Okay, I’ve a problem and maybe some of you can help out. The midge head on my Thompson has a tiny chip which doesn’t effect the vises ability to hold say size 20 and larger. However, it continuously spits sizes 26 and smaller. Is there a way to grind down the inside of the jaws or get them more pointed so these tiny hooks can hold better?
Also, I have a tiny ‘midge head’, the kind you insert into the jaws of a vise. It has a very pointed tip for the tiny hooks but the collet doesn’t close the jaw tips enough to hold the same tiny hooks. Any advice on how to fix that?
Not looking for suggestions leading to a Renzetti, Regal midge, HMH, etc. Just looking for potential answers to the questions I posed.
I’m not really aquainted with that preticular vise,But you need to be very vigulant in how you try and repair those jaws…on some like the Dyna Kings…it is very hard as you must remove the same amount of material much farther back the jaws or they’ll not close properly…if this vise is more like the Griffin type two piece…pretty simple fix…those you can place sand paper on glass and work both sides down till you meet the depth of that chip, Then buff’em on really fine sand paper to smooth…
I have those cheap midge jaws you mention too…and I think they were made in pakistan…Mine are as worthless as yours…waste of my money…but…this is how we learn…Good luck…try getting in touch with thompson…they might be your best help!
Would’nt hurt to follow Mikey’s advise either…Not saying anything bad about Dyna King…but I’d not go that same route if givin the oppertunity again…Guy’s…Please don’t swap my email with death threats…lol…PLEASE!
“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best
Everyone wants to excel in this sport but at the same time we let traditionalists place restrictions on our tactics, methods, and ideas. I always assumed that fly fishing was a sport that allowed imagination, creation, adaptation, investigation, dedication, education, revelation? : Fox Statler, On Spinners (Not the dainty Dry Fly kind) “Spinner’d Minner Fly”
“Wish ya great fishing”
Bill
[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 26 November 2005).]
[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 26 November 2005).]
Had the same exact problem!put the vise in my shop vise and re-worked the jaws with a file, a little fine sandpaper, a little polishing compound and good as new
G
Allan,
Don’t even TRY modifying the jaws on a vise. It will not be worth the effort. Something tells me you likely already know this. If you try it you’ll find out fast enough.
Any quality set of jaws are at the very least “case hardened” and any mod. will result in “soft” jaws. Some may even be tool steel and hard enough that a file would skid anyway.
Pony up fer a new set of jaws (or vise) you, you cheap ol’ bugger you…BG…
(Running and ducking…)
Jeremy…who is certainly kidding here. (Welllll…):-))
If your jaws are hardened the hardened area will not be more than 6 thou thick (0.006"). If you start with an abrasive that is how much you are playing with. But the hardness will not be as great 4 thou in as it is at the surface. If the chip is more than a couple of thou deep then it is new jaws time.
I have one vice on which the jaws are not hardened. This isn’t a problem if you don’t mind the hook moving a little. (Contrary to popular opinion the hook does not have to be held totally rigid.) This though is not the way most vices are made these days.
Cheers,
Alan.
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”
Allen you can have a good gun smith fix them for you. If the smith heat treats he can handle it easy. If you do not have one there that will do it let me know and I will give you an address for a good one. Ron
PS: I had best say it might not be cheap. If you can take the chip out yourslef and then have them just heat treated it will be a lot cheaper.
[This message has been edited by RonMT (edited 27 November 2005).]
email: adventurecorp@comcast.net (tell them what your looking for and ask for a quote, if you can send them a photo with what your looking for it’s even better)
I bought a new part for my 2A and it was cheap. Not affiliated just a happy customer.
I also called Adventure Corp to find that they have almost all Thompson parts available. You don’t even need a numerical parts list. The person on the phone knows the products by heart. I ordered a bunch of parts. I have no interested in their operation but their # is (815)713-3222. Just call me a satisfied prehistoric Thompson user.
[This message has been edited by Ray Kunz (edited 30 November 2005).]