hmh trv review

[mikechell 0]

9 hours ago, Gene L said:

I wish someone would explain what "need" has to do with it. 

😄 ... figure of speech.  People interchange "Need" and "Want" indiscriminately.  Most people in the developed world have NO idea what "need" really is.  For all you young people, save some money, use it to go to a third world Country for a week.  I don't mean a tourist destination.  I mean, something like Monrovia, Liberia.

Georgetown, Guyana ...

Then you'll see what "need" really means.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread, but "need vs. want" is a pet peeve of mine.

[SalarMan 0]

15 hours ago, Bazzer69 said:

George, there was no offense meant so please accept my apology. If you ever are in the Redding area I’ll  take you out to fish the Lower Sac at no charge except for a bottle of lunch wine!  
Barry the Guide

Hey Barry,
None taken. I have always believed that people who fly fish are ladies and gentlemen. You have demonstrated you are a gentleman of the first order...or to put it another way...a class act. If you ever get east to the Valley Forge area of Pennsylvania a reciprocal offer stands. My wife and I enjoy good food and wine as well!!
George the Tin Knocker

[DFoster 0]

1 hour ago, mikechell said:

😄 ... figure of speech.  People interchange "Need" and "Want" indiscriminately.  Most people in the developed world have NO idea what "need" really is.  For all you young people, save some money, use it to go to a third world Country for a week.  I don't mean a tourist destination.  I mean, something like Monrovia, Liberia.

Georgetown, Guyana ...

Then you'll see what "need" really means.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread, but "need vs. want" is a pet peeve of mine.

I'll second your hijack Mike-

My wife's family does Christian missionary work for our church and they have been all over the world to the poorest of countries.  Places where I'm told the basic American clothes their wearing would cost more than a months salary to the locals.   My father in law often says, "If you live in the U.S. and have a dollar in your wallet you are richer than 75% of the rest of the world".  Our members here are fortunate to live in countries where hard work brings financial rewards, most of the world's population will see little extra beyond survival for their efforts.   I hope the fact that we can all come here and actually squabble about which $700 dollar vise is best is an illustration of how fortunate we truly are. 

My personal justification is not "Need" but passion.  Fly fishing is my only past time and by nature I like nice things so I try to purchase quality when I can.  I do limit my major purchases like the TRV to one per year (I have a wife who's very supportive of my hobby and I want her to be able to have nice things too).  After a decade I've ended up with some really nice rods, reels and fly tying equipment.   I have friends that spend far more on sports cars, golf, dirt bikes, street bikes, snow mobiles, boats, firearms, airplanes and all the other big boy toys of the world.   They work hard for their money too and it's a free country but I'm just as happy tying a nice Adams on my TRV. 

[SalarMan 0]

13 hours ago, Gene L said:

I wish someone would explain what "need" has to do with it.  I'm unqualified to speak on salmon flies, but my TRV will tie on anything I'm likely to tie on it.  I'm not a vise collector, but do own a few vises because....well, I like vises.  I also own several flyrods and more than several reels because I like them and get pleasure tying/fishing with my modest collection.  If need were an issue, I'd own one rod, one reel, and one vise.  But foolish me, I bought what I could afford.

I sold my RM vise a year ago on Ebay, sold it too cheap because I didn't know how to run the Ebay system.  Someone got a great deal on a great vise.  But I have no regrets, really, except for selling it too cheap.  But use?  Nah, it would do anything but had a lot of bells and whistles and looked "busy" if that makes sense.  I found I don't really NEED a RM, a TRV, a Regal or a HMH Standard, but I like them a lot and I'm an old man and don't see much reason to save every dime for a future that's not going to be measured in decades.  Basically, I'm happy with my vises.

Some time ago,I had a box made that holds a lot of materials and a vise for transporting and consolidation.  The vise the box was designed to fit is a HMH Spartan.  I wish I could get comfortable with rotary vises, but can't use all the advantages.  

The TRV holds small hooks well to 22, small as I have tied.  And Up to size 4, which is as large as I've tied on it.  

Interesting thoughts Gene. My issue with the TRV was its inability to hold hooks in the larger sizes I use when tying classic salmon flies...as in 3/0, 4/0, 5/0. Other than that it was definitely the best platform/design I ever worked on...period. I'm sure I drove HMH owner and top dog Jon Larabee just a little crazy with my thoughts and ideas 🙂 
That is why I have decided to go back to the Master. It will handle that wide range hook sizes easily and having tied on a Renzetti for many years...since my wife bought me one for Christmas a long time ago...I am familiar with the working aspects and few idiosyncrasies of the vise.
George

[Gene L 0]

3 hours ago, mikechell said:

😄 ... figure of speech.  People interchange "Need" and "Want" indiscriminately.  Most people in the developed world have NO idea what "need" really is.  For all you young people, save some money, use it to go to a third world Country for a week.  I don't mean a tourist destination.  I mean, something like Monrovia, Liberia.

