Your thoughts on Vise Upgrade

[alra195]

Hi Folks - I've been hanging around and reading posts for a couple of months and cruising the FAOL web site. Man what a treasure trove of information!

Anyway, I'm looking to upgrade my vise and I'm leaning towards the Peak Rotary. I've had a chance to lay hands on one and it looks, feels and acts like a good vise. At $130 it's hard to bet the price. But price isn't everything. I bought a cheap vise to start with and haven't been happy with it at all. So I'm not saying this will be my last vise but I'd like it to be my last bad vise.

Your thoughts and opinions would be most apreciated.

Joe

[BigFlatBrook]

Here's a review on vises -- the Peak is included and gets a favorable review.
[url=http://www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/hwvise/:e3a74]http://www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/hwvise/[/url:e3a74]

I used this to help me decide on a vise. I wound up buying a Danvise, which I'm very happy with.

I have a peak vise and love it.
it is a great value for the price.

I suspect you won't be disappointed in it.
there is nothing cheap about it, besides the relative price, that is.

mgj

[adso4]

You seem to prefer a true rotary vise, right? If you like a clamp type, then, Dan Vise is a good choice. I own one and it is durable and cost-effective. However, as far as I know, you need to purchase its pedestal separately. I bought an Oasis fly tying bench along with my Dan vise, which works as the pedestal. If you prefer a pedestal type, then, Peak vise seems a good choice. I have read many favorable reviews for both vises.

[Diane]

Take a look at the Griffith Montana Mongoose, too. I was looking at a choice between the Peak and the Mongoose and got a good price deal on the Mongoose so went with it. I'm sure the Peak is also an excellent vise..tied on one a couple of times. Just a fyi: Mongoose comes with both a clamp and pedestal base, a bobbin, material clip, bobbin holder, and its own case.

[Plain Old Jim]

I purchased my MT Mongoose from flytiers.com for less than their current price of $171. It also includes a hackle gauge, and although not mentioned....it included several sample packages of fly tying material. The Peak was one I was thinking about....but only one mount...pedestal, and I don't think their price includes material clip, bobbin, bobbin cradle, hackle gauge, carrying case.....blah blah blah. I thought I would have had to purchase the accessories separately if I ordered the Peak. The material clip is adjustable up and down and can be just pushed back toward the handle on the Mongoose if you wanted to. The jaws also adjust up and down. I like a vise higher than most I think. So...I use the base pedestal that comes with a standrod, but I insert the c-clamp standrod (which is included) in the the pedastal stand rod to get more height. In other words I like the pedestal base but use both standrods in it. The C-Clamp rod is only about 3 inches I think....while the pedestal rod is about 7. It is 11 inches from my desk to the centerline of the rotary (which will be the exact plane of the hook shank for rotary) on my set up. You can get a good look at the MT Mongoose at flytiers.com and click on enter store, scroll down to vises and then scroll and click on Griffin.

I think a vice is like picking a chevy or ford. What feels good to you. But I think I got a very good true rotary vise with lots of accessories and lots of adjustability for the price. You might want to check out Sportsman's Warehouse on the price of one. I bought a Griffin Patriot for $169.95 plus tax and shipping last year.....only to see the exact same vice in Sportsman's Warehouse for $119 and NO S&H charges. It still there.....saw it couple of weeks ago still at $119.

Good Luck with your choice.

