are these like golden hooks or sentimental lures? If they are just jig heads, loose hooks, or spinners toss'em man! Now if they are expensive plugs or something I guess then its worth your time and effort. Either way fish on man.

Jim

???

 

[jipa73]

Right on Bass, now those sound like something worth restoring. I bet if you check home depot they might have some kind of rust removing solvent or something like that. Fish on!

 

[hammer]

BBJ,
Of course the Pikester was right, he works for the best fish hook company on the world!

 

[epic]

I would highly recommend replacing rusted hooks with new ones. 2 reasons, rusted hooks are alot weaker and can break (even if you manage to clean the rust) also once hooks have rusted they dull and you will not get as good of hooksets.