Thread: Lead Wedges

So, the fitment issue remains more or less at make new wedges (but avoid eating, snorting or bathing with the lead )

Wear nitrile gloves and a good respirator. Clean up after yourself and you should be fine.

I think I read somewhere that guys were buying lead fishing sinkers from crappy tire, big ones, and squashing them down to make lead wedges. I mean, if you are dead set on having the wedge made from lead, it's worth a try.

You could get the same sort of look from pewter, if you could source some.

Lord in heaven,spookey stuff,next time I go catfishing I will bring nitrile gloves before attaching a wgt to my line.
Went after Shad this A.M,caught 12 large females,I guess I should not be using my teeth to attach splitshot to my line

Yup, who'da thunk

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

I guess I should not be using my teeth to attach splitshot to my line

As long as its not "vintage slip shot" your fine as the new stuff isn't made of lead (at least in Britain its not, lead shot was banned eons ago).

The question I have though is with so many different materials out there I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find a completely safe lead lookalikeie, why even take the risk ?

Is no risk, you take in more cancer cancer causing Nitrates from bar be quing a steak.

I find lead wedge super easy to make. Get a roll of lead from the fishing section. It melts really easily. I drip it onto the tail of my vice into a small puddle. I hit it with a hammer and it turns into a wedge quite easily. a quick shape with a pair of wire cutters, fit it in, finalize the fit and finish with a wood rasp and take the few lines out with 220 glued to a stick. The only risky part is sucking up the fumes from melting the lead. Remember you are melting lead not hot knifing hash and all will be good. I also crimp my split shot with my teeth.

Now lets see . just how much lead would you have to deal with to get cancer from it. I think what little contact you would have with the lead making a wedge would do it. as another person has already stated fishing sinkers lead weights for decoys and all the other ways to be in contact. that's like walking through the park and smell a cig. would that cause and illness. I have made a few wedges out of sinkers with a hammer and file then washed up good after. no ill effects.