Now they've been out a while, any long term reviews, understand that they are a one bite hook?
Any other relevant information would be appreciated.
Please don't turn this into a KORDA slagging session, just want honest feedback.


TIA.

In reply to Post #1
Bought them as soon as they were available in the Wide Gape, generally a one fish hook. Sometimes you can get lucky and touch them up and cast the same hook back out. Caught fish to low 30's on them last year, no complaints from me. I would rather pay a little more and let somebody else sharpen them! You still get the oxidisation on the hook from the sharpened section but as many of us know now this doesn't affect its strength. Not sure if I would use these on hard bottoms, I personally used them for pop up presentations.

In reply to Post #1
Have a pack of the wide gapes and yeah really like them. Most of the time I get 2 or 3 fish from a hook then it's ready for the 🗑

Bought a packet of the Kranks, yes they were nice and sharp.
Personally I won't buy any more as I can sharpen them just as good myself.

initially i didnt like them, however in circumstances where one bite is all your looking for i think theyre great..i use the krank in size 4 on a ronnie and the fish i get on them are absolutely. ailed...if im fish a runs water ill use the normal kranks..ive not had much joy touching the kamakura kranks so dont try.

In reply to Post #1
Used them during the winter as a trial on my runs (I wish) water, worked well and done what was asked. Did they give me extra bites due to sharpness, I'm now confident to use them as my main hook on my syndicate water. One bite one hook! Yes, but who cares if that brings a fish of a life's time! Mind you I'm still not sure on using as a bottom bait hook as I feel they'll turn over too easy.

Good hooks, now bring out a chody version

First time out with the size 4 cranks and first 2 bites were dropped within seconds of lifting the rod. Upon inspection of the retrieved rigs the points had been absolutely obliterated. Back to my normal hooks and the following 2 takes were absolutely nailed! “ don't fix something that's not broke the saying goes doesn't it? “

Lesson learnt, confidence completely lost, kamakuras in the bin, back to the JP precision size 4 curves

In reply to Post #7
My JP hooks are similar. Lost a fish first time using them, second one nailed. Same rig I use the muggas on and haven't lost a fish. May get less bites but have loads more confidence. The lakes I fish have to many ducks to use hand sharpened hooks as one pick up there done.

Have to re-try them on lake with less wildlife.

I've been on them since they came out and don't use anything else now. Touch wood I've not lost a fish yet. They are quite fragile so I don't use them for bottom baits over gravel. My main 2 rig I use are a pop up and German rig and so far not reeled one back with the point turned over. I've had plenty of bream on them and most of the time the hooks are perfectly fine to chuck back out. Had the odd one go over on a bream

Overall I'm impressed with them and until I start having issues I'll stick with them 👍🏻

They're only sharpened on one plane, opposite the barb. Therefore when you look at them from the side they're mega sharp. When you look at them from above, opposite the barb, they need work to get them really, really sharp. I used the Kranks and touched up the sides, not one issue with lost fish for me but they did need replacing after each fish, as you would expect from any sharpened hook imo.
The Kamakuras are great compared to a none sharpened hook and imo they're probs a little sharper and defo more consistent that J Precision. Not as good as JH's Specialist Sharpened Hooks (they are on another level to anything else I've used - but pricey).
The best value are J Precision, not the sharpest and not the most consistent but they can be touched up very quickly and easily.

In reply to Post #10
+1

I started to touch up the sides of them straight away - when you use a eye glass you can see where have only been done on one side.

As other have said - fish a hook, I haven't lost any fish on them and the penetration of hook has always been consistently deep.

My preference is still the specialist sharpened hooks ( I prefer the mugga pattern) but would still use the kamakura wipe gapes for when I wanted that hook pattern

In reply to Post #10
Love the SSH from Jason too, but as you say, abit pricey, though for around 70p per hook, if it gets more fish on the bank not too bothered.
Have now tied up a few rigs with the Kamakuras in preparation for a trip across the channel, they seem plenty sharp enough. Though I did turn one over from it going in my finger!

In reply to Post #7
I tried JP Precison Hooks 2 years ago, first 4 fish hooked and lost from a water where u dont you don't really want to drop any from. Changed to SSH and next 7 were landed. Pretty much horses for courses

In reply to Post #13
You need to be careful with the J Precision if you're not touching them up. There's normally 1 or 2 per pack that are completely turned over.

