I'm in the market for a good mid-priced vice for jig tying. Anyone have any suggestions? I just tie crappie jigs. Would it be best to hold out and get a Peak? Was looking at some $50-60 Thompon's and a couple different Griffins. I just have a $15 one that came in my starter kit from Crazy Angler. Or, if anyone has a good used one, but with the price of shipping, it hardly makes it worth it to buy used. I can buy one at Bass Pro, Cabela's or Barlow's with no shipping. What about the Grifin 2A, or Terra Rotary Vise, or Terra Silverado, or Terra Rotary Spring action, or Thompson A or Pro? Anything good about any of these?
Good Mid Priced Vise?
- Thread starter SlabHappy
- Start date
LedHed
Sponsor
Stick with American made vises. I'm partial to Regal vises but they are more expensive. I am really enjoying the new stainless steel version. There is nothing wrong Thompson vises - been in the business for a long time. Even an older Herter's vise would work well.
I think there is way too much emphasis on in line rotary vises - especially for jig tying. A 360 is sufficient but not necessary - nice to see what your jig looks like on the blind side.
I think there is way too much emphasis on in line rotary vises - especially for jig tying. A 360 is sufficient but not necessary - nice to see what your jig looks like on the blind side.
By what i am reading, you learned (and got hooked) on an entry level vise and want something nicer....... if it were me .......would hold out and save till you can afford something in the $100-$125 range. I started out on a non-rotating $5 garage sale vise - upgraded to a semi rotating - upgraded again to a full rotary Griffin Odyssey Cam vise. If (when) i upgrade again, it would most likely be to the Griffin Montana Mongoose Cam.
Agreed that the 360 rotation is not absolutely necessary, but after tying on a rotary would not want to go back. I use the rotary to wrap chenille and hackle. Is nice to watch where it lays down as you wrap. Also use it a lot for applying nail polish to thread body jigs, just get the polish on the brush and hold it against the body while you rotate. Makes it easy to get an even coat all the way around. You might not need to ever 'flip' over your jig in the vise for straight up chenille body and tail crappie jigs, but if you ever want to tie on wing sections up near the head (or anything else on specific sides of the jig for that matter) it makes everything a whole lot easier to do.
Agreed that the 360 rotation is not absolutely necessary, but after tying on a rotary would not want to go back. I use the rotary to wrap chenille and hackle. Is nice to watch where it lays down as you wrap. Also use it a lot for applying nail polish to thread body jigs, just get the polish on the brush and hold it against the body while you rotate. Makes it easy to get an even coat all the way around. You might not need to ever 'flip' over your jig in the vise for straight up chenille body and tail crappie jigs, but if you ever want to tie on wing sections up near the head (or anything else on specific sides of the jig for that matter) it makes everything a whole lot easier to do.
Pepop
Active member
IMHO, hold out for a Peak!, without a doubt the best upgrade I've made! It makes jig tying much faster (not that speed is that important) and I think it has helped me improve my technique. Just sayin, Peak in Th' Bomb!!
CrappieHappy
Moderator
Yep, they do, i love my PEAK.... some good deals can be had on the bay at times....
smalljaw
New member
I have a Griffin Odyssey spider vise, I got it at Cabelas for $85 bucks, it is American made, is mostly metal and has a lifetime warranty, and now for $115 they offer the Odyssey spider cam vise, the same as what I have but with cam operated jaws instead of the thumb screw. For the jigs I tie it is really a nice vise, there are better vises but any of the American made vises are going to be good, the Griffin will give you high performance with a lifetime warranty at a low price while some of the more expensive models have more features but being a jig tyer I don't need a lot, I really think I could tie flies on this vise but for now I do jigs and it works on 1/32oz jigs with #6 hooks as well as 1/2oz bass jigs with 4/0 hooks. Good luck on your decision.
I have a Griffin 2A and love it. I even bought a Peak and took it back...didn't like the feel of it (where my hands were when tying). I'm probably in the minority here...it was a great vise, really well made, but I just wasn't comfortable with it. Went back to my 2A and am happy. The rotary of the Peak was nice though.
LedHed
Sponsor
I like the Regal, for holding power, and I can rest my holding hand on the vise while tying. I also use marks on the jaws as a gauge to measure tailing material.
Another selling point is zero adjust between hook size changes. Most of my tyes are 6s & 8s but go down 10s &12s - and all that is needed is to open and close the jaw.
The important thing about selecting a vise is that you are comfortable with it. Tye on as many vises that you can before you make your decision.
Another selling point is zero adjust between hook size changes. Most of my tyes are 6s & 8s but go down 10s &12s - and all that is needed is to open and close the jaw.
The important thing about selecting a vise is that you are comfortable with it. Tye on as many vises that you can before you make your decision.
quivira kid
New member
I started on a Danvise and now have a Peak. Still use both, but definitely prefer the Peak.
CrappieHappy said:
Well, I got me a Peak. Found one on ebay. Paid $132 for it with pedestal. I think there is another one now on there going for $102.50 with like $21.50 or so shipping from Sierra Fly Shop. I bought mine, buy it now for $110 something, but someone has already bid on the one on there now. Figured it saved me about $30 with taxes.