HMH TRV or Stonfo?

[flytire 0]

okay

[afishinado 0]

What I like most about the Stonfo Transformer vise is the ability to easily change heads.  The first head is a great rotary head simialir to a Renzetti which I use for trout flies.  The second head has a long "shelf" and is similar to a Regal head but longer.  I use this second head for tying large musky or saltwater flies as well as articulated flies.  The third head with attachments is for tying tube flies, which I don't use at all.

https://stonfo.com/en/p/transformer-vise/index.html

[SalarMan 0]

On 12/21/2021 at 8:13 AM, flytire said:

okay

You aren't the only one with arthritis. Yet I find the holding power of both my vises...the HMH TRV & Renzetti Master...work just fine with very little effort. It isn't the type of hooks I'm using either, it is just using each vise in the way they were designed to be used.

In the case of the TRV, it is a matter of putting the hook into the jaw's grooves properly and gently tightening up the jaws. It doesn't require much effort if the hook is set correctly.

The Master is the same. Use the small adjusting screw to set the hook, then simply and gently move the locking lever into the position shown in the vise's instructions to secure the hook.

NO BRUTE FORCE is required...period. My arthritic hands will attest to that.

[robow7 0]

Is this an HMH thing as to the inability to easily hold larger hooks ?  A long long time ago, I purchased an HMH vise that was an early Spartan or a similar model and it was great until you got up to size 2 and larger.  As I tie a lot of larger flies for bass and pike, it just didn't work for me and I sold it , but not before contacting HMH.  They claimed they were addressing the situation but I didn't hang around long enough to find out if it was corrected.

[DFoster 0]

12 hours ago, robow7 said:

Is this an HMH thing as to the inability to easily hold larger hooks ?  A long long time ago, I purchased an HMH vise that was an early Spartan or a similar model and it was great until you got up to size 2 and larger.  As I tie a lot of larger flies for bass and pike, it just didn't work for me and I sold it , but not before contacting HMH.  They claimed they were addressing the situation but I didn't hang around long enough to find out if it was corrected.

I tie mostly trout flies on my HMH TRV, but occasionally tie size 2-8 for the land locked salmon run.  The radial grooves in the jaws work great and the TRV has no trouble holding hooks in the sizes you describe.  However if your talking about the really large Classic Salmon fly hooks that need inserts to protect the black gloss finish the jaws don't open wide enough.  Gunnar explains the grooves at 5:45 in the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po6zq0Xw2JI

 

  

[SalarMan 0]

Some, but not all of you may remember my TRV stories...aka trials and tribulations...from the past. I had one that held only large hooks, but nothing smaller than a size 8. My next one held anything from a 24 through a size 2/0, but nothing larger. Well I now have another with the Generation 3 jaws and while originally only capable of the 2/0 limit, my friend on this site Mark Knapp made some minor changes to the jaws in his machine shop and the vise now will hold the little hooks (#24's) and I've had a 9/0 in the same vise and it held well enough to tie on that monster of a hook.

I tie most of my classic salmon flies on 3/0, 4/0 and the occasional 5/0 all of which need the plastic insert to protect the finish on these expensive handmade hooks. To date this borderline ergonomically perfect jaw design has become my vise of choice whenever I sit at the desk to tie...with NO ISSUES.

[robow7 0]

DFoster, yea, my HMH didn't have any grooves  cut into the jaws.  Obviously a different jaw design entirely.

[SalarMan 0]

Hmmm robow7...all 3 TRV's I've owned have the grooves in the jaws. Curiousier and curiousier...as the King said in "The King and I".

[flytire 0]

DFoster, yea, my HMH didn't have any grooves  cut into the jaws.  Obviously a different jaw design entirely.

did he say trv or just hmh?

only trv jaws have grooves? my 2019 version has grooves

the other hmh dont?

[robow7 0]

Yes, sorry for the confusion but I did not own a tvr, mine was a Spartan and it had no grooves

[terp 0]

Have you considered a Regal for the following reasons?

- extreme simplicity of use (squeeze to open vise, insert hook, release your grip -- and you're done -- zero adjustments needed)

- extreme effectiveness (never had a hook slip at all after over 1000 flies)

- no need to change jaws (assuming you get the stainless jaws)

- no slot to align hook bend with (as there is with Dyna-Kings -- I bought an Excalibur and couldn't stand the constant jiggering required)

With a Regal, you'll miss out on the true rotary function you get with a Renzetti or Law.  But most owners of rotary vises that I've communicated with will confess they rarely use that functionality (just wrap the material around the hook with your hand).  And with Renzetti-style rotary function, you may need to whip finish, then rest your thread in a bobbin cradle, adding complexity and deducting from the time "saved' with the rotary action. So if you don't really need the rotary functionality, I highly recommend a Regal.

The Medallions are cheaper.  Add a stainless head for a bigger range of hooks and extra gripping power. 

For a valiant attempt at rotary, try the Revolution, which is what I bought. But in hindsight, given the fact I do not use or need the rotary functionality, my money would have been better spent on a Medallion.

