Hi folks,
My son gave me a beginner's fly-tying kit for Christmas which included a cheap vise; I have been bitten by the fly-tying bug, and I am more than ready to buy a better vise. The current vise is a real pain in the neck when I try to adjust the jaws for different size hooks. The Regal (with stainless jaws) looks like the simplest hook-clamping vice, but I also find the Dyna-King Barracuda or Barracuda Jr. an attractive alternative--just in case I want to use the rotary feature--this will be the last vise I ever buy, so I thought I would buy something that would have any features I might ever want to use. The only thing I wonder about is the ease of locking different size hooks in the jaws. Unfortunately, there is not a fly shop that carries different brands of vises near me, so it would be very difficult for me to do a hands-on evaluation/comparison. What do you folks think about 1.) ease of hook placement in the jaws and 2) would you go with the Barracuda or Barracuda Jr. model (and why)? I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has had experience with these vises.
Many thanks,
George