KF,

I received all the materials and spent the last few hours making leaders.
I made 2 for your inspection if you'll send me your address, I'll mail them out this week.

I found that the smallest sleeve at .033 ID, will allow you to double back the tag end of wire which is .010, which allows you to get a good crimp and keep the size loop you want.

You cut off the excess on loop end.
I started with just one sleeve on each end, but couldn't duplicate the loop size consistently.
I then went to 2 sleeves, and that seemed to do the trick.

Used small hemostat to hold first sleeve and fine needle nose pliers to double back wire thru the 2 sleeves.
You want to leave a little loop, the size of a hook eye, so you don't break the wire when you crimp it or test it.
What your really doing is crimping 3 wires instead of just 2.

It takes a little patience but it can be done with .003" left to play with. ;) ;D

Once I got the hang of it, it wasn't hard at all. I have a pair of glasses I wear for small detail work, that helped a lot.

For my strength test, I made a rig out of paracord and lifted a #25 dumbbell off the ground and gave it a few tugs, like a fish would. I could feel the titanium stretch out under the load, but it didn't break.

I'll let you be the voice of experience when you get my 2 leaders, and say whether my efforts are a valid substitute for tying them?