I keep seeing questions about vises such as in “is anyname a good vise?” my question is…Is there a bad vise on the market that sells for more than $50? I know some of the really cheap ones are junk, and you can find some iffy ones for around $25. I’m not looking for better or worse list but can any one name one that wont do he primary function of a vise which is hold a hook in most sizes or falls apart after a few weeks of tying? ETC.
Eric
Yes!
Wait…
No.
:rolleyes:
I think maybe folks (and I’m probably one of them), want some positive feedback on an item before they shell out hard-earned money for what MIGHT be considered a “non-essential” item (unlike, food, mortgage payment, utility bills, etc). It helps ease the “guilt factor” somewhat.
Actually, the vise marketed under A.K. Best’s name was known to have issues with jaws fracturing, and I believe that went for over $250. I know they pulled it off the market, then it re-surfaced under the McKenzie name for a while before it was put to rest.
Regards,
Scott
Hi Eric,
I’m often asked to provide vises for fly tying classes and most of the time the students end up buying it. I usually provide a Griffin MT Pro vise for these classes; it is has a cam-operated jaws and a c-clamp. The regular retail is $78.00. It’s been used once so I could offer you a good deal on it. If interested, email me at:
Tight Lines - (Gretchen &) Al Beatty
www.btsflyfishing.com
Eric
I would think not. Even the EZ Rotary which is a Renzetti knock off, and sells for around $65 is not a bad vise. The jaws are a bit cheap but they do hold the hook.
Quite frankly I think we fly tyers (okay this fly tyer) probably tends to look at way too much vise than what we really need. I was looking at a couple of Bob Jacklin videos on You Tube. It looks like he is tying on a Regal fixed head vise. He may have and tie on other vises but then again not.
For the past year, I have been trying to get comfortable with an HMH Standard. I’ve had a couple of issues with it but John Albright at HMH has been very helpful and easy to work with.
The only vise I ever bought that I just could not get use to was a Dan Vise. I sold it to one of the guys in our club and he loves it. Go figure.
Dave
Yes, several. Next question?
what are they and why are they bad? I have vises with the brand name of herters, cabelas, Griffin and Regal. three of the four were under $50 all hold a hook. some are rougher than others but all do the job that they were designed to do, What makes a vise bad???
Eric
I understand the need for feedback and love the which is better posts. understanding that it is all opinion. In this post I am looking for a bad vise, currently on the market. One that wont do what it is supposed to do.
Eric
Thanks for an offer of a great deal, I am hooked on my Regal. (pun intended)
It would take a lot to get me to change. Hopefully someone reading this needs a good vise.
Eric
That wasn’t the question, and I’m not sure this is a thread that one should start because one runs too high a risk of needlessly provoking/offending someone…unless of course, that was the intent.
Suffice it to say that if your only criteria is if the vise can hold a hook, then I would submit that ALL vises are equal if they meet that criteria…including a cheap pair of vise grips purchased at Harbor Freight. Needless to say, I do not agree with this logic, but it does seem to be many’s response to the vise debate…
The original post included the words…"I’m not looking for better or worse list but can any one name one that wont do he primary function of a vise which is hold a hook in most sizes or falls apart after a few weeks of tying? ETC.
I understand that this might offend the maker or importer of such a vise, and that this is a matter of opinion. I would hope that if someone names a vise it would be based on personal experience and the person would indicate why they feel this way about this particular vise.
I am not trying to compare better or worse here, Obviously a vise that cost more should be smother, easier to adjust or do something to justify the higher cost. What I am looking for is a vise that a new tier should stay away from.
Eric
I would think any vise that comes with a fly tying kit that you would buy at Sportsman’s Warehouse or maybe Cabelas. A young fella in our club was given a fly tying kit from Sportman’s Warehouse. The first time he used the vise that came with it we had problems getting a #8 hook to hold without slipping. Before too long the collet had cracked up the side.
M first vise came with a kit from Cabelas it works, not as easy to adjust as my others but it works. but then its $29.95 not $50. In my experience with kit vises they are below the $50 mark.
Eric
I find this very interesting.
http://flyfishohio.com/Vise%20Review%201/Fly_Tying_Vise_Shoot-Out.htm
Yes, I know of one. The Terra Silverado. I bought one for niece and brought it with me on her birthday to teach her how to tie. The vise lasted exactly 12 flies before the soft steel pin holding the cam lever on bent to the point of being unable to hold a hook. I was extremely embarrassed, so I bought her a Griffin 2A, and that has been outstanding.
I have always thought this was a great review, well written and informative. It was what headed me towards a peak vise.
At Cabela’s while trying to convince my self that i had been good enough to deserve a new vise, I walked into the Bargain Cave and found my Regal for half price, (I had always wanted a Regal just didn’t want to pay for one.) a little shop worn but the jaws faces were like new. I grabbed it and didn’t set it down until I arrived at the cash register.
from there review it appears the only vise above $50 to beware of is the Thompson Model A Vise.
Any one else have any other contenders?
Eric
Gee, I have tied on a Thompson for going on 30 years now, with no problems. I did wear one out after 20+ years, finally rubbed enough steel off the cam with all the openings and closings that it rounded out and stopped working as a cam. Bought another whole one for $29 somewhere and kept tying. If I had to buy another vise, I would buy a Thompson before any other.
I am one of those who thinks a vise needs to hold the hook, and anything else is just shiny stuff. While I have yet to find a vise that did NOT hold a hook, I have found some that I thought needed larger bases, or smaller price tags, and so on.
That is the kind of deal I am waiting for, I picked up the EZ Rotary based on the review shoot out linked above. So far it seems to be a pretty nice (from my limited experience) put together vice.
It is a very smooth rotating vice, so far I have not noticed the jaws nicking up any, the jaws tighten by little screws which probably keep you from over tightening them I have tied from 20 to 1/0 with out any slippage so far.
I have a Cabelas cam vise that I can crank down if I need to with larger hooks, I think the cam makes it easier to bend up jaws that are made of a little softer steel.
Btw. I paid I think 48$ for the vise and bobbin holder together.
Rick
My experience with a Thompson A is similar. I’ve had mine probably longer than you, tied thousand of flies on it, and it’s still a reliable old friend.
I would not be at all surprised to hear that the absolute majority of flies tied in the US in the 20th century were tied on a Thompson. (I don’t know that for a fact, but neither would I doubt it if it were presented to me as such.)
The best vise for its price ever.
Thompson A was the first real vise I used and I never had any problems; it was a tank. I’m surprised to see it listed; maybe production’s being outsourced and quality control has suffered.
Regards,
Scott