Has anyone had the chance to tie on the C&F vice? I went looking for reviews and didn’t come up with much. I’m curious about the range of hook sizes it holds and how accessible the smaller hooks are. Any help/advice would be great.
Thanks,
Greg
Haven’t seen one, but can imagine that the Japanese price is very high indeed. I looked at some of their tools and once I saw things like a whip finisher or hackle pliers for $45 each, I decided that wasn’t for me. Don’t even know what the price is on the vice, but you could probably buy a Law for what they cost. Thought that I added this link the first time around: http://www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/hwvise/index10.html
It’s hard to beat a Dyna-king Baracuda if you want an upscale vice or one of the Renzetti products.
So what drew you to the C&F vise?
ALL C&F products are extremely expensive
http://www.californiaflyshop.com/Tying+Store/Fly+Tying+Tools
even their fly boxes 
I’ve been looking for a new vice as the one I have has been giving me some trouble with slipping both at the jaws and the mount. I saw a C&F posted for sale and hadn’t heard of it so I looked it up. There is no chance I’d pay the full price ($799) but this one is going for substantially cheaper. It looks to be very well made, but I just haven’t been able to get any info on it from people who have had experience tying with it. I did see the article on flyfisherman.com about vice reviews a few months back and was hoping this one would have made the list, but it didn’t. The Law vice does look like a nice vice as well, but it also carries a hefty price tag like the C&F.
Thanks.
I don’t know anything about the vise, but I find the things C&F make very good, they are a good quality stuff.
I have some tying tools and waterproof flyboxes, all of which I like very much.
$800 for a C&F vice??? They better personally deliver it and give me a personal demonstration for that price. Looks like many other vises, only $650 higher. I’ll keep my Griffin Montana Mongoose awhile longer.
But if you really like the C&F
http://www.candfdesign.com/product/127513/6-61609/_/Reference_Vise
“The new C&F Design Reference Vise is the new standard in tying vises: The vise is made of the highest quality materials.”
Like someone is going advertise "Try our New Suder Duper vises made from recycled steel and other various crap form your neighbors Cash-for-Clunker!"???
This about sums up everything on the market.
http://www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/hwvise/index29.html
i wish i had some dead presidents for a LAW bench vise
I’m with you Normand. I saw a Law in action at one of my first fly fishing shows and have been drooling ever since. If I was going to spend that kind of money the Law would be it.
If I could buy the C&F for$250 that might be another thing, Still think at the $300 $350 price point the Dyna-king has it all wrapped up.
One of of our Sponsors, Hook and Hackle often has an internet special with a good discount. http://shop4.mailordercentral.com/hookhack/products.asp?dept=548 Don’t be afraid to ask for a better price, what is the worse that they can say? No would be the worse thing, but maybe they say yes.
Rick
Ahh, no thanks.
I’ve got a Nor-vise I’m perfectly happy with. 
Have had the opportunity to own several vices in last 25 yrs, hmh, thompson, Regal. I currently own both the Renzetti travelor and Master. I purchased the C&F system a little over a year ago and thoroughly enjoy its quality and compactness and would buy it again. Great with the smaller Fishpond tying kit for travelling. Hope this helps.
Vdub
GPatton,
I must say that I am very happy with my Regal vise. If you are concerned about a hook slipping in the vise then go Regal. I use it for anything from #24 to #3/0 without slippage. I use it to teach classes and if a beginner can’t make the hook slip then the vise is good.
What makes it special is there is nothing to loosen up. The tension is from spring steel and you spread the saws to put in the hook. Then the clamping is constant when the jaws are allowed to close to their natural position.
jed
Thanks for passing on your experience with this vice. How do you feel this vice does with access to small hooks? Just to make sure, you’re talking about the C&F Reference vice right? Was there anything awkward about tying on it or difficulty in adjusting the jaws for different hook sizes?
Thanks.
I am talking about the seffsontained kit, retails~650. The only thing that took getting used too was not having my bases from my Renzetti Masters and travelerw which were made from me. Too me, just a beautifullly designed tool. Impecable desighn. Still buy it again. Hope this helps.
Vdub
[b]X-Caddis were you talking about this unit: http://www.candfdesign.com/product/127513/6-61600/_/Marco_Polo_Fly_Tying_System[/b]
The Reference vise is a real bargin here’s the price breakdown
Contents:
- Reference vise $50
- Bobbin hanger $50
- Centering shaft $49
- Link arm $50
- Magnetic dust pocket $100
- Magnetic jaw $100
- Material clip $50
- Rotary jaw $100
- Parachute tool $100
- Sight plate $100
- Temporary hanger Free
So the vise itself is only $50 and you get the temporary hanger thrown in for free this makes the total only $750 - what a deal. Sorry, couldn’t help myself at this terrible attempt at a joke.
OK I refrained from commenting on this before, didn’t want to hijack, but what is a magnetic dust pocket, I feel so bad that my regal doesn’t have one, do I have to buy the Magnetic dust separately or do I go out and file some of my own. I didn’t know that such a thing existed and now that I know that they do How will I ever live with out one.
Eric
It is a magnetically attached waste basket - I think. They actually look nice. Easy to dump the waste contents without removing screws of undoing anything. In all seriousness the C&F product is nice product, the pricing is crazy. If I could buy one at a competitive price I would consider it, but at this price point no wonder they are selling off to Scientific Anglers - at least they sold their fly boxes to them - not sure on the vise or tools. By the way, I do have 3 of their boxes and think that the boxes are high priced but worth it.
I just look at a Dyna King Baracuda for $350 and then the C&F reference vise for twice that and don’t see the value. To each their own.
Came across this looking for something else. Interesting twist on ‘rotating’ vice!
The latest Dyna King, the Ultimate Indexer will rotate vertically too, I found that interesting: http://www.dyna-king.com/flyvise_dtl.asp?itemval=21&pv=0&pid=088
Rick
Well, I finally committed and decided to buy the C&F, and no I didn’t spend the $800 on it. I’ll have to post once it arrives and let you all know what I think. The only problem is that I don’t have much to compare it to since I haven’t tied with any other rotary vise. Thanks for helping make up my mind.
Greg
gpatton,
If you bought the one from Gary on the “For Sale” board, you got a smokiin’ deal on a very fine vise. If I wasn’t already tying on a Snowbee-Waldron vise, I’d have been all over that C&F at that price.
REE