Fly tying equipment list

[Don Andersen]

Folks,

Every now and then someone posts the comment/question. I want to get into fly tying and what do I need and what does it cost. Now we all have our preferences in tooling however I expect that we might come up with some reasonable suggestions.
I frankly don't think it is possible to do decent work with inferior tools so let's forget the $20 vise stuff. I would expect that a decent set of tools should cost about $200 with a vise about $150 of that amount.

So what would your vise, scissor, whip finisher be and who has them and what do they cost?

Vise - Peak Rotary from Peak fly tying @ $150.00
Scissors - Dr. Slick all purpose <> $20.00
Whip finisher - Mataralli <> $15.00

Regards,

Don

[Dak1138]

I believe I own all three of those. But the vise costs closer to $180.

[Taco]

Christ Don I'm still tyin' with a 25 yr old Thompson Model A Vise

[Don Andersen]

If Thompson was still in existence, it would have been my first choice. Mine now resides with a Kelowna school fly tying group.

Don

[jeprli]

I use Atlas rotary, unhinged scissors/cutters, and fingers for half hitch knots. Works for me and just a little less than 200. I didn't want a rotary but for some reason ended buying it. My flies range from 18 to 6/0. Small jaw but it holds hooks tight.

[pikergolf]

I've replaced the bearing washer and pivot pin twice on my Thompson A vice. The next time something goes I get the Peak rotary.

[badger]

Learn to whip finish by hand. The tool is no longer necessary.

[Lornce]

Everyone ties a bit differently, I like a whip finisher, its a lot faster, more accurate and tighter than I can do by hand. I always use it on commercial ties for a cleaner look.

[tallieho]

I still use my fingers to whip finish.My 1st vise was a Thompson A.I own a Nor-Vise.When i go to tie flies,it still amazes me,i grab the Thompson A .I find it takes alot of practice to really get the full benefit of the Nor-Vise functions.Scissors,whatever is sharp.rasor blade,nail clippers[for wire]

[kinwahkly]

Renzetti vise, whip finisher, Norvise auto bobbins plus way to much other stuff .

[jeprli]

Good whip finisher is nice to have when tying smaller flies, but anything from size 10 and bigger I'll tie off by hand. Simply because it's faster for me, not as neat as with whip finish tool but it works just fine, glue holds it together anyway.

[Weedy1]

Originally Posted by badger

Learn to whip finish by hand. The tool is no longer necessary.

And the chicks love it.

[greylynx]

The Petitjean line of tools just blows me away.

The hair stacker is really cool.

http://www.mwflytying.com/tools/petitjean.html

[Lornce]

Originally Posted by greylynx

The Petitjean line of tools just blows me away.
The hair stacker is really cool.
http://www.mwflytying.com/tools/petitjean.html

Bit too complicated for me, I just use a 12 gauge shell. Love his whip finisher and a few other tools though.

[Chief16]

I don't believe you need very expensive whip finisher, as long as it isn't those improved ones, I still cannot get the hang of those

[ryeguy]

Renzetti vice, I also bought an improved whip finisher but can't figure it out so still use my basic one much easier for me

[damaltor]

Renzetti traveller vise (love it), thompson style whip finisher, works really well for me.

[Lornce]

Ive been lucky enough to either own or tie on most vice major brands out there at various Fly fishing show demo's. Lots of excellent brands out there. I tied on Thompson vices for years along Universals also a solid vice through the 60's and 70's.

I also currently own the Renzetti Traveller, and Nor-Vice both excellent and fun to use. No reason you can't own more than one vice. And like Don said, using better equipment makes a difference. But just like any other sport practice makes perfect and a tool is useless without it. It is the tier that does the work not the vice but good equipment helps. Both my Dad and Grampa tied "in-hand" and that's how I learned.

Over the last 6 years my favorite most used set up by far is:
Law Vice
Dr Slick scissors
Petitjean Whip Finisher
Nor-Vice auto Bobbins (6)

[dwiterodtka]

1/2 doz Len Thompsons and Panther Martins at Walmart, oh, and some snelled eagle claw bait holders

[Lornce]

Originally Posted by dwiterodtka

1/2 doz Len Thompsons and Panther Martins at Walmart, oh, and some snelled eagle claw bait holders

Sad, very sad. on topic please.

[32-40win]

By the way, Thompson is still around;

http://www.dhthompson.com/vises.php

And that type of vise comes in stuff like the Wapsi kits and Orvis kits and a few others.
For someone starting out, there are plenty of different options if they know where to look or are willing to put in the time researching on where to look and what can be had.
Seems there are about as many vises around, as there are reels and rods.
Rotaries are definitely nicer to use, but the old Thompson is adequate to start with for someone who doesn't really know if they will stick with it or not.
Biggest investment will be hooks and materials and books.
And one thing to note for a newbie---Materials are designed to attract customers, especially the artistically inclined ones.
Maybe the one recommendation I'd make is getting something like Kaufmann's nymph tying book to start with. Once you get thru learning to tie the styles in that, you can tie most flies fairly easily.
And of course there are thousands of You Tube vids on tying, but, it is perhaps better to use a book to start with, to learn the tying styles in progression. There are really only maybe a dozen basics, the rest are add-ons, variations in materials and etc.

[greylynx]

Originally Posted by Lornce

Ive been lucky enough to either own or tie on most vice major brands out there at various Fly fishing show demo's. Lots of excellent brands out there. I tied on Thompson vices for years along Universals also a solid vice through the 60's and 70's.

I also currently own the Renzetti Traveller, and Nor-Vice both excellent and fun to use. No reason you can't own more than one vice. And like Don said, using better equipment makes a difference. But just like any other sport practice makes perfect and a tool is useless without it. It is the tier that does the work not the vice but good equipment helps. Both my Dad and Grampa tied "in-hand" and that's how I learned.

Over the last 6 years my favorite most used set up by far is:
Law Vice
Dr Slick scissors
Petitjean Whip Finisher
Nor-Vice auto Bobbins (6)

Lornce:

Is your old Universal a rotary vise? I have one from the 70's too.

Back then people did not even know what a rotary vise was.

[Lornce]

Originally Posted by greylynx

Lornce:

Is your old Universal a rotary vise? I have one from the 70's too.

Back then people did not even know what a rotary vise was.

Yes it is a rotary, still have it and bring it out every now and again. I agree about it being unusual back then, certainly one of the first of it's kind. Bought mine in the early 60's, tied a massive volume with that one and it has been a solid one.

[dwiterodtka]

Originally Posted by Lornce

Sad, very sad. on topic please.

My humble apologies sir: was only trying to be helpful so you could save some money and catch a fish

[Lornce]

Originally Posted by dwiterodtka

My humble apologies sir: was only trying to be helpful so you could save some money and catch a fish

Thanks, very nice of you to post. There are times when the fish are only one small part of the sport.

[dwiterodtka]

Pretty serious bunch - flyfishermen

[Lornce]

Yep you don't want to come between a an and his "Vice".

[Dak1138]

Another one bites the dust.

[kinwahkly]

was wondering if any fly tyres on the forum own more than one vise?

[Don Andersen]

kinwahkly,

I did have 4 hanging around here but gave two away leaving me with a HMH and Dyna King Barracuda. Both are equipped with multiple jaws. The HMH I used while tying commercially. The Barracuda has only been here for about 6 years.

Don