How do I remove rust from the hooks on vintage fishing lures?

Posted on Mar 10, 2010 under Fishing Hooks | 11 Comments

I am not going to use these vintage lures…I plan on selling them on Ebay. Wouldn’t it be better to keep the original hooks that were on the lure then to replace them?

Well now, you want to sell vintage lures for a top dollar, and you are willing to destroy the evidence that makes them worth a collector’s time and effort to id them as vintage?
Would you also want to redo Mona Lisa’s smile?
How often do you go around shooting yourself in the foot?
Leave them as they are. Do not attempt to clean them, or replace anything on them, or try to repaint them, as they shall be worth more to the true collector if they are just properly taken care of in their original package, as the packaging is also valuable in combination with the item.
I take it that you have never seen an episode of "The Antique’s Road Show" on PBS.
This applies to ALL items of antiquity!
If they are without packaging, buy a case to show them in, Use some type of an "E" glass to protect them from sun damage. Speak with professionals at a glass shop. Contact the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, (I believe it is located in Hayward, Wisconsin, if I am not mistaken.)
Good luck & Good Fishing

11 Responses to “How do I remove rust from the hooks on vintage fishing lures?”

  1. Blazer 1 Says:

    Probably be better to just remove the hooks themselves.
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  2. Steve H Says:

    I got rid of a bit of rust on some of my lures using WD40 and a bit of spray on rust remover. Just don’t get it on the lure as it may corrode and lose colour.
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  3. tula92278 Says:

    wd40 it works on everything.
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  4. leowyatt410 Says:

    someone a board i belong to said
    just remove the old hooks and put new on
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  5. Justin C Says:

    just change the hooks on them and no one will ever know
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    fishing pro

  6. rapture Says:

    Id leave the original hooks on them as is. collecters want the vintage lure, hooks and all id think. Better to leave em alone then risk bringing the value down.

    good luck and let the big ones go!!!
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  7. aneurodoc125 Says:

    If they are collector’s items, sell them rusty, and let the buyer decide. Changing anything can greatly diminish the value of a collectable. Muriatic acid will clean them nicely, if you want to clean them. Remember- pour acid into water, not the other way around. Then if you get a splash, it is water, not acid.
    Wear gloves and eye protection.
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  8. tr19xdc Says:

    If they are true vintage lures (not saying they are not)
    ….LEAVE them alone and sell as is.
    Collectors want them as original as possible even if the hooks are rusty. Will increase the value greatly if you have the original boxes as well.
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  9. AIRFLOW Says:

    If they are real collectors lures leave the rust on them, then they can decide what happens, if they don’t sell then you could try removing the rust with some very fine sandpaper and some 3in 1 type oil.
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  10. fastrmastrblastr Says:

    Well now, you want to sell vintage lures for a top dollar, and you are willing to destroy the evidence that makes them worth a collector’s time and effort to id them as vintage?
    Would you also want to redo Mona Lisa’s smile?
    How often do you go around shooting yourself in the foot?
    Leave them as they are. Do not attempt to clean them, or replace anything on them, or try to repaint them, as they shall be worth more to the true collector if they are just properly taken care of in their original package, as the packaging is also valuable in combination with the item.
    I take it that you have never seen an episode of "The Antique’s Road Show" on PBS.
    This applies to ALL items of antiquity!
    If they are without packaging, buy a case to show them in, Use some type of an "E" glass to protect them from sun damage. Speak with professionals at a glass shop. Contact the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, (I believe it is located in Hayward, Wisconsin, if I am not mistaken.)
    Good luck & Good fishing
    References :

  11. FishSteelhead Says:

    Lot of your TRUE collectors want to see the plug/lure in it’s natural/original state, so honestly I’d leave em’ alone. In a lot of cases it’ll bring ya’ your top dollar$ ;) … < ‘ (( ( > <

    Note: If your goin’ with ebay, make sure that ya’ have some real clear/detailed pictures of them…
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