Question about Masterlure jointed eels

[ThrowingTimber]

I'm wracking my brain trying to figure out where they got those swivels? It's a barrel swivel's body, but they tapped it and removed the top and bottom portions of the swivel. So they just had the barrel.
When they tapped it that created a place for the through wire to go through the center of the barrel. But here's the kicker, before through wiring, they slipped a length of wire out of the bottom where the hook holding swivel went, this wire was peened the same as the lower portion of the swivels head, they then created a loop, slid the hook on, they then wrapped the hook hanger. They then pused it into place and ran the through wire...

DAYYYum! Anyone have a source for these?? I know highly unlikely, I can tap the barrels myself, but any idea how I can peen the top of the wire I would then insert to create the hanger? Trying to stay to specs on these bad boys But I had nightmares of hooks popping right off the swivels oke:

[Nebe]

you gotta post a pic of that thing.

[MAC]

???? Not on the ones I have. They just used cheap swivels (the ones with twisted wire ) and cut off one side. They then drilled the barrel of the swivel.

[thefishingfreak]

i showed you at plugbash in my bassmaster needle.
take a 3 way and cut two off. thru wire thru the other two.

[pops]

it looks like an old barrel swivel cut in two and the barrel drilled....

[thefishingfreak]

something like this??

[Canalman]

Sheesh! Lets see the whole plug... I've seen the nostrils and the guts... what's she look like???

[stripercrazy]

the hook's not cut, the swevel had to be built with the hook, vic the only way I can think that they did it would be the top hole in the barrel part,has to be bigger. with a tab at the end of your wire run it down the larger top hole(so the tab fits) down thru the smaller hole on the bottom, wrap the loop with hook. then run your thru wire thru the drilled hole in the middle of the barrel. is the top hole bigger? I didn't look. ed

[stripercrazy]

no it looked just link a barrel swivel with the top loop cut off (just the bottom loop) and the barrel part was drilled for a hole to thru wire thru it. and the bottom loop was wraped(like a tail rap)with a uncut hook

[thefishingfreak]

just an idea i had to make a low profile/strong swivel.
not sure what he's up to but i wanna see
spill da beans vic.

[stripercrazy]

you can't see it but there a hole drilled thru the barrel body.

[MAC]

here is the same idea of what they used.

[thefishingfreak]

make your own hook hanger.
nuthing wrong with improving on and old design.
whats the life expectancy of any given swivel?

[pops]

they cut the top 1/3rd off the swivel then drilled a small hole in the body to allow for the wire.... I replaced them on an old eel with new sampos.

[MAC]

It looks like they had a straight brass wire coming out of the bottom half of swivel and turned the hook to get the wrap. I wouldn't bother with staying to original that close. Don't want a weak link.

[stripercrazy]

mac may be right, the one I saw thimber with the body didn't look cut. he'll have to tell us, but that would be faster than drilling out the top.

[ThrowingTimber]

thanks guys. Yeah they carved up the swivel pretty good, then dropped a straight wire down the bottom and put the hook on then looped it. Im telling you I keep having nightmares...of lost fish. I'll just go with crok swivels, but wanted to see what you guys all thought. Thanks guys!