I have loads of leads with a textured coating. Lake im fishing is pretty weedy and the textured coating is a pita compared to the smooth.
Anyone know if there is a way to make the textured coating smooth? Ive read about putting them in an oven for 5 minutes but hesitant to just do that as i dont want to burn the house down.
Is the stuff used to texture leads generally the same thing they use to get the smooth coat or t is it a different material?

Cheers

In reply to Post #1
pair of pliers & heat them over a gas flame

pretty sure it is the same stuff used for the smooth etc.

In reply to Post #2
+1 could always try it on 1 and see. Some of the textured I used t make I'd sprinkle sand on as the plastic was about to go off, not sure if the commercial guys do that but if that's the case you might have to re coat them, it's not hard

In reply to Post #2
I've done it myself.

As Jamie said I make my own leads and if I want them smooth I let them cool down naturally so heat them over a flame and the coating should start to melt

Cheers guys, so the oven wont work then. Only thing ive got that will fit the bill is my bulin stove. Assume that will work?

If you have or know someone a powerfull heat gun will heat them enough to scrape if off. But you will need to cook them to re coat them. Not going to be a quick or easy job.

Probably as well off sourcing some cheap leads then keep the textured ones for other waters.

If you was in plymouth I have all the gear you could borrow it.

If you have or know someone a powerfull heat gun will heat them enough to scrape if off. But you will need to cook them to re coat them. Not going to be a quick or easy job.

Probably as well off sourcing some cheap leads then keep the textured ones for other waters.

If you was in plymouth I have all the gear you could borrow it.

In reply to Post #8
Cheers mate. Appreciate the offer.

Cutting the coating off and using them bare is an option to be fair.

I only really fish the one water and ive got loads of them, just seems a waste to have them all sitting there doing nothing

In reply to Post #9
Fairly certain powder coat is cooked at 160 to 180 degrees. Long time since I've used it.

But your going to have to get close to that to make it easy to scrape off.

In reply to Post #9
I'll check the temp tomorrow. Go out to the shed. I've got some old leads so I'll do some tests for you. So you have a starting point.

In reply to Post #6
I used to do the coating in my kitchen using the gas ring of my kitchen stove, benefit being the extractor hood so I didn't breath anything nasty in.

Can't really emphasise the importance of not breathing that crap in, lead vapours too.

In reply to Post #1
No need to fcuk about with ovens, heat guns or any other stuff, just hold them on the loop with forceps over your bulin stove flame. If the texture is plastic it will melt smooth within a few seconds. Stick it into water to seal it & its done. Unless you have loads to do, i would do it when you are by the lake.

I used to make hundreds of leads and just used a soldering gas torch for applying the powder coating, If I wanted it glossy/smooth it was a case of warm the lead with the gas torch dip it in powder coat and fully cover the lead with a spoon etc.. then hang it to cook, for a course coating same method but a second dip in the powder coat 30 or so seconds after the first coat as it was getting tacky/curing, (some drop them in water to stop the process of the heat curing too much because if the leads too warm still it will cook a second coating to a glossy smooth finish but with correct timings between 1st and 2nd dip you can get a less glossy rough coat to the lead without the need for dropping them in water.

like most people have said just heat up with a blow torch or over a flame just enough to watch the coating going smooth, then just leave it hanging on nail to cure. Don't dip it in water there no need it will cool down quick enough with out it.

I wouldn't use your oven lead and burnt plastic isn't healthy.

Cheers guys. Ill give it a go with my stove and see how i get on