Byron You need to correct yourself The Darbee's used Thomas Visies not Thompson vises as you have stated. The book are you referring to about the Dette's is not the same book that I am referring to, Mine came from one of the horses mouths, Harry Darbee who with Walt started tying flies together in the late 20's not from someone who met the Dette's at a much later date like like 30 years later. A lot can change over time. As I recall Harry said that Thomas went out of business and they finally got a beer bottler opener manufacture ( aka a church key ) to make vises for them. I am sure that when there was a vise shortage that they figured out a way or found some sort of vise that would work at that time. I also know that Walt and Harry made there own wax.Now that must have been 40 years before WONDER WAX. I think the Church Key Company must have made the vise I got in the late 70's from the Darbee's. By the way where did you get your vises from? That ought to be a real hoot watching you tye flies with them three vises! How do you do it? A rite bobbin in each hand and that fancy J vise bobbin between your toes on foot. By the way what foot do you use? I knew that J vise bobbin looked all twisted up and bent at strange angles, know I know why; so you can hold it with your toes, isn't that progress now?
Fishin' Jimmy
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