Crimping Pliers - The Hull Truth

Misfit · 08-03-2003, 10:24 PM

I'm going to buy a new pair of crimping pliers... found a 9" pair that caught my eye... but none of the sites I go to have any specks...

Has anyone had experience with Sea Striker Heavy Duty Billfisher 9" pliers??

or should I just go with the old reliable 10 1/2" Billfisher Deluxe??

auguste · 08-06-2003, 04:38 PM

I have a pair that are about 14 in. long, heavy cast iron handles, found at a flea market 10 years ago . . . the long handle ones make an easy job of crimping the big stuff . . . cover them in a very light coat of oil every few months . . . worth it to get the better ones as they last . . . I had a cheaper pair and broke the handle

" The only boat without a ding or two, is the one that never gets used!!! "

Misfit · 08-06-2003, 08:34 PM

thanks for the input Auguste...

Cat O Lies · 08-07-2003, 07:25 AM

Hey Auguste,
You can take those pliers, if they are cast iron, and season them with peanut oil like you do a cast iron skillet to help keep them from rusting so fast. Just douse peanut oil all over them and put them in a hot oven for about an hour or two.

Misfit · 08-07-2003, 08:02 PM

heck i might try that... i just had a friend give me a pair... for free... too cool :-)

thanks for the idea.

-Paul

auguste · 08-07-2003, 08:55 PM

CAREFUL

If your crimping pliers or other tools have a tempered cutting edge or a spring, the heat of the oven, if it is too high may kill the temper . . . I am not sure how hot it has to be but some springs and steel edges can lose their temper quite easily . . . thinking out loud here . . . maybe someone can give us numbers and let us know if there is an issue or not . . . THANKS IN ADVANCE

" The only boat without a ding or two, is the one that never gets used!!! "

RonSC · 08-09-2003, 10:02 PM

Changing the temper in steel will take 950 deg and held for one hour per 1 inch of thickness I dont think you will change the temper in a house hold oven just cook the steel at about 350 deg's and you will be fine. Just rub the oil in to the steel and dont pour it on bake till tender the serve with cold beer!!!!

23 Donzi W/A Twin 140 johnson 4 strokes

Red Rider · 08-10-2003, 03:29 AM

RonSC:
I don't mean to be a wise a** but that is not correct. It depends on the steel and its ingredents. Most likely the pliers are plain carbon steel. If they didn't make them out of Stainless then they would use the cheapest steel they could, probably hot rolled. No reason to get fancy.

Carbon steel can start losing its hardness as low as 150ºF. However for pratical purposes it wouldn't be noticable unless you were using lab grade testing equipment. The smaller/thinner a section is the quicker it will lose its temper.

For everyday applications, heating to 300º-350º would be safe. However, you don't want to smoke up the house or burn the oil. (Peanut oil burns at about 400ºF, I think). I would just put it in the oven at 250ºF for an hour or so.

Red Rider

WORK:, What people do that don't know how to fish or hunt.

RonSC · 08-10-2003, 06:11 AM

Well Mr. Red Rider I do not want to upset you!!
But you are correct on the temps for some steels I really Dont think you under stand the point to burning a steel with oil!! you have to burn the oil to get the carbon to bond to the iron which takes a 350 deg temp plus this opens the pours of the steel and oil soaks in to the steel. and yes produces a lot of smoke and slows down the rust!!!
Soorryy I gave you the impresson that I worked in a steel shop for twenty years!!! Heat treating and fabacating diffrent Items for the Navy plus I did not want anybody getting hurt or tring to get a high Rockwell hardness on their crimpers!!!

23 Donzi W/A Twin 140 johnson 4 strokes