Gem

[mantis]

You mention you had your hands on one and it felt comfortable. Does this mean you tied a couple of flies on it? If you can you should try a couple of other comparably priced vises. A vise is not something you buy every day.... Personally I prefer the Renzrtti. I have a traveler that I won in a raffle and 2 presentation models with different jaw apparatus one I traded for and the other bought used.
Many years ago most every one you saw was using a Thompson. Then HMH was the hot vise. Then Reagal made it's move with the easy jaw opener, then Renzetti and Dyna King. At the shows I do Renzetti and Dyna King, in that order probably account for 90 percent of the vises being tied on. The last couple of years a lot of the English Tyers that come over tie on the Law Vise...I believe that is the name. It is about $800 and is indeed a thing of beauty and from what I hear they can be customized to your particular wants. I would love to try one but just can't justify the price tag when I already have some really fine vises. In a couple of years something new will come out.
The thing is to be sure it holds hooks with out them slipping under pressure,rotates, and that any parts are easibly replacable. I don't care for the plastic looking set screw. It will wear. If you do buy this vise I would buy a few extra plastic (nylon) screws so you have them if the vise Co goes out of business.
You are the one who has to like the vise. You have to be comfortable. All a vise does is hold the hook...rotation is wonderful for the type of tying I do. Some tyers don't need it.
One thing for sure...If you do more than casual tying , if you get really bitten by the bug, this will not be the last vise you buy.
Not because you will 'need' another vise, but because you 'want' another vise.

for the record...

while I do love the peak vise it remains my second string vise. for my primary tying I rely on the c clamp renzetti traveler and it suits my hand/style to a tee.

a caveat...

while all those bells and whistles may seem nice they're largely superflous and you do end up paying for them. the peak does come w/ a bobbin cradle though I don't use it (nor do I use one w/ the traveler). I find it just gets in my way. I always thought I'd like one until I had one and hated it. likewise the material clip/spring. my dynaking kingfisher (travel kit vise) has one and I never find myself using it. again, prior to having one, I always thought it would be nice to have one, but superflous when I did.

please realize that these are only my opinions, and my style and habits were largely formed prior to trying to incorporate a material clip or bobbin cradle into my toolbox. I know many folks consider the bobbin cradle at least essential to their tying.

all the vises mentioned so far have been well received by many users and you probably wouldn't go wrong w/ any of them. just don't buy one because someone else has and loves/recommends it. there are a lotta choices out there, have some fun with it and tie on as many as you can.

mgj

[Plain Old Jim]

Second thoughts about a vise. If money is no object check out the one out of Australia. I forget the name but in appearance it is an awsome looking machine. However, for a true rotary vise upgrade that is truly economical I would definitely get the Danvise from Al Beatty's website. I prefer a pedestal base but you can always buy the c-clamp one and you can make a base for it. He also, I believe includes a video on how to use it and I think the price is around $80. Then...he also sells a video on how to tie on it rotary style. You can't beat that quality for the money and a whole bunch of people tie all their flies on the Danvise. I wish I had one and probably will get one someday. As far as the bells and whistles go....I like them. I have watched expierenced fly tiers locally, haven't been to any shows to see a big variety.....but the instructor I saw did not use a bobbin cradle and he was constantly moving the hanging bobbin out of the way on every revolution to wrap his hackle. He also did use the material clip and so I can see the value of boaf. Rotary tying may not have those problems but I want to have the accessories. I am still learning. You wouldn't be unhappy with the Danvise and the Mongoose is $171. Perhaps the Peak comes with the cradle. When I researched it I thought all I would get for the $130 was the vice and stand. If you had your hands on a Peak and you liked the feel and action you should probably get that one. I ordered mine through the mail and had no idea how they would "FEEL". Also if you buy something else.....you will always be wondering about the Peak.

Just FYI....good luck...and maybe let us know what you picked.

Gem

PS....I don't know the whole story, but because Renzetti tried to sue other companies and beat up on their competition, I won't buy anything that says Renzetti. They had enough business by their excellent quality and reputation. They didn't have to try to shut out other competition or hurt them. So I don't do anything Renzetti...but they have outstanding stuff.

[This message has been edited by Plain Old Jim (edited 19 October 2005).]

[This message has been edited by Plain Old Jim (edited 19 October 2005).]

[RkyMtnGuy]

Don't forget to check EBAY while searching for your next vise!

There are numerous Danvise's on EBAY and several other top of the line vises which have been mentioned thusfar in this post.