An improved fishing hook is provided. The fishing hook is made of a wear-resistant
material of either: (a) 85% to 96% tungsten carbide and 4% to 15% cobalt, (b) 60%
to 89% tungsten carbide, 4% to 28% tantalum carbide, 4% to 25% titanium carbide
and 3% to 30% cobalt, or (c) 34% to 51% cobalt, 25% to 32% chromium, 14% to 21%
tungsten, 2% to 4% carbon and one or more of the metals nickel, silicon, columbium,
manganese and iron which, together, comprise no more than 16% of the material.
For material "b", preferably the composition contains about 5% to 13% cobalt, 65%
to 89% tungsten carbide, titanium carbide and tantalum carbide which, together,
are present in an amount no greater than 30% of the composition of the material.
For material "c", preferably the composition contains about 28% to 32% chromium,
43% to 48% cobalt, tungsten and one or more of nickel, silicon, iron, manganese,
columbium and carbon which, together, are present in an amount no greater than
29% of the composition of the material.
