HMH at the high end of your spectrum and a really good price point would be the Anvil's Atlas I believe it is

 

If you like regal vises should save up and get your hands on a Revolution. I 100% love mine!! They come up on the used market even now and then. If you are really trying to stay around 200 then you can't beat a HMH

 

Griffith odyssey, $90.00, all I use.

 

To add to the pile ... a Renzetti Traveler (base model) is all that I use when I tie shanks.
I will most likely get my daughter one too so she can have her own vise to tie flies.


Mike

 

I've had a Traveler for the past 20 years and it's been all I've ever wanted in a vise; everything from #22 midges to 3/0 saltwater stuff. Only service it's ever needed was to replace the O-ring on the jaws (I keep a spare on the shaft now).

Regards,
Scott

 

vises

the big box sporting store has the griffin Montana mongoose on sale for 160
ya I do like the looks of the Regal Revolution and ya would have to save up a long time to get that one! well found one for 320
the Anvil Atlas Rotary Vise about 170
Peak Rotary Fly-Tying Vise about 155
HMH PREMIUM TUBE VISE about 270
norvise about 295
HMH PREMIUM TUBE VISE does both standard flies and tube flies about 270
HMH SPARTAN PEDESTAL VISE about 193
HMH STANDARD VISE about 270
Dyna-King Barracuda Junior Trekker Vise about 200

like a kid in a candy store!! I want them all but Mom is saying heck NO

 

oh boy more candy
Griffin Odyssey Spider Vise about 63 bucks
Odyssey Cam Vise about 115

to much candy mom says I have to go to the dentist

 

Thanks to this thread, I realized that my favorite rotary vise is on sale at my local Cabela's so I just got back from purchasing my second Griffin odyssey spider for 62.99. Now I can keep one set up at my desk at home and the other will stay in my travel kit that I use for opportunistic tying sessions away from home like on my lunch hour and while at the bingo hall with my smarter half.

 

I'll add a nod for the Renzetti Traveler (base model). 15 years and going strong. Don't feel I'll ever need another unless it disappears.

 

Renzetti Traveler x3


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

buy something better pre-owned.

total amount of times I've used the rotary other than to check the other side of the fly?
zero.

and then I got away from that using a make up mirror.

cheers,
shawn

do they still make vises with an indexing head? in fairness I do get usage from that but again, only to check the fly...

 

I think it's important to think about why you want a rotary. What is your Regal missing?

What kind of flies do you usually tie? What sizes, and do you change sizes often? What kind of quantity per session, per year? Do you want to use "real" rotary tying techniques, move the fly around as you tie using "regular" techniques, or turn it to do visual checks? How much room do you need/want for your hand, and how much around the hook bend? Will it live at your house or will it travel with you frequently?

Almost every reasonable vise out there is good, and all have pros and cons. Common advice is to try out a bunch of vises, and see what feels right- this makes sense. Buying used also makes sense. Disclaimer: I am not any kind of great tier, I just have too many vises.

Of the ones you mentioned:

Peak Rotary - Awesome. Pretty heavy, bit of a pain to change jaws. Works great, solid, reasonable price for vise and accessories (like the saltwater jaws). Base is great but uses set screws. Post is a tad short for some. Clamp looks awesome. Like driving a fly tying battle-wagon: feel you can tie anything, anywhere, any time.

Norvise - Awesome. Holds a great range of hook sizes very well. $$$. Almost no other vises work quite like it, if you use Norm's techniques. (Check out all the vids if you haven't). Can be a bit of a learning curve, and pretty much needs an automatic bobbin. Some people find it a bit awkward to travel with a base or case, and clamps are expensive. Doesn't take standard 3/8" accessories. If you think you might get one sometime in the future, don't mess around- just get one. Perhaps try to get a used one- they have great resale value. If you want to go through fur and feathers at the pace of a parka factory, this is your vise.

HMH Spartan- Awesome. Pretty much jewelry, and a classic. Great midge jaws, easy to change. Can be a little fiddly switching hooks. Kind of natural feel tying traditional styles and using tube fly adapters. Fair amount of room for hands (but I'd like to try a Standard). Travels well. Most likely to be found in the vicinity of a glass of single malt, or fine rye or bourbon: feel like you know what you're doing and why you're doing it.