In reply to Post #14
Yep same as what I found. 2-3 hooks hand turned or were blunt. To be honest Be packaging for hand sharpened hooks is poor.

In reply to Post #15
Hi
Going PADS again in October and may use these hooks as you wont be catching loads of fish. Just wondered will these be ok for repeat casting and reeling etc?
Thanks
Tom

In reply to Post #16
Yes, Just keep an eye on them mate, especially if you're fishing on gravel.

In reply to Post #1
Bought a packet 2 were turned over i binned them doubt they would last anywhere overnight.be ok for one fish in a commercial Jh muggas have the perfect balance of sharpness and robustness you can go too sharp never lost a fish on them either touch wood

In reply to Post #18
They were turned over in the little plastic case where they clip in and nothing can touch the point of the hooks?

In reply to Post #19
Its probably because Korda use Daiwa reels

Excuse the spam...

I took Yonny's and Duggs hook write ups and made articles today

Hook Sharpening - Part 1

Hook Sharpening - Part 2

Sit by your phones guys, expect sponsorship deals soon.
You're welcome

In reply to Post #21


@esoxlucious
You were very unlucky mate, I've seen loads of packs of Kamakuras and I've never seen any points gone over (out of the pack). I have however seen that with every other manufacturer/sharpener. It's all about the packaging fella.

In reply to Post #21
Great, I'm almost out of boilie stops

Been meaning to edit/add to that for ages

In reply to Post #21
Excellent article and very informative
It's opened my eyes to what I have been using
Many thanks for taking the time to do this

In reply to Post #21
Going wildly off topic

Just looking at the articles section reminded me of 'Wraith', whatever happened to him, he wasn't the same James Pullen who was a comedy writer and sadly no longer with us?

I use them but only for pop-ups and only 1 fish per hook. Defo not a runs water hook!

Got to say that I thoroughly enjoyed both these articles. Hats off to the pair of you for taking the time 👍

Just bought some will be trying this weekend seen all the comments They are sharp I will let you know

Not had a problem with the Kamakuras ,(Krank pattern) myself, 1 fish hook, 2 if your lucky though...agree on the J Precisions, have to keep an eye on them!

Favourites are the JH though, as Yonny said they are another level, love the Muggas and Chod patterns..👍 OK for hooks they might be expensive at around 70p a go but we will happily pay more than that for a lead and drop it on the take on some rigs!

I've actually just hunted down my login for this forum to start a very similar thread.

The kamakura hooks are probably the worst I've ever used. They're ridiculously sharp from the packet but I'm currently changing my hook every 6 hours at the moment. Any prolonged period in the water seems to blunt these... (Even with Foam)

Typing this from the bank, on a ridiculously tough syndicate, with the feeling that my rig probably won't catch if my bait is picked up, definitely leaves a sour taste!

A question for people with far more knowledge than me... How long should a hand sharpened hook ‘survive' in the water? I've tried the hook grease but no luck.

I've just ordered some Mugga hand sharpened hooks... here's hoping 🤞🏼

In reply to Post #30
I think sometimes a super sharp hook highlights these problems more. If you hit a stone on the retrieve it will wreck the point of the hook, but it's more noticeable on the sharpest hooks.
I had similar experiences with the fox hooks, nice and sharp from the pack but always knackered when retrieved. I find the atomic and Gardner hooks stay in tact better, esp trig hammers have been pretty good too.

If it's corrosion dulling the points then candle wax protects pretty well

I couldn't get on with the Kamakura hooks either. You only have to look at them the wrong way and the points go over. Not sure they'd stand up to anything but the very softest mouths.

Carried on using Hayward or JP, both very sharp but retain just enough strength in the point for me.

Apologies for bumping an old thread. I'm a big fan of sharpening hooks and think they have made a difference for me, but a few weeks ago I stumbled on some kamakuras that I bought a while ago and they are by far the sharpest out the packet hooks I have seen - they are also sharper than I can achieve - so I thought maybe it was worth the switch - I went out yesterday to catch a few smaller soft mouth doubles and photographed a couple of the hooks after landing - does anyone actually fish with these? I'd love to know - I will be going back to what I know best but I wonder if hook technology will ever bring razor sharp and durability into a hook

Use these all the time on a hinge and although a 3am tinker and burred hook will test you I think it's worth the pain. Fishing a shallow silty lake and I'll always put half a folded bit of rig foam on covering the point. Just yesterday I had a mid twenty common and the hook point was still good. Very rare was like a double win that. Great hooks just kids gloves type stuff.

