vices.

[Davyfly]

For me , and l do own a number of vices, it is the Renzetti presentation 3000 my vice of choice, for many reasons.
l personally do not care for a vice that l cannot enable my hands to work around the vice jaws, and they also have to be at a acceptable angle for me to do so. Dislike intensely the use of a pedestal as it restricts given the distance from the jaw to the table easy maneuverability.
I use extension arms to my vice clamp that allow for the vice to be away from the work surface and allow for any change in height and angle given the fly patterns being tied.
Never use the rotary action for winding material, for me it is a hands on deal for controlled tension during tying procedures. But accept that the rotary is worthwhile if l am tying classic Atlantic Salmon flies, when checking position and when tying in cheeks and head end adornments, or when applying epoxy heads for flies.

Davy

[VERN-O]

I'm in the HMH boat and very happy with it (I've been dreaming of a LAW, but then reality sets in ) I use the rotary function quite a bit (bugger bodies, chenille, floss, palmer hackles, etc).....but when it comes to wrapping collars on soft hackles....it's all hands on for me....it's a feel thing

[mikeytwoshoes]

I'm in the HMH boat and very happy with it (I've been dreaming of a LAW, but then reality sets in ) I use the rotary function quite a bit (bugger bodies, chenille, floss, palmer hackles, etc).....but when it comes to wrapping collars on soft hackles....it's all hands on for me....it's a feel thing

I suppose theoretically one could wrap a soft hackle collar w/ rotary function, but I fold my soft hackle feathers and that takes two hands. how would one then spin the vise head?

[skunkaroo]

I suppose theoretically one could wrap a soft hackle collar w/ rotary function, but I fold my soft hackle feathers and that takes two hands. how would one then spin the vise head?

It can be done with an unstripped hackle folded back. The trick is that you make quarter turns and fold as you go. When you're doing full palmered wets it is handy.

Aaron

[Davyfly]

Hands on in my book gives way more control during tensions of wind, and setting angle of hackle display than the rotary, be it head or palmered hackles.
I would argue also that it is way faster than using the rotory action.
At the end of the day if it works for you its good.

DW

[gdsaltzman]

I have a Renzetti master, an original Xuron and a pamola fly lathe. I agree with most others that for tying soft hackles, the rotary doesn't really help so I use my xuron since it provides a lot of accessibility to the hook. The pamola I have angled very high and use it mostly for tying small flies (22-32).

Interesting to hear Davy's comments around pedestal vs clamp on, I never thought of it that way. For complicated flies, I prefer to tie on top of the table thus with a pedestal. My xuron is a clamp on.

I do have my eye on the LAW streamside vise, even thought I don't tie streamside, it could be nice for get togethers, etc.

[Davyfly]

Further regarding why l choose to have my vice set up the way l do. FYI.
In the 60s and into the late 70s l made my living more or less as a commercial fly tyer. That amounts to two things, one being able to tie flies fast and secondly in my case high end quality flies.
The vice l at that time use in the 60s was one of the Veniard range, forgot the name of it now, other than after about a month the jaws were shot, l know l would average around 10 to 14 doz flies a day at that time.
Now bear in mind, the vast majority of flies out there to day did not exist at that time, save for the flies innovated before that time, this was also at a time the the rise of the stillwater scene had not really grown. Anglers still by and large cast teams pf wet flies, in fact one of my regular customers was at the time Tom Ivens, some of you UK guys will be well aware of his publication related to stillwater FF. Guess what Toms favourite fly from me was a olive dun, nest to that a Williams favourite.

OK, aside from all that, l was in a fortunate position to be able to learn to tie more or less all the known flies at that time as at that time the patterns of Halford, JW.Dunn, Skues, Austin, Lunn, Falkus, were still the flies of choice, coupled with the traditional winged wets, and north country spider. Soft hackles as we know em to day were little known and not of high demand.

During this time my friend Taff Price, well known author, were supplying flies to Dermot Wilson at the mill, Taff sent to me some new tyign thread, which was Danvilles. Now this was a very significant difference from the Pearsalls l had learned to tie with and had used for my commercial tying.
Later Taff also obtained some Thompson AA vices, again all be it more or less the same design as the Veniard it was way easier to work with and lasted way longer.

OK, the rest is history, as we now have vices that can cost you a great deal of money and vices with all sorts of attachments, most of which l consider worthless,

[skunkaroo]

OK, the rest is history, as we now have vices that can cost you a great deal of money and vices with all sorts of attachments, most of which l consider worthless,

What are you saying here? Like my espresso maker attachment is no good?

Aaron

[Davyfly]

OK, mine dispenses Guiness,

I will get back to this thread to morrow after l get back from my guide trip, thats if the customers do not wear me out.

DW

[VERN-O]

dispenses:guinness: .....I gotta get me one of those vices!!!!!