Orvis's New Nipper

[sweetandsalt]

 

[plecain]

Orvis' web site still says this, however:

"Abel Nipper and Lanyard
When you want the ultimate these are the best nippers made. Made in USA."

 

[mcnerney]

For $79 retail, I don't think so.

 

[ia_trouter]

Hooray, a nipper thread! Everyone don your body armor and find your sword.

 

[Rip Tide]

KoolAid comes in many flavors

 

[ia_trouter]

KoolAid comes in many flavors

I'm disappointed Rip. I thought surely you would post a PIC of a pair of fingernail clippers next to an old bowling trophy.

 

[fredaevans]

I'm disappointed Rip. I thought surely you would post a PIC of a pair of fingernail clippers next to an old bowling trophy.

Well if I could remember how to post up a picture (or take the time to even take the picture) I still just go with over sized 'toe nail' clippers. All these 'new and improved' just makes me shake my head in dissballieef.

But if you want to pop for $80.00 bucks rather than $5.00 ... why the hell not?

fae

Edit: Oh Gosh Oh Gee ... the 'new and improved' has a pointie thing to clear out the eye of a hook. How about just using another hook?

 

[el jefe]

I'll say this about expensive nippers. For those who spend their dollars on top-end fly rods, nippers are a small purchase by comparison. Compared to other nippers, they are ridiculously expensive, but once you're past a $895 fly rod, certain small tools and accessories improve the fishing experience by a lot more, comparatively. I was able to use my Abel nippers for the first time a few weeks ago, and that is one of those items that improve the experience for me much more than the incremental improvement of a new fly rod for $895. They just flat out work. I don't think they need to cost $50 to work like that, but that's what they're charging, and after experiencing how well they work, $50 is within the margin of error, especially when you take into account I'll never need to buy another pair.

 

[ia_trouter]

I'll say this about expensive nippers. For those who spend their dollars on top-end fly rods, nippers are a small purchase by comparison. Compared to other nippers, they are ridiculously expensive, but once you're past a $895 fly rod, certain small tools and accessories improve the fishing experience by a lot more, comparatively. I was able to use my Abel nippers for the first time a few weeks ago, and that is one of those items that improve the experience for me much more than the incremental improvement of a new fly rod for $895. They just flat out work. I don't think they need to cost $50 to work like that, but that's what they're charging, and after experiencing how well they work, $50 is within the margin of error, especially when you take into account I'll never need to buy another pair.

I could probably justify $40 and allow them to sell me user replaceable new blades for a modest fee. I don't see them as a one time-lifetime purchase and that is what it needs to be at 40 times the cost of something that is quite functional. But if it makes people happy ................

 

[hokiehunter07]

I'll say this about expensive nippers. For those who spend their dollars on top-end fly rods, nippers are a small purchase by comparison. Compared to other nippers, they are ridiculously expensive, but once you're past a $895 fly rod, certain small tools and accessories improve the fishing experience by a lot more, comparatively. I was able to use my Abel nippers for the first time a few weeks ago, and that is one of those items that improve the experience for me much more than the incremental improvement of a new fly rod for $895. They just flat out work. I don't think they need to cost $50 to work like that, but that's what they're charging, and after experiencing how well they work, $50 is within the margin of error, especially when you take into account I'll never need to buy another pair.

Ha, I know not everything is for everyone but:
Redington CT 5WT $80 at Cableas.
Cabelas CGR 2wt $65
Cabelas LSi 8wt $80 on sale with coupon.
Eagle Claw Featherlight 4wt $25

I have 4 rods that cost less than one pair of nippers.

My most expensive rod is a TFO BVK 8wt that I paid about $250 for a few years ago. Those nippers are 1/3 the price of my best rod. My other rods are a $120 TFO Finesse 3wt, a 6WT BVK I paid $80 for used, and a 5wt Orvis Far and Fine with a CFOIII reel I paid a buddy $200 for.

I understand that these nippers are marketed more towards the folks dropping $1000 on a rod and $3-400 on a reel, and $100 on line, but I use more budget reels (lamson konics, Ross flyrise, etc.) and get last years top-of-the-line line from STP for about $30.

That and the fact that my $10 fly shop nippers on a neck lanyard zinger I bought 6 years ago are holding up just fine make the thought of $80 nippers unpalatable. Now I'd love to have a pai and would gladly accept them as a gift but until that happens I'll stick to my $10 and cheaper specials.

Hokie.

 

[myt1]

It appears in order to use the "pointy thing" to clear the eye of a fly of glue you have to rotate part of the handle to expose the point.

I can see how this might be a kinda cool thing for a salesperson to show a customer standing at the cash register of a fly shop, but I don't see how this will be anything but a pain in the butt when standing knee deep in a river trying to tie on a fly with with fingers that very well could be numb from cold water.

Even if my fingers aren't numb, I want stuff that makes my life simpler. I don't need an extra step.

I'm going to put these nippers in the same category as the Abel nippers...over engineered and they don't even work that great. The pointy thing on the Abel nippers is all but impossible to use...even if your fingers aren't numb.

That being said, I did pick up a pair of Hatch nippers at the cash register of a fly shop awhile back...and I quickly put them down again when I saw the price...but if money were no object, or if someone wanted to buy me a pair as a gift, these would be the ones to get.

 

[plecain]

The pointy thing on the Abel nippers is all but impossible to use...

Boy, is that true.

So true that when I saw this I thought, "What pointy thing?"

I'd forgotten that the Abel nipper has one. (Yes, I confess. I have an Abel nipper.)

