Gardner Crimpit Tool & Crimps: An overview

Many carp rigs today incorporate stiff boom sections. The best way to make them nice and neat (and strong!) is to use a Gardner Crimpit tool. The Stiff D-Rig and the Hinged Stiff Rig, are very effective, and they can be made even better with crimps.

The Gardner Crimpit tool has two slots and consequently allows you to crimp both 0.6mm and 0.7mm crimps. I found it to work on a range of line sizes from about 15lb to 30lb. The built in cutter built in which is very handy for making up rigs or just for general use as well.

The Gardner Crimpit tool is very comfortable to use because of the over molding which adds grip and bright highlights – as a result making it easy to find when it makes it’s way to the bottom of the tackle bag!

Using the Crimpit is extremely straightforward.

The Crimping process:

1) Pass the leader through the crimp.

2) Slide the hook or swivel onto the line (skip this step if you are making a loop).

3) Slip the tag end back through the crimp.

4) Adjust the length of the loop as desired.

5) Put the crimp into the correct slot in the Crimpit and squeeze the handle firmly.

6) Test you crimp like you would any knot and you are good to go!

My Take away thoughts

The Gardner Crimpit Tool is well thought out and well worth getting for anyone who fishes with mono or fluorocarbon hook links or booms. It also works for other applications where heavy, stiff, leaders are needed, like pike or sea fishing. The pliers have a short nose which accordingly allows you to apply a good deal of force and works well for removing hooks from non target species – therefore ideal if you suffer from catfish or bullheads.

Get the Crimpit Tool & Crimps here: