Vises, like fly rods, are one of those things that a fly tier takes great pride in. Your vise is your vise, there are many out there like...
Vises, like fly rods, are one of those things that a fly tier takes great pride in. Your vise is your vise, there are many out there like it but this one is yours. It may be old, it may be cheap, it may be the nicest vise on the market, no matter what it is still your vise. The object that holds your hook in which all your creations are built upon. There is no doubt that catching a fish on a fly you tied yourself gives one a great sense of accomplishment, and it all starts from behind the vise. There are many companies out there that make vises, but Griffin Enterprises seem to get this point and understand the importance of making a quality vise. All Griffin Vises are made in the USA and they take great pride in their work. Big Y recently became a Griffin Enterprise Dealer, after years of tying our own flies on these vises we decided it was time to start selling them too. Like all new things at Big Y we tend to start small and build from there. So our initial order with Griffin contained 3 vises that both the guys at Griffin and us at Big Y agree truly show of the Griffin brand in the finest capacity. The three vises are the Odyssey Spider, Blackfoot Mongoose, and Montana Mongoose. Each of these vises are unique in their own way and here we will take a closer look at all three.
The Odyssey Spider Vise is what we would consider an entry level vise, but unlike many other entry level products, this vise will keep you busy for years to come. Sure it doesn’t come with all the fancy components of a higher end vise, but it has enough to it to keep the majority of tiers satisfied. The jaws on this vise are capable of handling hooks from a size 28 all the way to a 4/0, meaning you can put pretty much any hook imaginable in its jaws and it will hold it securely. The jaws are screw in operated, meaning a screw controls the degree of force used to hold the hook in place, the more you can tighten this screw the better the hook will hold. This is a rotary vise, meaning you can turn your fly a full 360 degrees. Additionally, it comes with a Bobbin Cradle making wrapping chenille, ribbing, hackle, etc a much quicker and uniformed process. It comes with a C-Clamp which makes it prefect for setting it up on the edge of your tying table. All for only $89.95, making a great option for someone just starting out, or someone looking for a secondary vise.
The Blackfoot Mongoose contains all the features of the Odyssey Spider, but the features are greatly upgraded and has a few additional features making it a great vise for those not wanting to look back and say I wish this vise had that. Like the Odyssey, this vise is screw operated. It also is a rotary vise, however, it is a much smoother rotary. This is due to a full adjustable screw that allows the tiers to loosen or tighten rotation based on their personal preference. Adjusting the height of the jaws is also much easier, with just a turn of the screw one has a full half inch of mobility without having to take the jaws off and reattach them. The Bobbin cradle is also fully adjustable meaning it can be easily moved up, down, left, right, in, and out (Odyssey Vises can be moved up and down along with right and left). The cradle itself is also of much higher quality which should make it easier to manage your bobbin. The final upgrade in this vise (and properly our favorite) is the material clip. If you tie large streamer, intruders, or tandem flies this is a greatly appreciate feature. Instead of struggling to keep materials out of the way, simply slip them into the material clip to keep them held snug in place until you are ready to use them. This vise comes in a plastic case which is great for those who take their vise with them. It will keep it secure and protected during your travels. This vise is currently available at $144.95 making it a great option for someone who is serious about their tying.
The Montana Mongoose vise is the only one we currently carry that is Cam-Operated. Cam vises allow the tier to use a lever to do the final tightening on the hook, instead of a secondary screw. This allows for much easier and faster tightening of hooks. When are sitting down at the bench tying up a bunch of flies this can be a real time saver. Out of all three vises the Montana Mongoose has the strongest jaws of the three. Another nice feature of this vise is it comes both a C-Clamp and a Pedestal (which allows you to tie without attaching the vise to the side of a table). All other features on the Montana Mongoose are fairly similar to the Blackfoot, material clip, full rotary, fully adjustable bobbin cradle, etc. The last final thing that sets this vise apart are the add-ons. It comes in a carrying case that is of much nicer quality that contains a handle, and Griffin throws in a free bobbin and hook/hackle gauge. All in all, this vise contains everything a tier could possible imagine to make tying flies as pleasurable and simple as a vise can. This vises sells for $232.95 (unless your luckily enough to catch it during one of our many awesome sales).
