Well I have no such complaint about this one, Byron. Perfectly smooth. Perhaps yours had a burr or an issue of hardened grease? Additionally, I was impressed by the range of tension provided by the adjustment screw and claw design.

How would I rate the vise? I have tied only a few flies on it, which I did shortly after receiving it. I bet that sounds lame to have such a nice tool and not use it, but there is a reason. I immediately noticed a preference for the mount at the front of the hardwood base, and the rounded top of my current tying table doesn't suit that arrangement well. This is in contrast to most who prefer using the top mount. When I eventually get my dedicated table out of storage, that should change.

It's the only offset jaw rotary vise I own. I think Jay's design best addresses the issues and complaints of hook access and comfort common to most offset designs. The "J" arm provides a comfortable location for the hand to rest at a natural angle as one would with a standard vise. Operation is silky smooth with those delrin bushings in the housing. Ball bearings would serve no purpose here.

The first place I judge a vise is the jaw assembly. I've grown to appreciate two-plate jaw designs over one-piece jaws, and Jay's are top quality. Despite having used it for only a few flies, I have mounted a variety of hooks from quite small to moderately large. If I were ordering today, I'd discuss not having the jaw notched, since they can complicate mounting larger hooks with odd bends. I suspect he'd have an engineer's response for their inclusion.

Oh, and the hardwood base. I debated about it, since it drives the cost up appreciably, and was prepared to go another route as others have done. Well, I think I made the right choice for me and wouldn't find the vise nearly as comfortable with a standard pedestal. I view it as a key ergonomic component that adds utility.