Georgetown, Guyana ...

Then you'll see what "need" really means.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread, but "need vs. want" is a pet peeve of mine.

San Francisco, LA, and Portland are bringing the Third World home to us.  Except they're not as organized and as neat as in Monrovia.

[Bazzer69 0]

12 hours ago, mikechell said:

😄 ... figure of speech.  People interchange "Need" and "Want" indiscriminately.  Most people in the developed world have NO idea what "need" really is.  For all you young people, save some money, use it to go to a third world Country for a week.  I don't mean a tourist destination.  I mean, something like Monrovia, Liberia.

Georgetown, Guyana ...

Then you'll see what "need" really means.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread, but "need vs. want" is a pet peeve of mine.

Some years ago I travelled to some of the poor countries in the African continent, I must say it’s very sad to see such poverty but remember most of the countries are rich in wealth, gold diamonds etc. they had a great  Infrastructure when rules by western countries now totally destroyed by greed by a few. 
Interesting enough is there is some wonderful fishing. In the 1800’s the BritishArmy elite took and used fly rods on god knows were. But not a place to buy a TRV vise I think. Yes we are lucky to have all this at our fingertips 

Maybe the TRV has been improved, if it has, particularly the soft jaws, then it would be a excellent vise. Needs a longer stem and heavier base, and for particular people like me a table clamp. 
 

I addressed this things with the manufacturer who said nothing other than if I returned the vise they would give me a refund and that’s what happened. 
Renzetti Master rules, I don’t have one any more, but my CAE does a great job. 
Barry

[Mark Knapp 0]

On 6/24/2020 at 6:47 AM, SalarMan said:

I'm new to this forum, so please forgive me if I missed something about this vise...but I have just one question.

Will the vise hold all of the hook sizes I hear about in the Gunnar Brammer's video? I need it to hold 5/0 salmon hooks for my classic salmon flies. According to the folks at HMH the vise maxes out at 2/0...yet the video say something else.

Any experience in this area that will help?

 

On 6/24/2020 at 7:21 AM, DFoster said:

Welcome, I haven't  needed to tie anything bigger than a #2 on mine so I can't say.  They guy you need to ask is Mark Knapp who's on this thread. He ties for the salt and I'm sure he will know.    About the TRV-  after a year and a half I have zero complaints, it functions exactly as the video claims.  I did order a taller stem from HMH for mine ($23) to raise it up a little.  The rotary action is butter smooth.  I tied from #20s up #2s and as long as you place the hook in the jaws properly the vise will hold tight enough to bend them as demonstrated in the video.   

Hi George and DF, See my PM George. I have tied on my HMH TRV for two years and tied over 2000 flies on it. I haven't had any trouble with sizes 16 to 9/0. The vise had a little trouble holding the 11/0 hooks but i did tie some. Incidentally, hook size has less to do with it than the wire size of the hooks, but hook size gets you in the ball park.

[Mark Knapp 0]

On 6/24/2020 at 7:59 AM, DFoster said:

Hi George because the HMH is made to order and not a shelf stocked vise the only way I know to handle one is at the fly fishing shows.  Jon usually has a booth and you can get hands on with the actual vise your considering buying.  I have read on line that some vises are fickle about hook sizes mine fortunately doesn't seem to be at least up to a #2.  We did have a forum member who received one that he didn't like and he was able to return it for a full refund.  Good luck!

When I bought mine, it wasn't a special order. I ordered mine on-line and when I did there were four dealers (If I remember correctly) that had them in stock and for sale.

[Mark Knapp 0]

On 6/25/2020 at 9:23 AM, Bazzer69 said:

I’ve used a Regal in past years and it’s a good vise, I actually own one of the cheap Chinese copies which I use as a portable vise when needed. 
the one big problem with the Regal is when using small hooks and placing them near the tip of the jaws. The hooks can fly out resulting in a missile hook being lost and worst still it can and will chip the jaws. When I contacted Regal, which was several years ago I was told the damage was because of careless use and was not covered under warranty. 
just to let you all know I’m a professional guide, I have been for many years and I’ve used a fly tying vise to tie thousands of flies over the years. So my choice of vise is one that saves me time and doesn’t break. Once again, I regret selling my Renzetti!

