Vise: most important feature?

[LisaLou 0]

So after using your vise for years, what is the most important feature?  I mean a dedicated desk vise.  I kind of assume the main features would be the construction, making the work easy to get at.  The the other would be true rotation.  
I was wondering how many people use the rotary feature to wind on fiber, versus rotating to examine the work.  I have an older rotating vise (I posted about fixing the wobble)   But to use it as a true rotary, I have to clip the hook quite high up, unless I’m doing something wrong which is quite possible.  Because of that, I am not clamping it in line to make use of the rotary feature to wind on material.  I wonder if that is as important as I think.  I see videos of people with the underslung style of rotary vise and it looks easier to get at your work, but I do not see many using to wind, most are rotating to examine.

it’s a big investment as we all know.  I think I am probably more interested in maximum ability to position the work, versus true rotating to wind on materials. I am very interested in weaving techniques, which often require the fly to be positioned with the head away from you, instead of a side view. But I am interested in what other people find to be the most important feature, especially if you do any weaving or knotting techniques.  I’ve done a little weaving now and I feel like it’s an aggressive technique, in that you really need a solid vise with no jiggle.  But I also kind like I wanted the hook or tube at some weird angle that was not really achievable without loosening and tightening a lot of adjustments.  I felt like I was making do with the angle because I didn’t want to make three adjustments, knowing in a few stitches, I’d have to adjust back.  I don’t know….    Thanks for any thoughts, , LL

[Poopdeck 0]

The only feature in a vise that I look for is hook holding power. It’s got to have a rock solid death grip on a range of  hooks with zero slipping or movement. A lot of vises don’t hold a hook well at all. I like a heavy base and a C clamp from a convenience standpoint. The base for tying away from my portable desk and a clamp for tying at my portable desk. I don’t care one little bit about  rotation. I rarely rotate my rotating vises. If I do it’s simply to look at the other side of the fly but even that’s rare since i know the back side looks just like the front side. I’ve never used rotation to wind on material and I don’t think most do. I see people using it more for looking and the application of glue or epoxy.  I own three vises and none are true rotary. I have no plans on ever getting another vise but if I did, I could talk myself  into a true rotary  just on the “why not” basis. That’s just me though. 

[niveker 0]

The ability to hold a hook without slipping.  Stability.  I prefer not to use a c-clamp and like a heavy base.  The only thing I would change on my Renzetti is to get a heavier base, but its rarely a problem.  Access to the hook when tying on material is important to me because of my big fingers.  True rotary.  I could (and did for a quite a while) tie without a rotary vise, but I like the convenience of looking at both sides of my fly.  It's especially useful when adding wings or legs to ensure the fly is balanced and (hopefully) will ride correctly in the water, or adding head cement, or painting eyes ,or painting the body like with a popper.  I like being able to flip the fly upside down to tie on material to the bottom of the hook without taking it out of the vise.  I don't always use the rotary function to palmer or wrap material, depends on what I'm tying, really.    But I usually get a better result when I do, its easier to keep constant, even pressure and to make evenly spaced wraps, for me at least.  Probably the most useful function of the rotary feature for me is being able to turn the fly sideways so I can spin dubbing on the thread right close to the hook shank without having the hook point get in the way, but again that's probably due to my big clumsy fingers.  

[flytire 0]

holding a hook securely. i dont crank down my renzetti traveller jaw tightening lever, just enough to hold the hook

there are times i rotate the vise but there are times i dont bother. i think i can wrap a rib in an equal number of spaces or wrap a hackle just using good old fingers or hackle pliers

i use a pedestal vs a c clamp for my renzetti (note: i did buy a c clamp version of the traveller years ago when i had a different tying bench).

my cheap pedestal is plenty good enough

 

good access around the vise jaws to apply materials is also important

[cphubert 0]

 first, hook holding is top priority over the range of hooks I would say #20 to 2/0 for me.

second, I preferer my vise to be on a solid mount either bolted in place or c clamp with a high quality clamp. ease of use/ ergonomics- I am left-handed not all vises are compatible, additionally I have fat fingers small levers etc. are a hindrance for me.

