which vise to buy?

[Jason Decker]

I am getting ready to purchase my first vise and would appreciate any recommendations and suggestions you might have.

[Big Tuna]

Renzetti traveler w/ the cam jaws and the pedestal base. I've been tying on mine for 5-6 yrs. and love it.

[Swandazi]

the dyna kingfisher is a nice vice.

[Jason Decker]

i am looking at the Renezetti Traveler............ i will check out a few others too. any used deals that you know of?

[TallFlyGuy]

From one Realtor to another :ray1: :ray1: Get a Norvise. If you start on one you will be ahead of the game! The advantages far outweight the learning curve.

[Willie Bodger]

From one Realtor to another :ray1: :ray1: Get a Norvise. If you start on one you will be ahead of the game! The advantages far outweight the learning curve.

I have the Norvise and a fixed Regal. One disadvantage I have seen for the Norvise is longer flies (long tails/wings) can have some issues with the cam area of the Norvise. Or, perhaps I just got used to the Regal and am having trouble switching over. However, the Norvise is so nice for applying anything wrapped... So, I use the Regal for the long flies (that really don't have a wrapped body anyway) and the Norvise for everything else.

WB

[weiliwen]

Consider a Dan Vise. It's made of composite, not metal (except the jaws), but don't let that fool you. It's only +/- $80, and I would have still bought it for $180.

[Don Stracener]

I'm going to have to suggest the Nor-Vise. I have four others kinds and don't use them anymore, except for pictures.

For longer flies I switch jaws and have plenty of room.

I have a thing for metal vises, a friend has a Dan Vise and composite plastic is not my cup of tea. Plus and minus issues with everything, just take an extra bit of time to get what works for you.

[Gig]

Hi there,

I just got a Regal and love it.

Cheers

[troutpocket]

http://www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/hwvise/index24.html

Here's some research material. After reading through this, I started with a dyna-king squire, and after a couple years moved up to a Barracuda. I just really dig dyna-king stuff.

[Longs for Cutts]

I would second (third?) the Traveler, however I'd suggest AGAINST the cam jaws. I tie professionally, and while the cam jaw is faster it also provides a weaker/more difficult to achieve hold on hooks and seems less durable. Mine fell apart in my hands, and Renzetti basically blew a raspberry at me in response --while yes, the vise was warrantied, I could send them the jaws and wait six-eight weeks for them to determine if the breakage was my fault or not. Since even in the summer (when I'm guiding) I tie six-ten dozen flies per week for the shop, this clearly wasn't an option for me. I replaced the Renzetti with a Griffin Montana Mongoose, which is a bit more expensive but comes with all sorts of extra stuff: C-clamp and pedestal in one package, a bobbin, a carrying case, a hackle gauge, etc. I've been tying with it since June and so far I haven't had any problems.

[Daryle Holmstrom]

I started with the Danvise and if my norvise breaks down I would defiantly go back, it does everything the norvise does but a lot slower.

Daryle

[TallFlyGuy]

I started with the Danvise and if my norvise breaks down I would defiantly go back, it does everything the norvise does but a lot slower.

Daryle


LOL, I most deffinately agree Daryle.

I read that article that was posted by flyfisherman.com or whatever it is. It is an old article. I think every year they just slap the new year on it and run with it. Anyway, because of it, I didnt' buy the Norvise after I saw it the first time. Then I saw it (the Norvise) again at the major show down here in Portland. It was then I realized getting the vise is a no brainer...at least for me.

Justin

[Birdsnest]

I am still tying on the Thompson Model A I bought 30 years ago. I think I paid about 20 bucks for it. It's a pretty basic vise, but it still works as well as it did when I bought it. Then again, I don't tie dozens of flies a week.

[Michael Dunn]

Renzetti traveler w/ the cam jaws and the pedestal base. I've been tying on mine for 5-6 yrs. and love it.
According to UPS tracking I'm getting that same vice this Monday and I'm pretty stoked. I hope the cam jaws aren't the problem another poster mentioned. I'll add my 2 cents when I get it.

[Drag-Free Drift]

I am still tying on the Thompson Model A I bought 30 years ago. I think I paid about 20 bucks for it. It's a pretty basic vise, but it still works as well as it did when I bought it. Then again, I don't tie dozens of flies a week.

I've tied flies since 1970, but I, too, don't tie very many flies, perhaps 10 or 12 dozen a year. My old Thompson A worked well enough for a lot of years. So when it finally gave up the ghost a while back and my 35 year old Thompson C wouldn't handle the smaller flies very well, I looked around for a good quality, reasonably priced replacement. After a month of research I settled on the Peak Rotary Vise for a little less than 140 bucks. This U.S. made vise is solid, uncomplicated, and holds hooks firmly. It does everything I want it to do, and, to my surprise, the rotary feature has improved the appearance of my flies. I highly recommend it.