 

I've had the Peak. Cannot beat it for the $$$ if you want a rotary. And Donald Trump says "Made in America!"

 

Not keen on 'too much' vice, I opted for the Odyssey Spider a couple of years ago and haven't regretted it. Not expensive, not big, light and easy to travel with, securely hold hooks of all sizes, made in the U.S.

I suggest setting the adjustable handle knob on the light side and reading the many reviews on Amazon.

Malcolm

 

Fascinating read of the various thoughts. I've been a Renzetti guy for 30+ years and that is not about to change. My suggestion...either try other brands friends may have or your local fly shop might make available to you for a trial...even in store if need be.
Cheers,
George

 

My suggestion...either try other brands friends may have or your local fly shop might make available to you for a trial...even in store if need be.
Cheers,
George

I'm with you on this suggestion. In fact, this is how I choose my Renzetti Traveler vise 20 plus years ago. I went to my local fly shop at the time and tied a fly on about 5 different vises. Basically it was like taking a test drive. Besides all the different features vises have, ergonomics is a personal thing. The vise needs to feel comfortable while you are using it.


Mike

 

Renzetti T for sure

Renzetti Traveler (base model) definitely gets my vote. I've had mine since the 80's and it's still going strong. I haven't tried a cam model, but my old thumb screw model works great. Recently bought a second one so I could have one on hand for guests. Second one also is packed away in my travel tying kit so I don't have to take down and reset repeatedly whenever I go and return.
My lady fishes and ties. She used to tie on a Griffin vise, that is - until she tried tying on my Traveler. She immediately began watching the forums and got one of her own. She just started using the rotary function and now loves tying more than ever.
I've tied large spey, traditional salmon patterns, huge saltwater flies and on down to tiny #24 trout dries with mine. Holds hooks securely, can't beat it.
You can usually pick up a used Traveler for $100 USD or under if you watch the classifieds here and on other forum sites. It's a great vise as evidenced by the number of replies in this thread.

 

I currently have the following; Renzetti Traveler, Dyna King Supreme, Snowbee Waldron, Norvise and an Off The Hook tube vise. In the past I have had an HMH Standard, a Thompson and a Dyna King Barracuda.

My first observation is that many of the nicest flies posted here are tied "in hand" without the use of any vise (or vice, depending on your location) at all. How can it be that guys like Mike, Adrian and others turn out flies suitable for framing using their bare hands when my flies, tied with an assortment of the best vises available, frequently look like multi colored brooms/mops? Sadly, I know the answer to that question....

None the less, the original question is, essentially, which vise should be added to the stable next. I would suggest that you consider how the respective vises are adjusted to accommodate the assortment of hooks that you anticipate using. Regal (which you are accustomed to) employs a fairly unique method with its design which uses a squeeze lever to open the jaws and spring/torsion pressure to hold the hook. The other brands mentioned use either a forcing cone design (HMH, Dyna King) or some sort of eccentric cam or wedge design (Renzetti, NorVise,etc).

You can clearly get used to any method of holding the hook (even using your fingers) so it boils down to personal design preference and perception of value/economics. In the price range you specified I would go with either an HMH or Renzetti Traveler.

 

Hi Bill ! Multi colored broom mops :hihi::hihi: ....I think not my friend. I agree w your recommendation of an HMH or a Renzetti traveler. Avoid the Griffin Mongoose. My .02

 

Vise

J-Vice is what I tie on after having tried them all.

 

Have been using my Renzetti Traveller for 30 years and still love it. Have tied thousands of flies on it over the years. Cheers, Chris

 

Well I luv my regal it is just when trying to tie some of the wings on some flies I get tested wing on the other side off from the one in front of me then either have to bend over or remove the fly and look and put it back on the vise
sorry for the misspell as vice
Just thought for me at this point in my fly tying a rotary vise
would be good for me
When I sit down I tie about 6 to 8 flys different sizes and sometime different colors

Bill

 

And how did I get tested???
Meant to say offset
Unalined misformed

 

Bill,

Vice is not spelled incorrectly by the British.