I tied for years without rotation, I tried a rotating vise at a show and left with a lighter wallet and presently use and would not go back to non rotating.

versatility can be considered if the vise manufacturer offers adaptions that make sense for your style of tying. I have a Nor-Vise and really like the tube fly adaptor along with the standard jaws. I am a cheap swamp yankee and enjoy making most of my own accessories with that said I do not regret spending what I did for a quality vise that fits my desires or "needs".

 

[flyflinger 0]

After 40+ years of tying, below is what works for me, and opinions will justifiably vary a lot! (there is no implied right or wrong).  I tie mostly tiny trout flies, but also mid-size, and all the way up to larger streamers and saltwater patterns as well.  Unfortunately, you need to experiment with various options to see what works best for you and the flies you tie.

1. Hook holding ability and ease of inserting and clamping the hook in . . . and good range of hook sizes (24- 2/0), even if I have to change jaws. 
2.  Jaw design for easy access while tying in materials, especially for small 18-22 hooks (this may differ depending on what sizes you tie).
3.  I prefer C-clamp, and its inherent solid feel and height adjustment.  I'm tall, and don't like to "hunch over" the vise to tie.  A heavy base is just "ok", or lighter for travel.    
4.  I like a true rotary function with adjustable axis of rotation, used for applying materials, inspection, and UV resins - lots of varying opinions about this I'm sure. 
5. Buy quality!  I have HMH, Dyna-King, and Renzetti vises that have been in use for decades.  My most recent investment is The Marc Petitjean Swiss Master Vise.      

Regards, 

[Gene L 0]

I tried to tie a fly or two on the Universal No. 1.  It was a pain in the ass.  I could use the rotary feature, but it required moving my hand from my strong hand to turn the wingnut to rotate the vise.  If I didn't  lock the rotary jaws, the jaw would rotate too easily and rotate to the lower jaw mechanism.  

I've had a number of vises in the past.  I use a Renzetti now, but I have a cheaper vise that does great.  I use it for my travel vise.  It's the Maxcatch rotating vise  (not a rotary vise, but one that rotates enough to allow you to look at the bottom of a fly.)  It gets stellar reviews from Savage Flys.com which is how it came to me.  You can find them for less than $50.  They lock down when you want them too and are very sturdy.

If anyone wants to go up vise from a fixed vise or wants a sturdy travel vise (10 oz) I recommend it. It meets 1-3 of FF's points, and 5 for quality of a cheap vise.  So there.

[utyer 0]

In more than 55 years, I have used a lot of different vises.  In all of them, I first looked for the hook holding capability of any vise.  Secondly, I looked for the size range of hooks that any vise would give me.  I first started looking for rotary features after about 10 or 12 years.  I tried several different rotary vises, and in 1991 or thereabouts, I saw a "Nor-vise" at a trade show.  Norm Norlander was the designer, and was there showing what his vise did.  I bought the one he was using that day.  I didn't want to wait for him to send one.  At the end of the day picked it up, and have never looked for another vise.  I sold or gave away all my other vises.  34 years later, it is still my only vise.  It does every thing I need, and is still going strong.  The Longevity of a good vise is also something that one should look for.    

[gadabout 0]

The most important feature to me is reliably and consistently holding a hook.  Then the next most important feature is being able to place the vise anywhere, meaning a pedestal base vs. a C-clamp mount.  Rotating capability to look at and access different sides of the fly is important, but true rotary capability is all but useless to me.

In my 45 years of tying, my progression in vises has been Thompson vise, Orvis vise (glorified Thompson), Renzetti Traveler, then finally HMH Spartan.

My move to the Renzetti was prompted by my desire to tie on larger hooks for saltwater flies.  This was fine for a few years, but then when I got into tying winged wet flies, I found the Renzetti to be awkward for this.  So I chose a more traditional vise design (the HMH), and moved the Renzetti to my travel bag.

The HMH does everything I need, and permits easy jaw changes when that’s needed.  I use the standard jaws most of the time, but when I tie on saltwater hooks size 2/0 and larger, it’s a simple matter to swap in the magnum jaws. The jaw swapping ease is the main reason I selected the HMH over the Regal, which l also found very appealing.

 

[DFoster 0]

If a vise can't secure a hook then the rest of it's features of are pretty much worthless.