Vice advice

[Guest]

Boba,

 

How much are you willing to spend? We just had an informal poll and Renzetti's are used by approximately 30% of the respondents.

 

Vise poll

 

With Dyna-Kings placing a close second. If you read the comments of many Renzetti users, you'll notice them saying that they wished they had a D-K.

 

Personally I don't like either vise, but it has nothing to do with the relative quality of the vises. I tried them and just wasn't comfortable with them. I have a true rotary vice that I don't use, I read all the hype about them and bought one but didn't like it.

 

IMHO, the two best vices on the market are the Nor-Vice and the HMH.

[Guest]

TB, I can see why a true rotary wouldn't be much of a use for you. Only tying a couple flies a week, that would be why. I'm cranking out usually 10-30 flies per day (sometimes more). That's not including tying for my own personal use on top of that or just screwing around tying. The rotary really comes in handy. It REALLY came in handy when I production tied. Only problem, didn't get one (an old griffin) until the end of my production days. LOL. (which sucks, found out alot of info from a guy AFTER I had been doing it and what I did wrong dealing with shops lol). Now I use the DK cuda and love it. Have tried most of the brands out there (including HMH). Have had regals, etc. Now down to the DK.

 

I'm looking at buying the DK junior trekker for my travel kit. I have a few customers who've bought them, and have had a chance to check them out. Very nice, same holding power, and ALOT lighter and more compact. I am actually looking at getting a norvise now. I had passed on them when I bought my DK. Reason I did was slippage on bigger hooks (I tie alot of 1/0 and bigger). Guess they changed the heads, and now they don't slip. But dealt with slippage on the old griffin, and didn't care to deal with that again. Even with half hitches inbetween steps, unraveling is unraveling. LOL. When I get a norvise though, getting the full travel kit. That way I have the base. Don't want to have to manufacture a base nor do I want to cut into my old rolltop desk to mount. LOL. Luckily, I deal directly with HMH, Norvise, and DK. So I don't mind collecting vises. Next step, want to buy an HMH tube fly vise. Full blown one, not the adapter.

[boba 0]

TroutBum, I am willing to pay up to about $500, but it would likely mean I need to wait longer for the penny jar to fill. On the other hand, I don't expect I will need to buy another one and a really good vise adds joy to the tying experience.

 

Hook holding power and quick adjustability are a high priority for me. I tend to tie on hooks from 22 freshwater to 3/0 saltwater and may switch from one to the other depending on the next fishing trip or two. At this point, I'm still thinking Renzetti but don't like the shiny surface. My old starter Thompson and Sunrise vises bothered my eyes. Bob Popovics has a Renzetti that is flat black, but he told me at a presentation that it was custom made for him. My ideal would be a flat black, true rotary with quick-change capability and real hook-holding power. My Regal does most of that but lacks the true rotary capability. Does anyone make one that fits?

[Guest]

Boba,

For $500 you can get one of those fancy Abel's with the custom plating, but Abel still has those cheezy jaws. A Thompson Cobra is gray ( I have a Cobra) and it is very good for small flies. But 3/0 is about the upper limit for it's jaws.

 

If you tie a lot of Clousers, any rotary vise will get in the way and you will lose any advantage of the rotary function. Nor-Vise may be the way to go for you. If you get all the options with it, it's an awesome tool. The basic vise is about $250 and adding all the "stuff" will push it to the limit of your budget.

 

My primary vise is an HMH Pro, it is perfect for the type of tying I do. My flies tend to be large and I'm putting a lot of stuff on a hook. I've been through a couple of D-K's, a friend's Renzetti and a couple of Thompsons. It took me a while to find the right vise and you should really look around if you're going to make it your last vise purchase.

[Russ 0]

In my search for the perfect vise, I have bought the Dyna-King Barracuda junior Trekker in a C clamp model. I did alot of research and talked to alot of people about their vises. The overall choice was the Renzetti, but I decided n the DK. Why?... it was the quality of the machining and roller bearings. It felt like it was built better. I also liked the grooved jaws... they seem to hold a hook stronger.

 

I want to thank everyone who gave their comments and advice. For anyone having the same delemia about which vise to buy, I would suggest www.flyfisherman.com They had a great vise shootout.

 

Thanks again, tight lines and happy tying.

[seriesofseven 0]

Wow, I guess I should have known this would be a hot topic in a place like this. Your price range seems to be sufficient for a nice vise no matter who's making it. If you must have the rotary I have heard great things about the renzetti but whenever I purchase the heart of an operation I care more for the companies customer support than the legacy behind the name. I logged on tonight to share today's experience without even knowing this topic was going on but my Regal has slowly built an indent inside the jaws about the size of a number 2 hook which is frustrating when I'm tying smaller at the moment. I spoke to Regal's complaint department and was never assumed to be mishandling the vise. I just said I was frustrated and without paying a cent I'm expecting a new one in the mail next week. Limited lifetime warranties are fairly common on all vises in that price range but I would sneak a fake call into one of those companies with some random story of the jaws breaking (which can happen if the forge casting has a crack). See if they're willing to help you before you give them your hard earned money for a legacy. Also, I was under the impression that Vosseler is making a true rotary? True?

[flytyingscotsman 0]

 

I use a Dyna-King and have been extremely happy with it

(using the midge replacement jaws I tie from size 4 down to 28).

 

However, it gets pointed out on this forum time after time that

these preferences are a personal thing, and nothing could be

more true.

 

My 'ad-vise' is to try out both products (Renzetti & Dyna-King)

and see which one YOU like - God knows you are laying out enough

cash to warrant some kind of test drive ! A good fly shop will let you

borrow a demo vise - failing that maybe a trip to a fly fishing show

may be in order.

 

Both of these vises have solid quality, proven track record and

keen following (as you're finding out by the number of posts !).

As a result of this you're not going to find any posts containing

details of damning secret flaws about one or the other ... ('cause

they don't exist).

 

Heck, both of these vises are so good you could probably just

go ahead and flip a coin ! Just be sure to make tails Dyna-King !

 

Good Luck !