Anyone crimping 90lb AFW multi strand wire?

[neil hardiker]

I have some and am using the recommended #3 crimps and the AFW crimping tool (which is cheap and pretty nasty). Whilst my tests leave me to believe the crimped connection is very strong, the crimps do not look consistent when crimped. Just wondering if anyone is using a particular crimping tool to good effect. I have a larger Spro crimping tool (also of questionable quality) but even the smallest setting is too large for these crimps.
Cheers,
Neil

[dannytaylor]

Ive crimped the 90lb stuff for chucking big lures. Used draper cutting and crimping pliers, #3 afw crimps, no issues.............

(Did double up on the crimps though)

[Steve Dennington]

I use 1.6mm double barrel crimps and the tool below for that wire.

https://www.rokmax.com/shop/afw-crimp-pliers.aspx

[Mike J]

To make the perfect crimp.
When crimping wire double barrel crimps should always be used, ideally made of copper.
To obtain a perfect crimp the wire should only just slide through the tube which should be de- burred beforehand.
The tool used should have a single round hole the same diameter as a single barrel of the crimp, and it must close completely.
The finished crimp must not be closed along its entire length but in a manner which leaves a slight splay at each end.
The finished connection should have 1-2mm of the tag end of wire protruding beyond the closed crimp.

A connection made as above will retain the full strength of the wire and not compromise its integrity.


Any questions just ask.

[Steve Dennington]

The finished connection should have 1-2mm of the tag end of wire protruding beyond the closed crimp.

I've always tucked the tag end back in, so there's absolutely no chance of it slipping through the crimp.

[Duncan Holmes]

The finished connection should have 1-2mm of the tag end of wire protruding beyond the closed crimp.

I've always tucked the tag end back in, so there's absolutely no chance of it slipping through the crimp.

+1

[Mike J]

The finished connection should have 1-2mm of the tag end of wire protruding beyond the closed crimp.

I've always tucked the tag end back in, so there's absolutely no chance of it slipping through the crimp.

"Absolutely no chance" is an impossible claim, greatly reduced maybe.
But
If the crimp is of the correct size the tag end connot be tucked 'back in'.

If a oversized single tube style crimp is used the most secure option is to turn the tag end through 180degrees, back over the tube, turn 180degrees and back inside again. It looks less neat but. The two 180degree turns around each end of the sleeve provide an extra (friction) measure of security.

Equal compression around the entire crimp is the key to a secure connection something unachievable with a single tube and 'masher' style pliers.

[Steve Dennington]

If the crimp is of the correct size the tag end connot be tucked 'back in'.

The crimps I have are 1.3mm which would allow the 90lb wire to pass once, and 1.6mm, which allows doubling back. Ideally, a slightly smaller crimp than 1.6mm could be used, but there seems to be none available between those sizes

[Mike J]

If the crimp is of the correct size the tag end connot be tucked 'back in'.

The crimps I have are 1.3mm which would allow the 90lb wire to pass once, and 1.6mm, which allows doubling back. Ideally, a slightly smaller crimp than 1.6mm could be used, but there seems to be none available between those sizes

Hi Steve, yes I now understand why your doing it that way, I would be doing the same if thats all the crimps I had available.
Q; have you tried slightly flattening the tube into an oval to see if it would take the wire twice?
When I was crimping commercially (actually the correct term is swaging) I had suppliers of all sizes of crimps up to 5mm.
I will look out my storage box and see if there is anything that would suit 90lb wire?
I know for certain 100lb Flouro is a perfect fit for a 1mm db crimp and I know I have some of those.
If you or Neil know the diameter of the 90lb wire it would help.

Cheers, Mike.

[Steve Moore]

I have some and am using the recommended #3 crimps and the AFW crimping tool (which is cheap and pretty nasty). Whilst my tests leave me to believe the crimped connection is very strong, the crimps do not look consistent when crimped. Just wondering if anyone is using a particular crimping tool to good effect. I have a larger Spro crimping tool (also of questionable quality) but even the smallest setting is too large for these crimps.
Cheers,
Neil

I use the same wire and crimps, but i use the fox crimping pliers.
100% reliable.

[neil hardiker]

I have some and am using the recommended #3 crimps and the AFW crimping tool (which is cheap and pretty nasty). Whilst my tests leave me to believe the crimped connection is very strong, the crimps do not look consistent when crimped. Just wondering if anyone is using a particular crimping tool to good effect. I have a larger Spro crimping tool (also of questionable quality) but even the smallest setting is too large for these crimps.
Cheers,
Neil

I use the same wire and crimps, but i use the fox crimping pliers.
100% reliable.

In which case when the Fox pliers I bought from Slug arrive, I should be good to go. I assume just once through the crimp Steve M.?

[Steve Moore]

Yes and yes.

[dannytaylor]

Just the once?

[Steve Moore]

Yes just once.
I make hell of a lot of traces for friends etc. And have been making them the same way for years.
Make sure you use the recommended crimps and a decent set of crimping pliers and you should never need to double it over.
I've used several different sets of pliers over the years including ones costing over a ton. And the best I have found are the fox ones. I have 4 pairs. Just In case they fail etc.

[David.F.Scobie]

My Up-traces are a minimum of 90lb AFW Surfstrand I've never had a issue with the crimps I got the size 4 ones off Eddie Turner’s site and they seem to be spot on I used to twist this wire but to be honest the crimps were easier to do and achieve the same result (ok there's some debate over the strength of twist v crimp but the breaking point for both is way way way above anything you’d manage to exert on a fishing rod) I've got some of the same wire made up into lure traces I like flexible wire traces for big bucktails and spinnerbaits the only time I use a solid trace is for big glider type baits.

You might want to double crimp if you’re using titanium 7 strand wires the second crimp is purely for peace of mind incase there's a slip but in all the years I've been fishing I've never had the trace slip. I got some of Chico’s titanium traces for the jerkbait fishing he has a specialist crimping thing that crimps and twists the crimp it looks solid and does away with the need for a second crimp you might want to speak with him to get more info on his crimping tool.

[Mark Phillips]

I have some and am using the recommended #3 crimps and the AFW crimping tool (which is cheap and pretty nasty). Whilst my tests leave me to believe the crimped connection is very strong, the crimps do not look consistent when crimped. Just wondering if anyone is using a particular crimping tool to good effect. I have a larger Spro crimping tool (also of questionable quality) but even the smallest setting is too large for these crimps.
Cheers,
Neil

I use the same wire and crimps, but i use the fox crimping pliers.
100% reliable.

Same as Steve - I've always used the Fox crimping pliers with 90lb Sevenstrand (not AFW) and associated crimps. Again, ditto the above, I've never had a single failure. Crimped connections (done properly) are way stronger than twisted on multistrand stainless wires. For TI wire, I would always double back into the crimp, as it will definitely slip if you don't.