[Islander]

iagree I'll give kudo's to the Peak vise also. Great value, I've been using mine for about a year and a half and really like it.

[Grey-Sedge]

I'd go with the traveler cam vise. It seems pretty good, though I still use my Thompsom model A a lot. The Dyna vise fell apart after a year or so and I had to trash it. I spent a lot of time trying to get used to the Nor vise, and although it is great for some folks I could never see the benefit in it.

[Les Johnson]

Jason,
My most recently purchased vise is the Griffin Montana Mongoose with both pedastel, C-clamp and cam lockup. This is a tough sonofagun that holds hooks from 22 to 6/0. I've used Griffin vises for years. Carol and I both have Griffin Odssey models as well. She still uses hers full time. I have assigned mine to our travel tying kit.
Generally most vises that we have today are pretty darned good; certainly a quantum leap from the old Thompson or Herter's models from the 50s and 60s. Check to see which one really locks a hook in tightly; suits your tying style, and is easiest for you to work around when applying materials to a hook. That will be the one that you want.
Good Fishing,
Les

[Preston]

Having a regular product review column in F&TJ has allowed me to try out quite a few vises over the years. From a $500.00 Abel to a (then) $99.00 Dyna-King Kingfisher, they have all been well-made and usually function just fine. I started out on a Herter's knock-off of a Thompson 'A' vise (given to me by a friend who was upgrading to the Thompson model) and, over the years, have tied happily on a wide variety of different vises. I have fond memories of some of them; my Regal and, of course, my Norvise, were particular favorites.

At the present time, I do much of my tying on a Griffin Montana Mongoose, but I am sometimes surprised at how often I find myself going back to my little Dyna-King Kingfisher. I originally decided to keep this tool for a take-along vise on those multi-day trips when you just might need to restock a particular pattern, or to come up with something that more closely resembles whatever happens to be on the trout's menu. But I find that I often use it, even at home, just because it's handy and does what a fly-tying vise should do; hold the hook securely!

Decide what you really need and base your selection on that; remember that even the most expensive vise won't make you a better tier. Do you need (for instance) a full-rotary vise? There was a time when I thought I did. But when I bought one I found that the only time I used that feature was when I wanted to turn the fly over to check the uniformity of the spacing of the rib or the alignment of the wing, something easily done with most non-rotary vises. Maybe I'm just a bit of a Luddite, but simplicity has a great appeal for me.

The only vise that I can think of that really offers the ability to do things that other vises cannot do is, of course, the Norvise. Norm Norlander can do things with that vise that are truly amazing and when I was using it preparatory to writing a review, I was able to develop some of the necessary skills. But, if I were to go back to it now, I'd have to start from scratch.

[ceviche]

The advice I liked the best came from Preston--that a vise with good hook-holding power is the way to go. That makes a lot of sense. Perhaps a vise that utilizes a cam or lever lock device for the jaws would be the way to go. You can get good leverage with that feature. The ones that have a finger screw that tightens the jaws aren't that great, because sometimes they are difficult to loosen. Additionally, if you don't have good finger strength, don't figure on being able to get the vise jaw real tight in the first place.

However, I can't fully agree with his take on the full-rotary feature. Now, I'm no Harry Lemire, so I find myself really liking the fact that my vise (EZ-Vise or some dumb name like that...) does have the elbow arm and is full rotary. Those two features really do help with my tying. A vise that brings the shank of the hook as close as possible to the axis of rotation does the tyer a big favor. Having consistant pressure while palmering on fragile materials helps reduce breakage. This is a big deal when tying on something like peacock herl.

If you can find a vise with lever-lock jaws and elbow-arm and is full-rotary for under $100, you are looking at a very good value. And let me know, too! I might end up upgrading in the near future.

[Charapa]

I am getting ready to purchase my first vise and would appreciate any recommendations and suggestions you might have.

The best you can afford....I have a Peak & HMH std. Both very nice & well made.
Regards

[Don Stracener]

This thread could go on forever, why?

Because anyone that shells out a bunch of cash for a good vise that holds the hook well will be happy and defend that vise! There are a lot of good vise's out there. Maybe the best idea is to check your budget, look at what people aren't complaining about and roll the dice.

Maybe you don't think you need a full rotary vise, but if there's a good one in your range buy it. Start out using it like a non-rotary knowing someday you may need that feature.

If you haven't bought one yet, save a little extra and buy one a level or two above what you had planned it will be with you a long time.