 

Of all the vises others mentioned, in my opinion after tying for 54 years, which included tying commercially at 3 different times for a total of 17 years commercial tying, the Griffin Odyssey Spider is the best value in true rotary vises currently on the market. They are made in the USA of good materials, hold hooks with a vengeance, parts are available if you do something stupid (like run over it with your truck, drop it out a 3rd story window, etc.), and they are made to last. Granted, they aren't the most aesthetic vise, but they do the job, and do it very well.

All the others mentioned also are good to great vises. all the vises currently on the market at the price point you are looking at ($140-$200.00) are good vises. But the Griffin Odyssey Spider can be had for 1/2 that and it will do everything the ones up to $200.00-$250.00 will do.

I've literally worn out the jaws (and other parts) on quite a few vises, some not exactly cheap (the Renzetti Traveler and the Regal among them), in my lifetime due to all the flies I've tied. And with having had this much tying experience, I have zero qualms about recommending the Griffin Odyssey Spider.

 

I totally agree with Russ here. The Griffin Odessy Spider is among those rare items that performs at or above the level of equipment at a much higher price point. My Cabela's Tlr rods are in the same category of high performance at a low price. I just love it when performance on the cheap comes together!!
Todd

 

Please forgive me for not reading all of the replies to the thread (little short on time here) but...............

I would ask; do you actually plan on doing 'rotary tying' as in using the function to spin on body materials etc. for production tying?

If you are a hobbyist tier like many of us here then having a vise that holds securely and is able to be rotated with relative ease will do. I can guess many have been suggested.

I have two vises that rotate, one is good for rotary tying methods but perhaps not the best production vise. That vise is a Renzitti traveler and it does a fine job.

My other is the seldom seen Thompson 360 'A' vise which was made in the early 1990's but can be found occasionally for sale.

The Thompson doubles as a good Tube and Shank tying vise because of the design.

Picture worth 1000 words maybe.

The vise will adjust to horizontal or any angle between there and 90* straight up.





The knurled wheels adjust a series of bushings which control how easily or tightly the rotation is set for. You just turn the real knob / wheel to rotate the jaws inside the sleeve.

I use that old vise more than the Renzitti Traveler. Found that at the Cortland Store in Cortland NY. circa 1994 on a clearance table for 30 dollars. Have seen them sell on auction for 25 and under, great vise for a fisherman.

Ard

 

Yes I know britts spell it vice we vise! I was looking over the web and seen some vise on a web site and seen vice as the spelling I thought
that was odd then other vises were spelled that way then I noticed the prices they were all in British pounds! That VICE kind of stuck in my head
so I really did not think of it till MHC said something like to much ' vice ' then I went back over this thread and thought were did I spell vise vice??
then the light went on and the halo shined and I saw I saw my mistake!
the vice I have like drinking good whiskey or fishing ( my wife calls it an obsession!!! )
then we have vise! in are world the only vise is a fly tying VISE!!!!! right??
U young whipper snappers may forgive us old farts for are errors and old style way sinse we old fart Do KNOW u will be in are shoes some day!!

To what I am looking for
to be able to adjust the vise to me and the way it feels good to tie a fly!!'
not having to work around the vice oppsssss
I like the way the regal pull handle opens the jaws and the regal has never let a hook move in any way while tying!
my first vise a cheapo 10 buck maybe wobbled wiggled and would not hold a hook
would like a vise that is appealing! Well sorry why cant we be like are wife's LOOKS are everything
my wife is looking over my shoulder as I type this!!! she thinks I have some hot hottie on here sense she seen my avatar and she thinks she put it there
back to the vise
a vise that is user friendly I would say

I do not speed tie so I don't need a production type vise
I would like this vise to be my last one I buy so I want one that will outlive me, so to say

but oh Good Lord Almighty there are so many to choose from

I like the Dyna-King Barracuda Junior Trekker Vise 199.99
Renzetti Cam Series Traveler Vise 199.99
PEAK Rotary Vise with D-Arm & Material Clip 169.95
Atlas Vise 154.99

But the Renzetti Cam Series Traveler Vise looks best

Bill

 

Or buy my Mongoose fer cheap