Tying vice for beginner

[fly_or_die]

I'm thinking about taking the leap and investing in a vice to start tying. I know very little about vices and what someone would look for. I would like one with a base so it could be portable and also in the $100 range. I'm planning to start tying streamer patterns and bass bugs. Someday hoping to get into dries as well. Do you guys have any suggestions on brand or models and or features to look for in a vise? Any info would be awesome. Thanks!

 

[tamster321]

I know you wanted to stay in the $100 range....but this is a great vise and I own it also. It is about $200. It is worth every penny. I did buy a cheap vise when I began tying and I wish I wouldn't have wasted the money on the cheap one.....

This is a renzetti cam series traveler vise....I love mine!

Hope this helps...

 

[kayo]

Griffin Fly Tying Vises

I don't own one but check it out. I own a Peak and a Thompson-A

 

[gatortransplant]

I'd vote for the Renzetti as well, its very portable, just make sure to pull the base out when you run it through the xray at airports, otherwise they'll ask a lot of questions... actually, they'll still ask a lot of question. But it's a great vise! I started with an $80 danvise but upon bending out the jaws I went straight to the Renzetti. It's worth it to spend the extra money for a good vise I would say.

 

[friar tyer]

I started tying recently and have been using a Cabela's Master vise as my first vise. My Dad tied on it for awhile before giving it to me. It cost about 30.00 and it's easy to use. After quite a bit of use the tips of the jaws started to flare making it harder to hold small hooks. I'm pretty sure this was caused by tightening down too much on larger hooks. Other than the tips flaring a little the vise has been great. I would recommend it for a beginner vise. That being said I would like to upgrade to a nicer vise, but the Cabela's vise works well enough that I've been putting off upgrading it for other things like tying materials.

 

[MoscaPescador]

I'm thinking about taking the leap and investing in a vice to start tying. I know very little about vices and what someone would look for.

Singular - Vise
Plural - Vises

I would like one with a base so it could be portable and also in the $100 range.

If you really want to do it right, invest in a high quality vise. If you don't, you will be wishing that you did. I'd set aside $175 or more.

I'm planning to start tying streamer patterns and bass bugs.

For these types of flies, you will need a vise with a powerful set of jaws. There is nothing more annoying having to reset jaws to make sure a hook does not move.

Someday hoping to get into dries as well.

Cool beans, dude.

Do you guys have any suggestions on brand or models and or features to look for in a vise? Any info would be awesome.

True story. I was at a local fly shop's after hours tying session. Local Signature fly tyers for Montana Fly Company and Umpqua Feather Merchants, commercial tyers, and schmucks like me attended. Everything from dinky trout flies to monster bass bugs were tied. There was one thing consistent between all of us. We all had Regal vises in front of us.

Regals are popular for two reasons. First is the simplicity. Simply squeeze a lever when inserting a hook. Then release the lever to close the jaws. There are no silly adjustments to make in order to get proper pressure against the hook. Second are the powerful jaws. If one is not careful, one can easily easily bend hooks by pulling down too hard with a bobbin because the hook won't slip. $165 will get you a c-clamp Medallion Series vise. $220 will get you a Medallion Series vise with an aluminum base.

If you are looking to true inline rotary, Dyna King and Renzetti make great vises for that style. If you don't know what rotary tying is, look it up on YouTube. These two brands have easy to adjust jaws that don't need frequent readjusting.

Thanks!

You are welcome.

Dennis

 

[fishindave]

I know some folks that love their Anvil Atlas...and at about $130 shipped, pretty good deal...I cannot personally atest to one, but I have heard great things...Ther is a vise shootout thread somewhere on here. I'm sure someone will chime in, Dave

 

[lthrnk03]

I'm also looking to make the jump to a better vise. I am currently using Super AA and find myself getting frustrated with it. I find that often I am wanting to spin whatever I am tying just to get a better look at what I am doing. I am really thinking about getting the Renzetti Traveler.

 

[Rip Tide]

I've tied all my own flies for 40 years.
Don't be talked into spending a lot for a vice. Waste of money.
You need something of quality construction that solidly holds the hook. Nothing more is important.

 

[biggie_robs]

I'm partial to HMH myself. The Spartan will run you close to $200, but it's worth it.

 

[hawkeyeflyfisher]

I've tied all my own flies for 40 years.
Don't be talked into spending a lot for a vice. Waste of money.
You need something of quality construction that solidly holds the hook. Nothing more is important.

May I inquire as to what vise you tie with? I am trying to decide between Regal and Renzetti Traveler's series

 

[jaybo41]

Just like anything fly fishing related, everybody's got their own preferences and opinions of vises. Renzetti, Dyna King, Norvise, J-Vise, Regal, Peak, HMH, Griffin...I could go on and on. Most everyone swears by the vise they have for the various reasons. Price, rotary, simplicity, weight, etc. I personally know guys who have all of the above sans the J-Vise and they all swear by them.

If you have a local fly shop and can check them out in person, I would strongly encourage you to do that. Maybe a local fishing/tying group, or another forum member can show you what they have and let you give it a shot. What might be recommended by one person may not be what you like to tie with.

If you go the cheap vise route and then stick with it, as MP mentioned, you WILL at some point upgrade. Once your tying ability gets to a certain point, it will be time to upgrade. I did this. I got a cheap fly tying kit as a Christmas gift, stuck with tying and upgraded vises. I did find though that the materials in the kit sucked and I ended up replacing those materials with quality stuff nearly immediately. Tools included. If you go this route and wind up not sticking with it, it's a tougher sell vs. if you go the route of buying something of quality you can typically sell it much easier. Rotary is a nice feature to have, but is not something I take advantage of with mine as much as others do. Still, when I DO need it, it's there and I'm glad I've got that feature.

This is a solid read if you are looking for a vise, just keep in mind that it's a few years old and there may be other options out there now.

Fly Tying Vises In-Depth Review by Fly Fish Ohio!

Also, go to Youtube and search for some of the various manufacturers vise reviews.

Good luck and enjoy the hunt. Let us know what you end up with.

 

[stimmy7]

May I inquire as to what vise you tie with? I am trying to decide between Regal and Renzetti Traveler's series

These are drastically different vises.

The Regal (my choice for the majority of my tying needs) is a fixed vise, where the hook remains in a single position with the exception of your being able to rotate the head and see the back of the fly, if you wish. And you can adjust the angle the jaws sit at for tying comfort.

The Renzetti Traveler on the other hand is a true rotary vise, allowing you to rotate the head of the vise while the shank of the hook remains in a fixed position. Some tyers are more comfortable tying flies in a rotary manner, and it is true some materials are easier to apply this way, but it is a completely different style of tying. Instead of you wrapping the materials around the shank of the hook, you rotate the vise and your hand remains in a relatively fixed position while you apply the materials.

I own both, but seldom use the Renzetti... I got mine for an exceptional price, so I bought it to give it a try and if I'm production tying any patterns that benefit from the features, I will use it for that. An example is the elk hair caddis... If I'm tying a couple of dozen, I'll pre-prepare my dubbing and hackles, then apply dubbing, wire and wrap the body hackle on the Renzetti, then tie them off and finish them on the Regal.

Also, with the Regal, you simply insert a hook.... with the Renzetti, you need to adjust the jaws based on the hook size you're using... and change the adjustment with each hook size.