Oh, where to start??? A lot of great comments in this thread, and many made me laugh because I could have said them myself. Yes we only need a vise to tie what we tie. What we want is usually for pure selfish reasons.

Outside of the vise, or premium capes/necks (or Lord help us, a full JC cape) most of what we spend is relatively cheap and easy to get away with (from the other half), but as we all know, after years of "I need to stop at the fly shop and pick up some thread/hooks/dubbing etc." we end up with enough materials to start our own fly shops.

My "fly tying plan" was that by the time I retire (still a couple decades away) I would be good enough to tie professionally for local fly shops. I see this being more appealing then greeting at WallyWorld. Seeing a potential long term ROI, my wife bought it hook, line & sinker.

"quality vs. $$$. Bought some peacock herl cheap." Brittle usually means too harsh of a dying process. I know with stripped quills you can soften them by soaking overnight in a 50/50 mix of water and hair condition(cream rinse). If the wife or daughter doesn't have any on hand, look for any brand that's marketed for dry hair (versus oily hair) and try it. Will work on all hair materials and SOME feather materials. I personally would not try on it on good hackle though. But testing one feather would prove beneficial either way.

quality vs. $$$: On the other hand, yes the LAW is a sleek good looking vice, but you'll never convince me that an $800 vise can do anything more or better than a $100 vice.

"Now for $22 plus some shipping I can start the neighbor kid on the road to financial ruin." That's pure evil....and I love it!!!