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'Angel' clips.

Trampster

Trampster

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As mentioned, and having watched Billy Fishing's videos on making your own rig clips, I decided today was the day to have a go at it. Being honest, it's not as easy as it looks to get the clips to bend tidily, but it's interesting, and I think one of those things where 'practice makes perfect'.

1649960109594.png

The 'Angel' clips are for clipping down two hooks on Wishbone rigs or Flattie rigs. Developed by Sandman's Tackle time (youtube), and adapted by Billy, they can be bought online but are a bit scarce, and the Inova ones I found a few weeks ago were nearly £4 for 6.

My first attempt on the Left started a bit big, but I got better at it after half a dozen, and experimented with a Lead clip and a Bait clip with left-over bits of wire. Also, I think the diameters of the jaws on my Pliers are a little bigger than Billy's, which makes using the end two pins a bit tricky. Not so much leverage or grip.
Billy uses a coil of wire about 60cm diameter, whereas the one I ordered is only 20cm, so it does leave a curve in the wire that needs straightening before you start.
Billy's video is linked in the "Fishing Youtube videos' section.

I'll put some links to the gear needed below if anyone is interested in having a go.

1.5mm 304 Stainless spring wire (as Billy recommended) Ebay £4.81 for 5 metres Freepost. Many different diameters available.
www.ebay.co.uk

Wire diameter 0.02-3.0mm 304 stainles steel spring wire accessories selection | eBay

Material: 304 Stainles steel. Usually I will respond in 24 hours. Brazil, Spain, Canada.
www.ebay.co.uk

US Pro 10" wire cutters Ebay £5.95 Freepost.
www.ebay.co.uk

US PRO Heavy Duty 10" 250mm Cable Cutters 7014 5060478383352 | eBay

250mm (10") Heavy Duty Cable Cutter Pliers are. Length: 250mm ( 10" ). The blades slice through cable rather than crushing. Suitable for cutting & stripping aluminum, copper and plastic sheathed cables & wire.
www.ebay.co.uk

Jewellers Carbon Steel Looping Pliers Amazon I paid £6.99 for these last year but they appear to be out of stock. There are others listed on Amazon, or try AliExpress.

Jewellery Pliers 6 in 1 Jewelry Making Pliers Tools Pliers Set, DIY Tools Pliers, Bail Making Carbon Steel Pliers Long Nose Pliers for Jewellery Making Bending,Wire, Jump Ring Shaping Crafts Making : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy Jewellery Pliers 6 in 1 Jewelry Making Pliers Tools Pliers Set, DIY Tools Pliers, Bail Making Carbon Steel Pliers Long Nose Pliers for Jewellery Making Bending,Wire, Jump Ring Shaping Crafts Making at Amazon UK.
www.amazon.co.uk

The ordinary Pliers shown above came from Lidl ages ago and were retrieved from the kitchen drawer! £2.99 I think!

Total cost was £17.75, and 5 metres will make a huge load of clips, plus maybe Bagnall bars and other gadgets. I've got to make some hanging hooks for another project, so will come in handy for that too. Plus, it keeps me out of other mischief!
Tight Lines! ??????
 
Having just read andy2's Lead weights post, you could also use this wire & tools to make your own Lead Weight wires.
 
Topwater said:
Stainless welding rods make good grip wires - slightly thicker diameter so grip well in sand
Click to expand...
Some suggested using Stainless welding wire for making the clips as above, but I couldn't find anyone willing to sell me less than 5Kg, at just under £75.
www.weldingsuppliesdirect.co.uk

316L Stainless Steel TIG Wire - 5KG

Key features A molybdenum bearing, stainless steel filler rod with low carbon content. Corrosion resistant Sizes available 1.6mm - 3.2mm
www.weldingsuppliesdirect.co.uk www.weldingsuppliesdirect.co.uk

Most TIG wire is 316L, whereas Billy said use 1.5mm 304 Stainless spring wire. The eBay link I posted do lots of different diameters.
 
I get mine from a mate who's a s/sfabricator Trampster, a few leads and a box of biscuits were donated in exchange:D. The heavy-duty strimmer line grippers are good alternatives on rougher ground, the North Carolina lads I fish with have been using them for many years. They also use a 'sand plough sinker' that I'll try and get a picture of....
 
Topwater said:
I get mine from a mate who's a s/sfabricator Trampster, a few leads and a box of biscuits were donated in exchange:D. The heavy-duty strimmer line grippers are good alternatives on rougher ground, the North Carolina lads I fish with have been using them for many years. They also use a 'sand plough sinker' that I'll try and get a picture of....
Click to expand...
Yep, Billy's strimmer line grippers are another thing I want to try when I can get out and find some cheap Leads. I did enquire about ordering some grip leads from Dusty Bin on t'other site last year, but unless you are ordering a large amount, the carriage charges make it unviable. That sand plough sinker sounds interesting! ??
 
Trampster said:
Yep, Billy's strimmer line grippers are another thing I want to try when I can get out and find some cheap Leads. I did enquire about ordering some grip leads from Dusty Bin on t'other site last year, but unless you are ordering a large amount, the carriage charges make it unviable. That sand plough sinker sounds interesting! ??
Click to expand...
Is this the sort of thing?

