clousers/warmwater/hairbugs and Peak Vise....

[JSzymczyk 0]

I've read and reread all the vise posts and it's like asking a bunch of motorcyclists "what's the best oil to use?"

 

I'm needing to upgrade from a twenty-something year old master vise from Reed Tackle... which has served me extremely well producing several thousand flies. I'm narrowed down to just about choosing a Peak c-clamp vise but don't have the opportunity to try one out before purchasing, at least not anywhere within a couple hours drive (that I know of).

 

I tie mostly streamers, bucktails (clousers minnows too), buggers, deer hair bugs, general warmwater stuff, normally size 12 up to about 1/0 mostly. Very very infrequently down to 18 or so.

 

I don't know yet if the rotary function will be any advantage to me, as I've never used a rotary vise. Does the Peak design allow sufficient room at the rear of the fly for long tails, say on 4 and 5 inch streamers, without damaging the materials? I can't see how it would interfere with the materials any more than flipping a large clouser upside down in my stationary vise, but I could be missing something.

 

Money is an issue, and the $150 or so including shipping will cause the wife to have a spell for a while, but a man must have his priorities.

 

thoughts from any Peak users who tie similar flies would be most helpful- thanks!

[flyfishingwright 0]

I have had my Peak vise for about 4 months now and I love it. I have tied down to size 26 with the regular jaws with no problem at all. The midge jaws might be nice, but I don't think I'll buy them. It is really easy to work with.

 

As to larger flies. Clousers become a breeze, almost effortless. I don't know about 4 to 5 inch flies as I never tie anything that big but I am looking at my vise right now and I don't think that would be a problem. Hard to say though as the longest flies I tie are around 2 inches.

 

I love my vise and would recommend it to anyone. By the way, the pedestal base is rock solid and weighs a ton. I would take a look at it.

 

Good Luck,

Steve

[fly~by~night 0]

I have had my PEAK for over a year now...love it. I tie from a size 2 -22 on mine with just standerd jaws with no problems at all. Longest fly i tie as of right now would be a 3in or 4 tops as of right now. It does it well (i think). i hope this helps ...i know it is tough buyin a vise without knowing if you are going to like it,but due to what you were useing befor....it will be a breath of fresh air :headbang: -jason

[conehead 0]

I have tied on the Peak and the Dyna-King Jr Trekker.

 

For the money, the Peak is good. But for a little more you can not beat the Dyna-King Trekker. With the 20% discount ffom Hook and Hackle it is worth the few bucks more. (It's worth so much more I would give plasma for a few weeks, just to buy the Dyna-King) You'll appreciate the sacrifice.

 

Conehead

(plasma bought me my first computer in college)

Blood money

[CM_Stewart 0]

I don't think you'll have a problem with the Peak. I've had a Peak for several months now and I've tied five inch streamers and four inch clousers and zoo cougars on it with no damage to materials. With the Peak, there is about 1.75 inch from the bend of the hook to the point where tailing or wing material will first touch the arm of the vise. If the materials you are using are longer than that, they don't have to deflect very much to get around the arm. Clousers are a little trickier, but I tie them fairly sparse so that when I flip the hook after the eyes and tail (to make it easier to tie in the wing) the tail easily fits through the gap between the vise jaws with minimal deflection. Of course, since the Peak rotates, you don't have to flip the hook, but old habits die hard.

 

I don't tie deer hair bugs but I do tie some big muddlers and zoo cougars, and at least for me the pedestal base has been plenty stable for spinning deer hair. I don't think you'll need to go to the c-clamp if you would prefer a pedestal. My previous vise was a c-clamp, and the convenience of having a pedestal base is so great I'll never go back. My tying bench is fairly small, and doubles as my regular desk. There are times I need a little bit of desk space right in front of me, and it is so easy to just move the vise out of the way temporarily. All in all, I really like the Peak and I think you will too.

[Guest]

If all you tie are streamers, there isn't any advantage to using a rotary vise like the Peak. I prefer using an inline rotary for streamers, you don't have that angled thing in your way when you work on the underside of the hook and none of your materials get bent around anything. Look into the HMH Spartan, about the same price as a Peak and the quality is second to none.

[Iowaflyguy 0]

 

 

I do tye deer hair bugs. The pedestal has been completely stable. There may be other

reasons for choosing the c clamp model ( hight above desk etc). But stability is a non issue.

 

-Tom

[Linesides 0]

I got my Peak for Christmas from JS. Always tied on a standard vise before. I am tieing clousers, decievers and eel imitiations up to 5" long. No problem here.

[JSzymczyk 0]

thanks for the input folks- I like the c-clamp vises because my tying bench also serves as my handloading bench, general workbench, and insect collecting/curation bench. I built a portable tying "desk" with a riser for c-clamp (my old one) and I like the c-clamp I guess because I've always used one and like to be able to adjust the height when needed.

 

How much advantage do you find a rotary to be when tying woolly buggers and w. worms for example? seems as if it might come in handy.

[bly65 0]

If you know the techniques of using a rotary vise, it makes tying alot easier. It does make working with dubbing, chennile, and any wrapping you may do with a material much quicker.As for me, i have had some trouble with the base holding in place when i spin deer hair, but maybe its just that i use too much pressure.

Hope that helps,

bobby

[CM_Stewart 0]

Much as I like my Peak, consider TroutBum's recommendation of an HMH Spartan. It was my second choice, and I would agree that for streamers and bucktails it may be a better choice. Also, Stockard has the HMH vises on sale now so the price is now the same as the Peak.