I've read about fiberglass and silica additives in the context of using them to strengthen epoxy top coats. When I ran these recommendations across an epoxy proprietor, he recommended trying pure, ultra fine quartz sand as a top coat additive to help mitigate hook rash.

I struggled to find the right sand in my internet search but I did come across and order some crystal clear glass frit, which was ground to an ultra fine powder. I mixed this in my top coat epoxy on the last two needles I built for this season.

One of those needles is in Davy Jones' locker, but the other one has about 60 fish on it. Compared to the durability of my other plugs, this one has stood up much better to hook rash; it is scratched from the hook swing, but it hasn't tore through the epoxy and into the wood (yet).

Has anyone else tried glass frit or other additives to increase the abrasion resistance of their top coat?

I've read about fiberglass and silica additives in the context of using them to strengthen epoxy top coats. When I ran these recommendations across an epoxy proprietor, he recommended trying pure, ultra fine quartz sand as a top coat additive to help mitigate hook rash.

I struggled to find the right sand in my internet search but I did come across and order some crystal clear glass frit, which was ground to an ultra fine powder. I mixed this in my top coat epoxy on the last two needles I built for this season.

One of those needles is in Davy Jones' locker, but the other one has about 60 fish on it. Compared to the durability of my other plugs, this one has stood up much better to hook rash; it is scratched from the hook swing, but it hasn't tore through the epoxy and into the wood (yet).

Has anyone else tried glass frit or other additives to increase the abrasion resistance of their top coat?

so this powder you mix in the epoxy?
at what rate?

so how do the hooks hold up?

do they get dull from it?

West Systems has aluminum powder and, I believe, colloidal silica to add to epoxy to alter it's properties.
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so this powder you mix in the epoxy?
at what rate?

Yes, powdered glass.

I kind of free-wheeled it. I added maybe 7-8% by volume on the needle I lost, and maybe 20% on the one I still have...I just kept spooning in the powder until it started thickening-up.

so how do the hooks hold up?

do they get dull from it?

Fails the fingernail test, but still hooking fish.

Don't get it in your lungs