1650018806006.png
 
I'd call that a grapnell lead, used more for uptiding in my area, they tend to have slightly softer wire for the prongs and bend out rather than breakout. The 'sand plough' has no wires but 3 rearward facing lobes moulded in that dig in to sand a bit like a plough anchor. They work well in soft sand and mud and can provide a bit of attraction by disturbing the bottom if twitched occasionally back towards the rod. I'll ask one of the lads to send me a pic Trampster;)

Edit - Dusty makes great leads at excellent prices! We've clubbed together to buy in bulk in the past as buying all the various moulds, lead and gas etc is expensive ?
 
Last edited:
Topwater said:
I'd call that a grapnell lead, used more for uptiding in my area, they tend to have slightly softer wire for the prongs and bend out rather than breakout. The 'sand plough' has no wires but 3 rearward facing lobes moulded in that dig in to sand a bit like a plough anchor. They work well in soft sand and mud and can provide a bit of attraction by disturbing the bottom if twitched occasionally back towards the rod. I'll ask one of the lads to send me a pic Trampster;)

Edit - Dusty makes great leads at excellent prices! We've clubbed together to buy in bulk in the past as buying all the various moulds, lead and gas etc is expensive ?
Click to expand...
I did google sand plough anchor weight and that was the only one Mr Google came up with. Look forward to seeing a photo. Yep, Dusty seems a great guy. As you say, buying all the gear to make your own is costly - you also need somewhere out of the wind to do it safely. I try not to lose any Leads - I think I've only lost one in 12 months!
 
That's pretty close Craig ?The lobes were a bit more pronounced, and they didn't have long tail wires. I wish I had one to hand but they've been moved, mislaid or more likely'borrowed' over time?
 
Trampster said:
As mentioned, and having watched Billy Fishing's videos on making your own rig clips, I decided today was the day to have a go at it. Being honest, it's not as easy as it looks to get the clips to bend tidily, but it's interesting, and I think one of those things where 'practice makes perfect'.

View attachment 25188

The 'Angel' clips are for clipping down two hooks on Wishbone rigs or Flattie rigs. Developed by Sandman's Tackle time (youtube), and adapted by Billy, they can be bought online but are a bit scarce, and the Inova ones I found a few weeks ago were nearly £4 for 6.

My first attempt on the Left started a bit big, but I got better at it after half a dozen, and experimented with a Lead clip and a Bait clip with left-over bits of wire. Also, I think the diameters of the jaws on my Pliers are a little bigger than Billy's, which makes using the end two pins a bit tricky. Not so much leverage or grip.
Billy uses a coil of wire about 60cm diameter, whereas the one I ordered is only 20cm, so it does leave a curve in the wire that needs straightening before you start.
Billy's video is linked in the "Fishing Youtube videos' section.

I'll put some links to the gear needed below if anyone is interested in having a go.

1.5mm 304 Stainless spring wire (as Billy recommended) Ebay £4.81 for 5 metres Freepost. Many different diameters available.
www.ebay.co.uk

Wire diameter 0.02-3.0mm 304 stainles steel spring wire accessories selection | eBay

Material: 304 Stainles steel. Usually I will respond in 24 hours. Brazil, Spain, Canada.
www.ebay.co.uk

US Pro 10" wire cutters Ebay £5.95 Freepost.
www.ebay.co.uk

US PRO Heavy Duty 10" 250mm Cable Cutters 7014 5060478383352 | eBay

250mm (10") Heavy Duty Cable Cutter Pliers are. Length: 250mm ( 10" ). The blades slice through cable rather than crushing. Suitable for cutting & stripping aluminum, copper and plastic sheathed cables & wire.
www.ebay.co.uk

Jewellers Carbon Steel Looping Pliers Amazon I paid £6.99 for these last year but they appear to be out of stock. There are others listed on Amazon, or try AliExpress.

Jewellery Pliers 6 in 1 Jewelry Making Pliers Tools Pliers Set, DIY Tools Pliers, Bail Making Carbon Steel Pliers Long Nose Pliers for Jewellery Making Bending,Wire, Jump Ring Shaping Crafts Making : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy Jewellery Pliers 6 in 1 Jewelry Making Pliers Tools Pliers Set, DIY Tools Pliers, Bail Making Carbon Steel Pliers Long Nose Pliers for Jewellery Making Bending,Wire, Jump Ring Shaping Crafts Making at Amazon UK.
www.amazon.co.uk

The ordinary Pliers shown above came from Lidl ages ago and were retrieved from the kitchen drawer! £2.99 I think!

Total cost was £17.75, and 5 metres will make a huge load of clips, plus maybe Bagnall bars and other gadgets. I've got to make some hanging hooks for another project, so will come in handy for that too. Plus, it keeps me out of other mischief!
Tight Lines! ??????
Click to expand...
Only thing is these are not for cutting Steel wires!. Copper/Ali and other "Soft" stuff. They are what we use for Culling Copper Cabling
 
Tournamag said:
Only thing is these are not for cutting Steel wires!. Copper/Ali and other "Soft" stuff. They are what we use for Culling Copper Cabling
Click to expand...
They seemed to cut quite a few bits OK Tourna! They have gone a litle stiff on the point admittedly. They aren't the ones Billy was using, but tool2UdirectUK are a local company, so thought I'd give them a try! Any recommendations (cheapish!) for cutting the wires matey?
 
Trampster said:
They seemed to cut quite a few bits OK Tourna! They have gone a litle stiff on the point admittedly. They aren't the ones Billy was using, but tool2UdirectUK are a local company, so thought I'd give them a try! Any recommendations (cheapish!) for cutting the wires matey?
Click to expand...
Knipex end/side cutters look for hardened jaws ie will cut piano wire
 
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