When I say "valiant attempt" I mean that you have to position the head and your hook to a purely horizontal angle to get a rotary action that is anywhere close to the usefulness of a Renzetti-style rotary.  With the Renzetti style, the rotary action is always ready to go without adjustment.

[DFoster 0]

15 hours ago, terp said:

Have you considered a Regal for the following reasons?

- extreme simplicity of use (squeeze to open vise, insert hook, release your grip -- and you're done -- zero adjustments needed)

- extreme effectiveness (never had a hook slip at all after over 1000 flies)

- no need to change jaws (assuming you get the stainless jaws)

- no slot to align hook bend with (as there is with Dyna-Kings -- I bought an Excalibur and couldn't stand the constant jiggering required)

With a Regal, you'll miss out on the true rotary function you get with a Renzetti or Law.  But most owners of rotary vises that I've communicated with will confess they rarely use that functionality (just wrap the material around the hook with your hand).  And with Renzetti-style rotary function, you may need to whip finish, then rest your thread in a bobbin cradle, adding complexity and deducting from the time "saved' with the rotary action. So if you don't really need the rotary functionality, I highly recommend a Regal.

The Medallions are cheaper.  Add a stainless head for a bigger range of hooks and extra gripping power. 

For a valiant attempt at rotary, try the Revolution, which is what I bought. But in hindsight, given the fact I do not use or need the rotary functionality, my money would have been better spent on a Medallion.

When I say "valiant attempt" I mean that you have to position the head and your hook to a purely horizontal angle to get a rotary action that is anywhere close to the usefulness of a Renzetti-style rotary.  With the Renzetti style, the rotary action is always ready to go without adjustment.

Just to clarify- the grooves are not used on the TRV from sizes 32- 2.  Only on the really large hooks. When they are in the grooves they simply can't slip.   You're correct most tiers don't use the rotary often, however there are times when it can really shine.

[Mark Knapp 0]

16 hours ago, terp said:

Have you considered a Regal for the following reasons?

- extreme simplicity of use (squeeze to open vise, insert hook, release your grip -- and you're done -- zero adjustments needed)

- extreme effectiveness (never had a hook slip at all after over 1000 flies)

- no need to change jaws (assuming you get the stainless jaws)

- no slot to align hook bend with (as there is with Dyna-Kings -- I bought an Excalibur and couldn't stand the constant jiggering required)

With a Regal, you'll miss out on the true rotary function you get with a Renzetti or Law.  But most owners of rotary vises that I've communicated with will confess they rarely use that functionality (just wrap the material around the hook with your hand).  And with Renzetti-style rotary function, you may need to whip finish, then rest your thread in a bobbin cradle, adding complexity and deducting from the time "saved' with the rotary action. So if you don't really need the rotary functionality, I highly recommend a Regal.

The Medallions are cheaper.  Add a stainless head for a bigger range of hooks and extra gripping power. 

For a valiant attempt at rotary, try the Revolution, which is what I bought. But in hindsight, given the fact I do not use or need the rotary functionality, my money would have been better spent on a Medallion.

When I say "valiant attempt" I mean that you have to position the head and your hook to a purely horizontal angle to get a rotary action that is anywhere close to the usefulness of a Renzetti-style rotary.  With the Renzetti style, the rotary action is always ready to go without adjustment.

I have a Regal and I like it, I also have two Dyna- kings, the two on the high end, I forget the models. I have several others too but i like my HMH TRV the most out of all of them.

It all boils down the personal preference.

[SherpaB 0]

the Stonfo is a good vice I've tried it but its a poor man's Petijean, the worry I would have is if something goes wrong who do you call??? Italy? I doubt the fly shops sell enough of them to really know what to do other than call the Hareline Rep or whomever distributes it... I'd rather get something that you can call up a guy who makes it in the USA and get a quick part or an answer...Renzetti, Regal, Dyna King and HMH are outstanding companies...I recommend the Renzetti  or Regal because they are capable of holding almost any hook size right out of the box. No jaw changes and they've been tested and true for decades...the big name tyers such as Kelly Galloup choose these brands as their vise of choice probably because they work flawlessly

[afishinado 0]

On 12/17/2021 at 8:28 AM, Merkexpress said:

What’s up guys?

Im new to the forum and I’m looking to see if anyone has some feedback on the two vises posted in the title? I’m looking to pick up a true rotary and these are the two I’m most interested in. I have watch some videos on YouTube and seen some reviews but none of these were comparing the two vises I am questioning. I currently tie on a regal, but I want a little more room for material off the back side of the hook and have a true rotary function vice. The Stonfo provides 3 options for jaws which makes it very versatile, but based on the jaws on the HMH I think that would be a great option too. 

I’m just looking to see if anyone has used these two vices or has any input.

 

Thanks,

Cam

The OP has a Regal ^

As I wrote in an earlier post the Stonfo has the most room behind the jaws as you asked for above.  I tie articulated flies as well as Musky and Saltwater flies with the Stonfo streamer head.  The Stonfo rotary head is similar to the Renzetti.  BTW, I own a Regal, Renzetti and the Stonfo vises and have tied thousands of flies on each.  I find the Stonfo most versatile of the three because of the interchangeable heads.  Good luck on your purchase.