In reply to Post #33
I wonder if hook technology will ever bring razor sharp and durability into a hook

Not for a long, long time.
Hooks are made of spring steel and heat treated. They're treated to a sweet spot in terms of hardness, that gives them flexibility (they act like a spring). Problem is, when the wire is sharpened to a very, very fine point, the yield point of the material is easily exceeded under load. Even when treated to the sweet spot, the points will bend/go-over. Treat them to a higher hardness, and the tip of the point will just snap off under load.

So basically until a new steel is developed that has a significantly higher yield strength, we're stuck with spring steel. You'll read blurb from hook manufacturers about fancy "new" steels like chrome/vanadium, and fancy "new" treatments like cryogenic tempering, but the reality is these have been around for donkeys years in other applications and are just variations of heat treated spring steels.

Not even your advanced materials like titanium or inconel can get near to heat treated steel for the characteristics desirable in a carp hook.

The Kamakuras are 100% a one fish hook so what you see is completely normal.

In reply to Post #33
what did you use to take such good pictures, phone or camera?

Pretty sure the strongest metal on earth, would still probably kick over, when its got the diameter of a hook point, especially a sharpened one.
Way i look at hooks, and leads etc, the consumable items, is how much it cost per fish, and would i pay that much per fish to catch them. Answer is always yes, or i would take up golf.

In reply to Post #33
Yes I've been using the size 4 choddys for a few seasons now & what you see is the norm. Very rarely, when all the planets align, they're salvageable, but usually they're scrap after a fish. I've found that they do touch up nicely though with a fine stone, when needed. I believe they make a difference & they're worth it.

However, it isn't a hook I would choose for a runs water, purely for cost reasons.

In reply to Post #2
I use them almost exclusively and do well on them, wide gape and not the wipe gape X which is a heavier gauge which i dont really have the need for.

With regards to 'one fish hook' at very most, lucky to get one fish tbh and any slight mishaps, miscast etc can see you needing to change the hook so a quick hook change rig needed. i use in conjunction with a traditional spinner rig albeit small korda 'd' and wafter and also pecky kombi...

In reply to Post #36
On the phone on the bank- the bit that worried me a little, was the first one, still felt sharp, as the point was in tact but turned, due to my eyes I took a picture and then enlarged it, in the original shot there doesn't look a lot wrong with it.

I always knew they were 1 fish hooks but wondered if their sharpness outweighed this - I'm now not convinced - if they are 90% on the sharpness scale I think I can get longshank twister 10s to about 60% and they need touching up occasionally and can sometimes be re cast even after a fish. At least with hand sharpened once they blunt you know about it

In reply to Post #40
"At least with hand sharpened once they blunt you know about it"

I've gotten into the habit of running my finger tip across all sides to feel if it's turned over or not, & obsessively stabbing the point into the soft skin on the back of my thumb..

... but yes I do agree that they are very delicate, & I can totally understand if you (or anyone else) think that it's not worth the faff.

As with pretty much everything to do with fishing - it's a matter of personal preference & doing whatever you feel works for you.

In reply to Post #41
What a wonderful reply thank you - exactly what I was looking for, advocates of something that can be an absolute game changer but needs consideration and tenacity to keep going. I absolutely applaud that and gives me real food for thought - thank you.

In reply to Post #40
I had a similar episode on my barbel session a while ago.
I took a picture of a rig for my blog page, and only when I later zoomed in I saw the point was still sharp but slightly burred over.
Hard to spot on a size 10.

I posted in this thread originally at the very beginning and I'm still using the Kamakura's without any issues 😃 although I don't use them exclusively these days as I fish more runs waters so just use hooks from Temu/Alibaba and just touch them up with the OMC hook sharpener. But when I'm fishing 2 of my main lakes where you wouldn't want to lose one, I always use the wide gape Kamakura's. Definitely one fish hooks (although still catch the odd bream and they are fine) but the fish I'm fishing for I'm more than happy to just have the one fish on the 70p hook