Monday, January 17, 2011

Have Vice will Travel Kit…..


Another equipment review is like another vice, ALWAYS in order…..

This is one of the quality affordable vices available through fisheadsfliesnlore.com

First of all I would like to say I have dressed flies on fly tying vices from every manufacturer there is and some that don’t exist anymore, not the vices, the manufacturers..(Well except for the “J vice”, that guy wouldn’t even return my call, email, Face book…I think it’s because I drive a Chevy)

Any way because I have tyed flies on so many vices I can honestly say that it is more than the vice itself that makes a certain vice “The Best Vice Ever”. Some of the things that might add to the equation are: craftsmanship, special materials, design, service, attachments, afford-ability and for some it may be as simple as color or convenience. I have found that the vice I find to be perfect for me changes with the flies and materials I am working with. An example might be midges -vs- Barracuda flies, can you picture some basic differences needed in the jaws alone ???

reverse side of the vice

This Article however is in referance to the many requests we have here at fisheadsfliesnlore.com for affordable quality kits. These kits specifically, come from a good friend and fly fisherman Rg Saga. You don’t have to purchase them from us you can go straight to da man….http://www.rgsaga.com/index.asp however you won’t get the kits that say fisheadsfliesnlore.com on the side, nor will you get the totally cool awesome tool package, nor will you get the ice cream and cookies we hide in the kits…but go ahead do what ya want ya will anyway…

delicate ribbing and strong wire accompanied by lead spools all come in this fine kit..

I think the first thing that comes to mind when I think of fly tying kits is the first kit I ever received. Herters was the supplier, a vice with butterfly nut adjustment, one bobbin, an old style whip finisher (that was really good for shooing rubber bands at my sister the troll) some completely useless duck feather tips dyed so thick they bled everywhere, several 6″ lengths of wire, tinsel rib, and chenille. Oh yes lets not forget the really incredibly hard dense piece of dubbing wax that came along with the kit…cut from wax rock I believe,,, couldn’t melt it with a torch..I got that kit when I was 11 yrs old and I tyed the heck out of allot of ugly flies…And now, as I look back, I wish I could have had “this” kit !!…I would have been a wealthy boy for sure !

Of course I am not complaining about the great times and memories I had as a child and later I would have killed for a kit like this when I was in Korea as military guy..hours of hurry up and wait would have been far more tolerable with a sweet portable stash-able tying kit along for company…better than BEER …especially since there wasn’t any Coors Light … The components of these kits is that which makes the father buying it for his son want to keep it and tell the kid he can have some nice flies for his B-day or Christmas. OK NOW, hold on,,, I didn’t say girls couldn’t ty..have a look at Judy Lehmberg or Lois Kilburn..they are girls…and they ty beautifully. I was making reference to boys because no father would ever steel a tying kit or anything else from his daughter….everyone knows its OK to steal from yer sons.

Quality is another fine factor that I would like to discuss for those gifting a tying kit to their loved ones….here’s a tip, When the dye on the feathers wipes off on your fingers,,don’t buy them. Also, when the salesman tells you his name and it doesn’t match the name on the badge on his chest..don’t trust him. Perhaps you could remember there is also a basic necesity to ty flies called a HOOK or a TUBE, one of which requires another vice entirely or at the very least a tube adapter…

There is that feeling of warmth that the giver receives when passing along a tying kit to a younger member of the tribe. As well, there is the feeling of warmth the receiver receives when receiving that which is being received from the giver…LETS NOT forget the feeling of warmth the jealous bystanders receive as they pee their pants with envy…

The steel used in these tools is of high quality hardened material. The vice is carefully lubed and adjusted. The tools fit perfectly in the loops designed to hold them and the materials are held neatly in mesh pockets. There is room for personal touches, like preferred hooks and a small fly box or small camera and a tooth brush or two fake passports and a computer chip…whatever…

Bottom line here folks is there is a bottom line a person should not go below when searching for a fly tying kit…this kit is well above that bottom line. I recommend this kit for every level of fly tyer no matter what the skill level. This really is the perfect size for anything from the car to the backpack, the briefcase to the TV tray…the airplane to the car while driving…I promise this is good stuff Maynard..You will not find a better deal on this planet..