The first “good/premium” vise I bought was a Regal Vise, in the mid-80’s. Prior to that, I had used a couple versions of the Thompson vise. I regret doing so, but sold my “Goldie” several years ago. Those earlier Regals had a vise head which was gold colored.
Anyway, I recently purchased a new Medallion Series Regal with the traditional heavy bronze base and the stainless steel jaws.
The vise functions well and I enjoy tying on it. It isn’t my “go to” vise as that will remain my other offset rotary vises.
I only mention this because I was surprised that the Regal vise I purchased does not come with a material clip. You can purchase their “infinity” material clip, separately, for $10. Just seems to me they would have built that into the price and provided it. The traditional jaws come with the “built-in” material clip and the Revolution Series come with a material clip, but not the others…
Scott, I’d call 'em on it…if you got no clip at all.
Unless the company has changed it’s policy since I bought mine 2 seasons ago my Medallion w/stainless steel jaws came with the classic mat’l clip. I’d prefer the infinity instead.
I agree with you. When you buy a car you don’t need to specify that a steering wheel be included!
Byron, you mentioned owning a Marc Petijean vise that would be the envy of many tyers. Are you collecting these things:-) I have most of the Regal jaws, but have not purchased the stainless yet. The pictures I see in the catalogues show a material clip. I’ll be sure to specify when ordering and see what happens.
Yup, used comes with a clip. If yours did not, I’d talk with the vendor. Might be optional now that they have redesigned the jaws. Course you can make one yourself by just going down to the hardware store and buying a spring.
Oddly enough, the material clip is the first thing most Regal owners remove.
I emailed Regal and the retail outlet I purchased from and both said that only the traditional jaws and Revolution series come with the material clip. The “infinity” one sells for $10.
JC:
Yes, I am sort of a collector of vises. I have quite a few and have had many over the years. Vises are my vice. I truly appreciate the machining that goes into a quality vise. Thus far, my favorite is still the Jvice. The Swiss Master is a bit smoother. The ONLY drawback to it is that it is, overall, about 90% of the size I prefer. Other than that, it is butter smooth (I think the housing has ball bearings), it is beautiful and the jaws are awesome.
I have the Regal Medallion with the stainless jaws as well. purchased less then 2 years ago. It came with a classic clip, which I prefer over the infinity.
Well I have an old gold regal I don’t know where the material clamp is, it disappeared years ago. But I do have an addiction to collecting vices my newest is a Stonfo Kaiman, a regal spring type but with a ball bearing Rotary feature the more I tye with it the more I like it! Fishin’ Jimmy
Pertinent portion of email from Regal Engineering:
“The Medallion Series Regular Jaws come with a classic material clip. All Revolutions come with an Infinity Material Clip. All others do not include a material clip”
So there a point here right? Other than you just wish to vent over a $10 part that you could probably make yourself for $.50 (which is not a new story in fly tying)? Regal is hardly the only vise that does not come with a material clip, so I’m trying to figure out why this horse deserves this treatment? Have you even used the vise yet to see if a material clip is really necessary?
I find different company’s marketing “thrusts” very interesting and appreciate this discussion. The potential good vibes in a fifty-cent material clip versus ANYONE thinking they should come with one is a clear case of a marketing failure!
In the spirit of full disclosure I am a fairly rabid Nor-Vise proponent and likely to be looking for negatives rather than positives.
As a vise marketer there are few things I would not include to avoid such a comment.
I personally consider all Regals grossly over-hyped… especially when they try to call them true rotary vises.
I think not including a clip after over-paying for a vise is not very customer friendly. We all know the prices are jacked up as high as they can get away with before people quit buying. First, I like Regal vises, and I have one. I just think, as some of you have already mentioned, you can make a clip for a buck, since it is so cheap, they should include one. JMO
I would agree on this portion of your comments Hap, and that was my main thought…They “used” to offer it at the standard price. Why stop on providing such a small item that is so noticeable? I’m sure “somebody” had a reason…but I don’t get it personally. I use their classic keeper constantly and always have.
But here is my take on Regal. Yes, they are busting their stones trying to offer a rotary vise and stay in that market. The problem is, they are trying too hard to hold true to their head design, and it just doesn’t lend itself to a rotary application very well. They would be better sreviced designing something from the ground up in rotary in my opinion.
That being said, I am a die-hard Regal user. I personally feel it’s the best vise on the market. Having bought or tied on most of the top end vise offerings out there, nothing has changed my mind on that. I also have zero use for the rotary function and find it personally to be a style of tying that does not fit me. I’ve tried it. Over extended periods. And just do not like it. I purchased a Danvise, 2 Renzetti’s and a Dyna King Barracuda over the years…and sold them all. And at the time I was tying on a Regal INEX on a base.
Granted, doctor slick could probably market my left hand as nothing more than a material clip when it comes to dexterity, which could explain my clumsiness with rotary applications.
The classic Regal had one flaw…you could chip the jaws. The stainless head removed that. In my opinion, if you remove the rotary application comparison, there is not another vise that compares. And that is the area they need to remain focused to. And they need to keep the classic material clip on it.
I also have been using the Regal for a long time, the old one and now the newer one with the stainless jaws. Never chipped a jaw (my 33 yr.old son either, who began with it when he was 13) in over 20 yrs. and with a hook secured properly I don’t see any issues… Hope ol’ Murphy’s not listening in!
Anyone still using one and has concern, here’s a simple fix. Take a piece of old auto feeler gage (remember those?) or any hard shim-stock maybe .010" - .012" thick and cut a sliver off, maybe 1/16" - 3/32" (.06" -.09") wide. Place it on a piece of dbl. sided tape…carpet tape -, trim to a comfy length, maybe 1/4"-3/8" so it’s buried, vertically inside the jaws and with a tweezers place it towards the rear portion of your jaws as you hold them wide open.
Harder to type than actually do! When the jaws close they’ll close on that “stop” but still be closer than a #24 hook is thick! If you don’t think so then go thicker on the shim a smidge! A simple test will tell you.
“Chipped jaw” worries closed!
And for what’s it’s worth Ralph, I also like the Regal a lot but I like tools a lot so I have a few vises, for different reasons, because it’s obvious I have “issues”… Still, nowhere near the love that many good tiers here have.
Good tools are fun and we all have our prefs. That’s a good thing!
Like I said, I’ve never had troubles but I tried this and worked well
Jeremy…interesting shim. I can see how it would work nice. Ive never had a problem with the Regal jaws myself. But I know its an issue folks have fought with. Mostly due to poorly positioned hooks. I still tie on my original INEX and its fine. I love functional tools as well. However with a vise…i fortunately found my comfoŕt zone early on.
Just a thought…There are two types of “rotary” vises. In-Line Rotary and Offset Rotary.
For example, the original NorVise vises were “In-Line Rotary” (they now offer offset jaws as well).