 

[el jefe]

Ha, I know not everything is for everyone but:
Redington CT 5WT $80 at Cableas.
Cabelas CGR 2wt $65
Cabelas LSi 8wt $80 on sale with coupon.
Eagle Claw Featherlight 4wt $25

I have 4 rods that cost less than one pair of nippers.

My most expensive rod is a TFO BVK 8wt that I paid about $250 for a few years ago. Those nippers are 1/3 the price of my best rod. My other rods are a $120 TFO Finesse 3wt, a 6WT BVK I paid $80 for used, and a 5wt Orvis Far and Fine with a CFOIII reel I paid a buddy $200 for.

I understand that these nippers are marketed more towards the folks dropping $1000 on a rod and $3-400 on a reel, and $100 on line, but I use more budget reels (lamson konics, Ross flyrise, etc.) and get last years top-of-the-line line from STP for about $30.

That and the fact that my $10 fly shop nippers on a neck lanyard zinger I bought 6 years ago are holding up just fine make the thought of $80 nippers unpalatable. Now I'd love to have a pai and would gladly accept them as a gift but until that happens I'll stick to my $10 and cheaper specials.

Hokie.

I get what you're saying. I am the proud owner of 3 Redington CTs, and understand value very well. High price or low price, the value equation requires two inputs, and price is only the denominator. You have to judge the numerator, too. I went through so many pairs of nippers that simply were not up to the job that I spent well over the price of a pair of Abel nippers over the last several years. None of them worked anywhere near as well as the Abels, ever. Consider: nippers are something you use every single time you fish, and many times on each day out. A nipper is your most used item. Meanwhile, you are only using one fly rod at a time, and many of us will purchase one and get rid of it shortly because we realize it doesn't fish as well as it did in the parking lot, and we lose more on the exchange than an expensive pair of nippers costs. Regardless of the price of the rods, you will always have more money invested in unused fly rods sitting in your car or garage whenever you go fishing, but you will always have and use your nippers.

If inexpensive nippers work well, you've got good value, and more power to you. I never could get them to function satisfactorily for any length of time; I didn't know how bad they were until trying the Abels. I also bought a pair of Abel nippers for my 78-year-old father, and it has revolutionized his fishing because his hand strength and dexterity isn't what it used to be. The Abels are much easier for him to line up and squeeze, eliminating tearing at the line hopefully somewhere near the knot with trembling hands. Formerly, he wouldn't even change flies if they weren't working, it was such a chore to do so. And now he is re-engaged and more enthusiastic about his fishing. That particular pair would have been a bargain at five times the price.

 

[ia_trouter]

A nipper is your most used item. Meanwhile, you are only using one fly rod at a time, and many of us will purchase one and get rid of it shortly because we realize it doesn't fish as well as it did in the parking lot, and we lose more on the exchange than an expensive pair of nippers costs. Regardless of the price of the rods, you will always have more money invested in unused fly rods sitting in your car or garage whenever you go fishing, but you will always have and use your nippers.

If inexpensive nippers work well, you've got good value, and more power to you. I never could get them to function satisfactorily for any length of time; I didn't know how bad they were until trying the Abels. ..

That all sounds logical at first. I agree cheap nippers are not very impressive. The only flaw in the logic (IMO), is that we convinced ourselves we need nippers in the first place. They absolutely do look much cooler than nail clippers so most of us buy nippers of some sort. There is no justification other than you want some cool gear. Nail clippers have been cutting mono and tippet just fine for 50 years. You're cutting fishing line and you can only cut it so good. Any purchase of nippers is just for fun. The industry has done a masterful job of creating a need that doesn't exist at all if you are honest with yourself.

There I go whizzing in the lemonade again.

 

[Rip Tide]

You know what I do when my 39cent nailclippers get dull ??


I sharpen them !!


(yes you can do that)


... and some of you that don't know me thought I was going to say "buy new ones"

 

[flytie09]

I've lost too many nippers over the years to spend $80. I'm sure they're dandy, but I can't justify it. You better use a lanyard wrapped around your neck instead of a cheap pin on retractor. Or you will lose them, and I'll be looking for them.

ft09

 

[myt1]

You know what I do when my 39cent nailclippers get dull ??

Don't the thirty-nine cent nail clippers rust?

I have a pair of nail clippers sitting in a drawer in my bathroom and they are getting rusty.

 

[Rip Tide]

Don't the thirty-nine cent nail clippers rust?

I have a pair of nail clippers sitting in a drawer in my bathroom and they are getting rusty.

Yeah eventually, especially if you use them in saltwater
Your point ?

 

[mikew1959]

That all sounds logical at first. I agree cheap nippers are not very impressive. The only flaw in the logic (IMO), is that we convinced ourselves we need nippers in the first place. They absolutely do look much cooler than nail clippers so most of us buy nippers of some sort. There is no justification other than you want some cool gear. Nail clippers have been cutting mono and tippet just fine for 50 years. You're cutting fishing line and you can only cut it so good. Any purchase of nippers is just for fun. The industry has done a masterful job of creating a need that doesn't exist at all if you are honest with yourself.

There I go whizzing in the lemonade again.

Cuticle clippers from any box store. They cut anything cleanly and closer than you want..they sit on my tying table and go with me fishing.
cost: $5-$15.00

The only downside is you won't look as cool.

 

[comeonavs]

There is no justification other than you want some cool gear.

There I go whizzing in the lemonade again.

And then there are chowder heads like me who have red Abel nippers. While purchasing a Abel Creek in deep green for my deep green zaxis I had a momentary WTF why not moment and said hey I'll take some deep green Abel nippers to match that beauty of a reel.

So yeah I have two pair :rain:

Hey don't judge me at least I kept the red Abel hemostats in play and didn't buy green ones of those too