Barry

Barry, you mean to tell me you have used three well-known top quality vises and have had trouble with all three? Hmmmm.

[Bazzer69 0]

1 hour ago, Mark Knapp said:

Barry, you mean to tell me you have used three well-known top quality vises and have had trouble with all three? Hmmmm.

Trouble with three? The Regals are excellent vises until you don’t put the hook full in the jaws then the hook gets fired across the room like a lemon pit.  The TRV I’ve already listed my dislikes about it. Mine was one of the first batch, maybe they’ve cured my issues. I loved the Renzetti but I’ve always fancied a LAW which I could not afford so I ended up buying a CAE which I’m essentially happy with apart from a sticky rotary action. So you see Was happy with all except the TRV that’s one in my book  I started the thread with my views in the TRV.  Yours, and others might have completely differs view and that’s good in my book  I was just trying to be helpful  

Barry

 

[DFoster 0]

5 hours ago, Mark Knapp said:

When I bought mine, it wasn't a special order. I ordered mine on-line and when I did there were four dealers (If I remember correctly) that had them in stock and for sale.

Hi there Mark- I figured you were out fishing or something, I knew you could answer George's questions.  Anyway if memory serves we both got our TRVs about the same time (Decemberish 2018?).  I ordered mine from straight from Jon Larabee over the phone.  At the time I asked him if there was a nearby dealer with one so that I could see it in person.  He said they were all being made to order.  There was no reason a dealer couldn't call an order in to have one on the shelf if they chose too but the TRV wasn't being sent out to dealers by the dozen for stock like the HMH Standards or Spartans. 

Dean

3 hours ago, Bazzer69 said:

Trouble with three? The Regals are excellent vises until you don’t put the hook full in the jaws then the hook gets fired across the room like a lemon pit.  The TRV I’ve already listed my dislikes about it. Mine was one of the first batch, maybe they’ve cured my issues. I loved the Renzetti but I’ve always fancied a LAW which I could not afford so I ended up buying a CAE which I’m essentially happy with apart from a sticky rotary action. So you see Was happy with all except the TRV that’s one in my book  I started the thread with my views in the TRV.  Yours, and others might have completely differs view and that’s good in my book  I was just trying to be helpful  

Barry

 

Hi Barry, I've said before the CAE looks to be a beautiful piece of workmanship from what I can see on line.  It's certainly a more faithful copy of the LAW than the TRV and I would love see one in person somewhere.  You're lucky to own one.  With respect to the issues with the first series TRV I believe they have been addressed.   

1) The original base looked to be the same small one as on the Spartan.  This has been replaced with what HMH calls their "Granite" base.   I've had no issues with my vise being tippy.

2) The original jaws were kind of a silver gray color.  I can't say what they were made of but they have since been upgraded with investment cast steel that are gun blued and look almost black.  I've tied a lot of flies on mine from #22 through #2 and the jaws still look like the day I got them.  The only maintenance I do is to rub the outer surfaces with half a drop of gun oil and lubricate the moving parts with lithium grease as recommended by HMH .  Because the jaws are not machined but cast their texture is slightly rougher than those on my old Renzetti but not by much.  If the hook is properly placed in the jaws they hold like a bulldog at least through the size ranges I've listed.  Besides the jaws everything on the vise is made from stainless steel and brass which I personally like.

3) For some (including me) the stem is too short.  I tie the majority of my flies with the head pivoted up at 45 degrees because I like the space at back of the hook to be "open".   This helps with the height issue unless I'm using the rotary function with the head level.  I purchased a taller stem from HMH for less than $25 and problem solved.

As a guide I assume you attend fly fishing trade shows?  If so I encourage you to stop by the HMH booth and try the newer TRV.  It might change your opinion of the vise.

Dean

 

 

 

[SalarMan 0]

I must admit I am surprised at the amount of information, thoughts and insight my first question as a newbie here has generated. Great fun and most helpful guys...THANKS!!

[DFoster 0]

59 minutes ago, SalarMan said:

I must admit I am surprised at the amount of information, thoughts and insight my first question as a newbie here has generated. Great fun and most helpful guys...THANKS!!

Just imagine if they allowed us to talk politics- LOL!

[SalarMan 0]

6 minutes ago, DFoster said:

Just imagine if they allowed us to talk politics- LOL!

THAT could get real ugly...in this day and age I'd probably never visit the site again!!!!😁😁

[DFoster 0]

Your quite correct George.  I love coming here because it's one of the few places I don't get bombarded with political opinion.