Dyna King Jr Trekker vs Renzetti Traveler?

[dawgvet 0]

I've been looking to upgrade vises and was looking for somethIng in the $200 range. I mainly tie trout flies in # 4 to # 24 range so I've been considering the Dyna King Junior Trekker and the Renzetti Traveler. I know that I will have to try them for myself ultimately but was looking for pro vs con for each vise.

Thanks,

Jed

[skidoosh 0]

I've been looking to upgrade vises and was looking for somethIng in the $200 range. I mainly tie trout flies in # 4 to # 24 range so I've been considering the Dyna King Junior Trekker and the Renzetti Traveler. I know that I will have to try them for myself ultimately but was looking for pro vs con for each vise.

Thanks,

Jed

 

I have the Dyna-King and really like it. I cannot comment on the Renzetti but I believe the Dyna-king has better adjust-ability without using tools. It also has superior hook holding power in my opinion due to the hook pockets (I think Renzetti has smooth jaws. I tied on a Griffin Patriot and really came to appreciate it as an underated performer that also had smooth jaws.

 

Really you will do well no matter what you choose. If you are going to go larger with hook size go with Dyna-king but it can handle all sizes. I would also question what a pro version would give you over each of these vises.

[Gene L 0]

I haven't used a Dyna King, but did have the Renzetti. It'll hold about anything very well. I had the cam version, which I think is all they make now.

 

I upgraded to a Renzetti Master, and it's smoother, has ball bearings and has an unsurpassed hook holding ability. I don't think it'll do any more than a vise is expected to do, hold the hook securely and give lots of access to the hook, but it does those things very well indeed. And being rotary, rotate which if you use the feature can be very handy. And so did the Traveler, for that matter. I can't remember the Traveler requiring any tools to adjust.

 

I'm sure they're both very fine vises.

[whatfly 0]

Very tough call. I have one of each, and while I tie a lot on my Traveler, the hooking power of the Dyna-King is superior if tying larger flies (>#2). The Traveler is a bit lighter, and I prefer its smaller jaws when tying little flies. From a technical & personal point of view, I prefer the Traveler.

 

That being said, Renzetti customer service is at best hit and miss. I've had both good and bad experiences with the company and the fact that their replacement parts are so expensive (e.g. $75+ for a new set of jaws) has kept me from upgrading my existing vise to a Presentation or Master. YMMV.

[phg 0]

I've been using a Renzetti Presentation 4000 for several years, so when I got a chance to pick up one of the new Travelers (for traveling, of course) at a discount, I jumped at it.

 

The older travelers were nice, but the new Traveler 2200 is a precision machined masterpiece. The stem and most of the head are aluminum, but the jaws are steel. They are smooth, but if you take the time to adjust the gap with the thumb screw, they will hold the hook securely. Clamping pressure is applied by a cam, and once tightened, the hook doesn't move. Of course, it also has the true rotary action for which Renzetti's are famous. Once you learn to use it, you'll wonder how you ever tied flies without it.

 

I agree, the parts are expensive, but the only service I have ever needed is to replace the rubber "O" ring that releases the clamping pressure. And to be perfectly frank, how I did that was to go up to the Renzetti booth at a show, and ask if they had any replacement "O" rings. They did, and they just gave me one for being a loyal customer. I can't complain about that....

 

I'm sure either vise will work for you, but I know you'll be happy with the Traveler.

[Runarsson 0]

As I have understood from others, the jaws height adjustment on the Renzettis consists of three fixed heights/holes with a screw that has to be unscrewed all the way to adjust the height of the jaws. I'm not a Renzetti user myself, but if my Dyna-King had the same solution and I had to search for a tool every time I wanted to get the jaws to "almost" where I wanted them, I would consider that as a con.

[phg 0]

Most Renzetti users find the jaw setting that works best for them and then leave it there. I tie from size 2 salmon hooks to size 22 midges, and I don't change that setting.

[Gene L 0]

Most Renzetti users find the jaw setting that works best for them and then leave it there. I tie from size 2 salmon hooks to size 22 midges, and I don't change that setting.

 

That was my experience as well. No fine tuning necessary for the head angle once you get it set.

[Runarsson 0]

To me it would be a con. I very often use the vise for rotation tying and want my hook shanks in line with the rotation when I do it, no matter hook size.

[Phish 0]

I take an HMH any day over both of them. The DK is better for bigger hooks while the Renzetti is better for smaller flies.

[Runarsson 0]

I take an HMH any day over both of them. The DK is better for bigger hooks while the Renzetti is better for smaller flies.

 

I've seen several giving Dyna-King the stamp "Big Fly Vise". But I've never felt that I want something else for the smaller ones so I rather think of it as a "Wide Range Vise".

 

DK (midge jaws) with #32's, Tiemco 518 and Mustad 277:

 

[Phish 0]

I take an HMH any day over both of them. The DK is better for bigger hooks while the Renzetti is better for smaller flies.

 

I've seen several giving Dyna-King the stamp "Big Fly Vise". But I've never felt that I want something else for the smaller ones so I rather think of it as a "Wide Range Vise".

 

DK (midge jaws) with #32's, Tiemco 518 and Mustad 277:

 

But you have to pay dearly for that midge jaw while you dont need it on the Renzetti or my HMH.

[Runarsson 0]

But you have to pay dearly for that midge jaw while you dont need it on the Renzetti or my HMH.

 

(Leaving HMH out of it here since the man seemed to be interested in rotary vises, considering his candidates in the first post.)

 

Not sure what you meant there, but...

*... if you're saying that you need the midge jaws for the Dyna-King and you don't need them on the Renzetti, I just say that I've tied #28's on the standard jaws too.

*... if you meant price difference between the midge jaws for the vises, the ones for the Traveller cost $84.95 while the ones for the Barracuda family cost $65.

 

But it doesn't really matter which, since I wasn't comparing anything when I said that I (as in 'myself') don't see it as "Big Fly Vise" and don't think this stamp should be held against it as a con... talking about it as a 'tool in use' and not as a 'cost'.

[dawgvet 0]

Runnarsson, thanks for the info on the Dyna Kimg. I thInk I'm leaning towards that vise for now. I was wondering how well it did with smaller hooks as my typical range is like #4 to #22.

[oldtrout58 0]

Runnarsson, thanks for the info on the Dyna Kimg. I thInk I'm leaning towards that vise for now. I was wondering how well it did with smaller hooks as my typical range is like #4 to #22.

 

I have a friend that ties down to size 32 on the DK with standard jaws. I typically use the midge jaws for size 18 or smaller, but confess to have tied as large as size 14 with the DK midge jaws.