Been thinking for long time that I should learn to tie my own flies (Salmon & Trout)......particularly given the current poor weather ! Just been to GAC and had a look at fly tying kits, materials and vices....and bought some tube and sea trout flies as always!!! Looking at fly tying vices alone I noted that they range in price from £7.99 - £400 and more!!!! with all sort of weird shapes & sizes of attachments 😧Can anyone recommend a good starter vice that will allow me to tie few initial basic salmon and trout patterns?? Thanks
Hundreds and hundreds of folk use the Stillwater or Veniards Regent lever action vice which also rotates but in line. Cost between about £24 and £35 or so. I have had one for about 30 to 40 years. Does the job and takes all hook sizes. Very reliable and well made.
Thanks much appreciated!
Can't argue with the regent, for the money you can't beat it. I'd avoid the ones around a tenner you'll soon get annoyed with them!
another vote for the basic lever vice,still have one and use it now and again..
Another vote for the Regent, you will spend many years before you get tired of a vice like this.
If you are smart enough to need better, you will know, frankly I'd bet against in the short term (3-5 years).
Spot on, in 3-5 years you'll be wanting a rotary, to save me the trouble later at that point I'd recommend an anvil atlas :lol:
Another small point Colin. The original Veniards Regent Lever Action costs about £35 and the Stillwater "copy" version is about £24. The copy is maybe cheaper because the quality and hardness of the steel used for the two pronged jaws could be a bit softer. If it is a bit softer it will be a bit more prone to wear and rounding of egdes. Have a word with the staff in the GAC and see what they say. It may be there is nowt to choose on quality.
Definitely agree, a simple lever vice is as good a place to start and as already said can be picked up at a reasonable price, I still use one after over 30 years of tying.
As you are considering starting tying one other bit of advice i would put forward is to consider getting a Ceramic Bobbin holder. It will only put you back a few extra quid and is well worth it.
The tip of the Bobbin holder is where most of the pressure is placed on the tying thread, when you start tying you will have loads of snapping of thread, all starters do.
The ceramic versions are far more forgiving to the usual issues starters have of being heavy handed, learning how much pressure to apply without breaking yet holding everything together is the first real hurdle.
Happy tying if you take it up, you wont look back.
Many thanks for this and all of the helpful advice...as always.
Just to throw an alternative into the mix, you may what to look at the Snowbee Flymate vice. Very good quality, also true rotary and not hugely more expensive than the previously recommended regent lever vice.
Having said this,I started my tying via a starter kit from GAC, the AA vice was a little frustrating to use but was enough for me to get a handle on the basics and confirm that it was a hobby I wanted to continue.
Do not touch the Snowbee Flymate Clamp Vice which has a black plastic sleeve ball joint on the stem just below the head. A friend bought one and the head was missaligned and the stem joint has two plastic fsces which constantly move slack. Bad bad design.
rotatable regent. can't knock it. deals with super-massive #8/0 through to #16s
Many thanks to all for tips and advice