An unbiased look at the Nor Vise

[Dragonslayer 0]

I am new to the tying world only been doing tying for about a year but is the most relaxing thing I do. I started with a Dyna King Pro and I enjoyed it. Then I went to the Dyna King Barracuda and found it did things easier for me then the pro but I still used the pro when I do large straight flies. After reading and listening to other tyers I tried the Nor Vise and turned out that I do about 85% of my tying on it and love it. I found for me that no vise does everything for the way I tye. So What I am trying to say you need to find the vise that best suits you. When I got my Nor vise it was different than what I was use to but with the videos and other tyers help I found that is the vise I use the most.

[Harold Ray 0]

I have HMH, Renzetti, and one Norvise now; I had two,but sold one. They are great vises, but so are HMH, Renzetti, and the others. You can tie flies on all of them.

 

The Norvises are well made instruments that do many things, with a few functions done somewhat better and more easily than on other vises, but when it comes down to it, there isn't a best vise per se. There may be a "best" vise for you, but there is not a best vise for everyone, one particular brand that everyone should buy.

 

Ray

[JRG 0]

I love mine and I hardly use the rotary feature. It's more of the system you can create with the vice that I enjoy coupled with the automatic bobbin. The way the post set up and bobbin work with the vise is what attracted me to it and it can do everything. Tube flies, small flies, large flies and everything is true in line. Norm has been great whenever I need to order stuff too.

[Gene L 0]

Well, I spent an hour or so yesterday looking at Nor Vise videos. I think they're well made, but failed to see any advantage over other rotary vises. They will allow you to wrap a hook faster, but other than that and maybe palmering, my enthusiasm is no longer there.

 

The thing I don't like about them is lack of access to the hook. I want that hook bend to be up there like a woman with a big butt, and it just ain't there. It looks cramped, and I noticed the flies tied on the videos were selected for tails other than those on typical dry flies.

 

I'm not a production tier, if I was maybe it would appeal to me more. Guess I'm a slow learner.

[Dragonslayer 0]

Try looking at the Fine Point Conversion for the Nor Vise. It does small to large hooks and gives more access to the hook.

[petelangevin 0]

I have both the lg jaws and the fine. I find myself using the fine nearly all the time. I have plenty of room behind the hook. And i have big hands.

[FrequentTyer 0]

I'm not a production tier, if I was maybe it would appeal to me more. Guess I'm a slow learner.

No Gene, you are just someone that figured out to which of the two proverbial types of people he belongs. Life is too short to think otherwise. Enjoy whatever vise you like!

[Fishin_Chip 0]

I have owned and tied on Renzetti, Dynaking, Regal, Thompson, and Nor-Vise. I currently use the Nor-Vise, it suits my tying style and the patterns I tie. I very seldom use the true rotary function to apply materials, but the quadrants function is awesome, especially with tube flies. If you tie small flies, there are more suitable vises available. For large patterns, the Nor-Vise is hard to beat.

 

 

Hook mounted in the Nor-Vise in the "true rotary" in-line position.

 

 

Hook mounted to give better access to the bend portion of the hook shank.

 

 

Hook mounted with the vise inverted. This gives an uninterrupted space for extremely long patterns to lie in a natural way, much like the Clouser Renzetti.

 

Mounting the hook in either of the latter 2 fashions does limit the true rotary functionality, but still allows the quadrants function to view all sides of the fly.

 

If you buy your thread in bulk, the Nor automatic bobbin rocks. I could tie on most any quality vise without difficulty, but I would be lost without the automatic bobbin.

 

Cheers!

[petegray 0]

the latest fine point option… a very "accessible" true rotary tying opportunity...

[finnslr 0]

I have had one for several years. This will be my last vise. I use all the functions, tie 1-24 hooks in the standard jaws. The flys stay held together better than any other vise I have used, and they catch fish, that's the reason I tie.

[oldtrout58 0]

I don't have a NorVise (yet).About two years ago, maybe three years?, after reading Rotary Tying Techniques by the Beattys, I started applying material to the hook using the rotary function. It took awhile to get used to doing so, but it's how I tie now (for the most part). I figured since I had a rotary vise I might as well use it as a rotary vise. I find that I do a much better job ribbing a fly using the rotary function and I tie faster now.

Since posting the above, I have acquired a Nor-Vise. I LOVE IT!

I get that rotary tying isn't everyone's cup of tea, but for me, tying on the Nor is great fun.

[Byron 0]

For some reason, most folks don't seem to grasp the difference between in-line rotary and off-set rotary.

 

The original Norvise was only in-line rotary which had very poor access to the rear of the hook.

 

Now, they have added the off-set jaws shown in a post just above by Petegray above.

 

Completely different concepts.

[oldtrout58 0]

the latest fine point option… a very "accessible" true rotary tying opportunity...

 

Peter, what's the deal with the O-rings?

[petelangevin 0]

The o rings give a non slip spot to turn the vise. Sometimes the hubs can be slippery

[ditz2 0]

So which jaws are best for hooks from 14 to 4/0? I never paid much attention to the NorVise before now but I sure like the looks of it in the videos. I do a lot of the same things now with my DanVise but not nearly as slick. I really like the auto bobbins. I spend a lot of time rewinding the thread on the bobbin and it is a real pain in the ******....I am so old I hate to invest that kind of money in a vise but.......If I could find a decent used one......This thing is a great looking tool. Count me as a fan.