Riffe ice pick slip tip

[Matt_F]

Has anyone had any experience with these or a similar design by spear-tek???

I was a pranger man through and through but they aren’t great for shooting pelagics, especially spanish (they are hands down better for demersal species in my opinion). So I gave the single flopper shafts a go. The main problem I’m having is I’m bending a lot of shafts, approx every 5 to 10 fish ends in a bent spear. The main culprits are the bigger blue spot trout heading for a rock and occasionally a pelagic. Unless I stone every fish it’s going to end in another trip the dive shop to outlay another $60 to $80. I have tried heaps of brands including Pelaj, Rob allen and even a Riffe sprung stainless steel. So in an attempt to save a few bucks I thought I’d give the slip tips a go. I have heard they work well, but at $150 each I’d like to hear as many opinions as I can. The good and the bad. If I do get one, I sure as hell will make sure spear line is well secured.

Thanks for any input.

Matt.

[nigelr]

What gun are you using? Are you using 5/16" shafts? If not, try this approach first if your mechanism wil accept them.
IMHO the Pelaj slip tip is far better value than the Riffe, considerably cheaper and fairly readily available.
The best tips arguably come from the US however, Steve Alexander has a brilliant tip as does Bill Kitto, Aimrite and Darryl Wong. All these guys make tips that use SS cable, which by the sounds of your application, would be better than the Spectra cord models.
If you are only paying $60-80 for a shaft, you are possibly buying relatively soft 316 stainless, which a half decent mac will turn into spaghetti, rather than 17-4PH spring stainless which is far more bend-resistant but very much more expensive.
Adrenaline Spearfishing sell alternatives to Riffes' 17-4PH shafts, the Riffes are reputed to be a little prone to bending though I haven't had any trouble with mine touch wood, good shafts are as dear as poison.
Bit of a learning curve with using slip tips effectively, nothing too serious, but hence why I suggested considering a thicker shaft first up, even 3/8" is extremely viable.
There is some good footage on youtube of the South Africans spearing macs with Rob Allen style shafts, have you used/considered the RA slip-tube design?
If you have moved to WA, the locals will know what works best;) .
Cheers.

[boney-leg]

I've used the riffe ones on macs with no real problems. I never use them on bluespots etc because in the event that something goes wrong and the tip goes into a crack in the coral I reckon you'd never get it back out. For bluespots and macs I use a riffe 3/8'' shaft on a riffe islander gun

[Matt_F]

Thanks for the replys guys. Nigelr, I use a custom made (that's my way of talking up home made) timber gun 150cm in length with a riffe ss mechanism. The $60-80 shaft was about what I paid for the last one. I was getting sick of doing by money on the more expensive brands. I have used both 7 and 8mm (3/8'').
I'll make sure that anything I buy in future is 17-4hp. When you say there is a learning curve with the slip tip, in what way?? Have either of had any problems with the tip slipping off when you don't want it to, i.e when you are approaching a fish. Or the tip not slipping off once you hit a fish???
Thanks for the info.
Matt.

[boney-leg]

Have either of had any problems with the tip slipping off when you don't want it to, i.e when you are approaching a fish.

Matt - the tip has a thin piece of cord that tucks into the rubbers and keeps the tip from slipping off. It isn't an issue.

[nigelr]

Hey Matt, nothing wrong with home-made mate, all my guns, floatlines, floats etc are.
Boney-leg is spot on, once you understand the need to tuck the cord into the bands your tip should not fall off. You should not have any problems with a quality slip-tip deploying properly either. You may find the trajectory of a slip-tip rig different to a flopper as it is heavier. Depends on how much overhang there is at the front of the gun and how much you power the gun up, and what sort of range you are shooting within.
8mm is 5/16". 3/8" is 10mm. I'd say if boney-leg is using 3/8", ask him if he is using a slip-tip or just a standard floppered shaft. Personally I'd reckon a 3/8" 17-4PH floppered shaft would stand up ok to a mack, bearing in mind that 17-4PH spring stainless is a lot more durable (less ductile?) than standard 316.
Cheers.

[boney-leg]

Nigel - for mackerel the shaft really isn't too much of a concern to me as they are in open water and really can't bend the shaft. I use the 3/8" because of a special bombie I go to that consistently has big bluespots. Hit them and they rip your shaft around the reef hence why I went to the larger shaft (that is celebrating it's 13th birthday). I went away from the ice-pick and now actually use the riffe macko on that shaft. I also use to wonder what would happen when a shark munched a mackerel and got the ice-pick stuck in its mouth.

Not sure whether it is my imagination but all my old shafts seem heaps more durable then the new ones I've purchased. Luckily I stocked up on some when I originally got the gun. Those Torres Tuff shafts are sh*t from my perspective and even the Riffe ones aren't the same. I was thinking it could have been a bad batch.

[nigelr]

Thankfully haven't had problems with 17-4PH shafts, apart from the Torres needing the floppers setting up correctly. They are all hell expensive to replace, wish we payed more like what they do in the States.
I like the idea of 3/8", my next large gun will be built for a 3/8 shaft.
Have you seen these?
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/RetroTip-Speargun-Tip-4-Riffe-Wong-Biller-5-16-9-32_W0QQitemZ290378937161QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Defa ultDomain_0?hash=item439beef349
He does a couple of styles, for 5/16" and apparently 3/8" as well. Has a good rep for quality on Spearboard, when I get my 3/8" gun together I'll get one of his 'stubby' tips instead of a slip tip. Heaps cheaper and I wont be hunting billies, Yellowfin or Southern Blues anytime soon.....

[boney-leg]

Hey what a great idea ... I use to turn the base of the ice pick to a point and add flopper when I was making shafts for my seahornet. Those look really good - might have to investigate Nigel - thanks!! I am glad to hear the Torres stuff works for you. When I complained about them to adreno the boys were saying that there were problems with the long shafts which was what I was buying.

Matt - I see the 3/8" is a 10mm shaft and the 5/16" is 8mm