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Living Rubber Skirt - Process #10700531 03/17/15 01:44 AM
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Donald Harper Online Happy OP
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I have been using living rubber for my skirts for many years and thought I would share the process. I am using one of the best spinner bait skirts ever made, in Coleslaw, for the example. You start with the rolls of skirt material cutting the tabs in 5 inch lengths.

Coleslaw - Cutting the Tabs in 20 strands for a total of 60. I add a few more for the jig skirts.



The Oil Bath - Living Rubber is great to add scent. I use Minnow and Night Crawler Pure Extract for 24 hours.



Banding the Skirt Material - This makes it easier to seperate the strands and helps in hand tying the skirts with copper wire.



Separating the strands - I use a sharp object like my split ring pliers to do this.



Hand Tying - I use the .20 copper wire; then remove the band to be used again.



Finished Product - Skirt is on one of my Custom Spinner Baits. This is the one we slay the Bass on in Mexico.



Each person you work with holds some promise to your future success.
Websiite Sponsors:
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Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10701130 03/17/15 11:47 AM
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I pull the skirt tight and then slowly trim the end w/ scissors to separate them. I'm sure that is how you do it as well. It would take far to long to separate them one at a time.

Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10701305 03/17/15 01:19 PM
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I have tried this with living rubber and it doesn't work. The instructions say also that you can stretch the tabs and they will separate. It does not work. Maybe it is the scent process that does not allow them to separate.

You are correct it takes about 5 min. to separate one skirt and get it ready to put on a bait. I am dragging the tool through the skirt material very quickly, over and over. Then I go through that end of the skirt one strand at a time to make sure none were missed. When I find two strands still together I use my thumb nail to separate them and then pull them apart. Then I start on the other end.


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Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10701383 03/17/15 01:54 PM
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I hold the skirt about 1" from the end then stretch the remaining 1" piece and use my thumb nail to separate. Works great and can prepare a skirt in less than 2 minutes even after applying BASS POOKEE scent. The BASS POOKEE must make it easier to separate the strands.

Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10701524 03/17/15 02:42 PM
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I have pulled it, stretched it, twisted it, cut it, rolled it back and forth and ordered rolls form a different company. It still refuses to separate except for just a few strands. So I still have to use the tool.


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Websiite Sponsors:
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20 Hot Spot Mapping - GPS Contour Chips - Custom Spinner Baits - Jigs -Spooks
Pure Extracts - Minnow-Night Crawler-Crayfish-Craylic


Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10704161 03/18/15 01:14 PM
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Originally Posted By: Donald Harper
I have been using living rubber for my skirts for many years and thought I would share the process. I am using one of the best spinner bait skirts ever made, in Cold Slaw, for the example. You start with the rolls of skirt material cutting the tabs in 5 inch lengths.

Cold Slaw - Cutting the Tabs in 20 strands for a total of 60. I add a few more for the jig skirts.



The Oil Bath - Living Rubber is great to add scent. I use Minnow and Night Crawler Pure Extract for 24 hours.



Banding the Skirt Material - This makes it easier to seperate the strands and helps in hand tying the skirts with copper wire.



Separating the strands - I use a sharp object like my split ring pliers to do this.



Hand Tying - I use the .20 copper wire; then remove the band to be used again.



Finished Product - Skirt is on one of my Custom Spinner Baits. This is the one we slay the Bass on in Mexico.



Great post Donald...Thanks for sharing the skirting process. clap
I've always had troubles getting the split rings attached to the blades and swivels without having to deform the rings.....open to suggestions noidea

Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10706150 03/18/15 11:54 PM
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See that device in pic. #4; it is a great set of split ring pliers.


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Websiite Sponsors:
www.eletewater.com - Staying Hydrated
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20 Hot Spot Mapping - GPS Contour Chips - Custom Spinner Baits - Jigs -Spooks
Pure Extracts - Minnow-Night Crawler-Crayfish-Craylic


Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10710776 03/20/15 04:15 PM
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Originally Posted By: Donald Harper
See that device in pic. #4; it is a great set of split ring pliers.


I've got a pair of split ring pliers....not sure if they're too large for the rings between the blades and swivels. Lost a nice wedge blade yesterday (blade and swivel) while hauling in a bass frown . What size/brand split rings do folks use between the blades and swivels?

Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10711343 03/20/15 07:44 PM
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I use as small of split ring that I can work with easily. Don't know the # but they are about 1/8 inch in diam..


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Websiite Sponsors:
www.eletewater.com - Staying Hydrated
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20 Hot Spot Mapping - GPS Contour Chips - Custom Spinner Baits - Jigs -Spooks
Pure Extracts - Minnow-Night Crawler-Crayfish-Craylic


Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10713250 03/21/15 05:21 PM
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I spent some time yesterday replacing split rings between the upper blade and Sampo swivel. I used #1 stainless steel split rings that I had been using for hook hangers on small crankbaits. They seem to work well and are rated to 20lbs. so they should handle any blade weight (guessing). Gonna' put a couple of Donald's "Cold Slaw" skirt pattern to use on my favorite waters later this week...looks like a good spinnerbait skirt color. Betting DH knows what works 2cents

Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10713976 03/22/15 12:46 AM
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It is good boisarc. I have a few others that are great also. I just made several for Mike Keenan and as soon as the juice is dry enough to get them to flair out I will post pictures to see what you thank.


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Websiite Sponsors:
www.eletewater.com - Staying Hydrated
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20 Hot Spot Mapping - GPS Contour Chips - Custom Spinner Baits - Jigs -Spooks
Pure Extracts - Minnow-Night Crawler-Crayfish-Craylic


Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10715052 03/22/15 05:14 PM
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Few skirts I made for a friend.
1. Fire Tiger/Orange
2. Fire Tiger
3. Blue/Chart./White
4. Coleslaw
5. Crappie
6. Talapia/Purple
7. Talapia/Brown/Orange Specks
8. 3 Jig Skirts in Earth Tones.



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Websiite Sponsors:
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20 Hot Spot Mapping - GPS Contour Chips - Custom Spinner Baits - Jigs -Spooks
Pure Extracts - Minnow-Night Crawler-Crayfish-Craylic


Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10715092 03/22/15 05:37 PM
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Originally Posted By: Donald Harper
It is good boisarc. I have a few others that are great also. I just made several for Mike Keenan and as soon as the juice is dry enough to get them to flair out I will post pictures to see what you thank.


I use spinnerbaits a lot.... and with pretty good results. When I read your post it really got me interested in skirt colors. That Cole Slaw pattern is a good "change" to the Yellow/White I see on so many spinnerbaits. And I've read that bass really "attack" that orange color at different times. I have no doubts that pattern, soaked in your minnow scent, will get bit hardhooked. Feeling inspired by your post I tried putting some skirting material together on a couple of old factory baits that were in need of re-skirting.

,

Thanks for the inspiration...you are the manflehan. Looking forward to seeing your next round of pic's. thumb

Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Donald Harper] #10715100 03/22/15 05:42 PM
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Originally Posted By: Donald Harper
Few skirts I made for a friend.
1. Fire Tiger/Orange
2. Fire Tiger
3. Blue/Chart./White
4. Coleslaw
5. Crappie
6. Talapia/Purple
7. Talapia/Brown/Orange Specks
8. 3 Jig Skirts in Earth Tones.



What can I say....the way the colors are broken up is awesome...much like the scale pattern on live preyfish.

Re: Living Rubber Skirt - Process [Re: Bois d'arc] #10715296 03/22/15 07:40 PM
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Originally Posted By: boisarc
Originally Posted By: Donald Harper
It is good boisarc. I have a few others that are great also. I just made several for Mike Keenan and as soon as the juice is dry enough to get them to flair out I will post pictures to see what you thank.


I use spinnerbaits a lot.... and with pretty good results. When I read your post it really got me interested in skirt colors. That Cole Slaw pattern is a good "change" to the Yellow/White I see on so many spinnerbaits. And I've read that bass really "attack" that orange color at different times. I have no doubts that pattern, soaked in your minnow scent, will get bit hardhooked. Feeling inspired by your post I tried putting some skirting material together on a couple of old factory baits that were in need of re-skirting.

,

Thanks for the inspiration...you are the manflehan. Looking forward to seeing your next round of pic's. thumb


You did a great job. I like them alot. fish Now go fishing.

Let me know when you get that new spray rig up and running. I have some more spooks to send you.


Each person you work with holds some promise to your future success.
Websiite Sponsors:
www.eletewater.com - Staying Hydrated
www.lakeoviachic.com - Booking Mexico Trips
20 Hot Spot Mapping - GPS Contour Chips - Custom Spinner Baits - Jigs -Spooks
Pure Extracts - Minnow-Night Crawler-Crayfish-Craylic


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