Product review: Regal vise
Got a Regal vise yesterday and have been sitting here watching football and tying flies all afternoon.
The primary reason I got the vise is because mounting the hook in the vise is so simple, even when switching hook sizes. 8)
Tied a bunch of flies in sizes ranging from 6-16 and every hook got locked in really well, no slipping in the jaws at all. I'm really happy with this vise, it holds hooks SO much better than my old vise, even holds the 6's so good they'll bend before slipping (without using the notch) :D
I got the midge jaws for tying really small stuff but dont think I'll use them much. When tying with the 16's, I felt I could go a lot smaller without switching, and I dont tie much below 20's anyway.
I could go on forever, but I wont bore you to death. Suffice to say, this vise lives up to the hype; meeting all expectations, a rare event for sure.
Re: Product review: Regal vise
That's wonderful. What were you tying with before? You already know the minor things to look out for with the Regal. The jaws are so strong, you can sometimes flatten the wire on small hooks (used to be more of a problem when I used Mustad), occasionally a hook will fly out of the jaws (ping!), especially a tiny hook with not a lot of area in contact with the jaws. I hope the Regal gives you many decades of happy fly-tying, you have made a wise investment.
Re: Product review: Regal vise
[quote author=alanb_ct link=topic=1220.msg7830#msg7830 date=1200914191]
That's wonderful. What were you tying with before? You already know the minor things to look out for with the Regal. The jaws are so strong, you can sometimes flatten the wire on small hooks (used to be more of a problem when I used Mustad), occasionally a hook will fly out of the jaws (ping!), especially a tiny hook with not a lot of area in contact with the jaws. I hope the Regal gives you many decades of happy fly-tying, you have made a wise investment.
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I had a Traveler before this and liked it enough for sure, but was never really thrilled with the hook holding ability, and the mechanism of clamping the jaws. I hear that the new cam-locking jaws are easier to deal with , but you still have to adjust the front screw to each hook size, so rather than get the new jaws, I decided to go with the Regal.
As with anything, there are tradeoffs, and I'll gladly deal with the "ping" feature. If I ensure that the hook is deep enough into the jaws, I don't have to worry about that. When I do eventually decide to tie flies that are smaller than a 20, I usually do them in bulk just to get it over with, so I wont mind using the midge jaws, or even using the Traveler for them.
I am truly amazed at how well this thing holds the bigger hooks. Can really crank down on my egg flies now ;D
Re: Product review: Regal vise
Did you get the standard jaws or the stainless?
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Eddie, the cam version of the Traveller is a huge improvement, no problem with hook holding ability whatsoever. It takes literally about 2 seconds to change the jaw adjustment for different hook sizes.
Re: Product review: Regal vise
[quote author=Nymphmeister link=topic=1220.msg7878#msg7878 date=1200976633]
Eddie, the cam version of the Traveller is a huge improvement, no problem with hook holding ability whatsoever. It takes literally about 2 seconds to change the jaw adjustment for different hook sizes.
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I used the Traveler for a long time and was mostly happy with it, the true rotary feature is very nice, but I found that I used it very little. I have replaced the rear set screws twice, and am not satisfied with the way the vise holds larger hooks. I decided to give the Regal a shot because I know lots of guys who tie a lot and have one, and they are all happy with the quality of the product and the way Regal backs their product.
As much as people belittle Orvis and LL Bean, they really do a great job backing their products, I imagine Renzetti could learn a lesson from them and swap all the jaws with the inadequate locking mechanism.
Rego, I went with the standard jaws, because I dont tie a ton of really small flies (and it was available immediately at the show), but I have the midge jaws just in case.
Re: Product review: Regal vise
In addition to my Renzetti, I also own a Regal, had it for 20+ years. It holds well, but the jaw chipped on me. As advised by others, small hooks can shoot out of the vise- I think that may be how my jaw got chipped on it.
Re: Product review: Regal vise
Regal introduced stainless steel jaws in 07 (I think) to overcome the chipping problem caused by the PING!
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...equestid=20011
Has anyone tried the revolution? Doesn't quite have the clean lines of teh other regals but offers full rotary. From pictures it looks like the rotary feature is similar to the nor-vise, but without the inline jaws, though the regal jaws look like they're closer to inline than most.
Re: Product review: Regal vise
I have used my Regal (hardened steel, not stainless) for over a decade. Lots of pings, but no chips so far.
A little known fact about the Regals is that they are easy to change from right (the default) to left-handed tying. I am a lefty, but I successfully used the Regal with the head upside down for many years, until I saw an obscure Internet post somewhere. It took less than a minute to switch it over with an Allen wrench. The Regal is really a high-quality instrument.
Re: Product review: Regal vise
I have a Traveller also, but the cam version and as Torrey said, the jaw assembly works great. I holds hooks well enough to break them if you pull too tight!
Re: Product review: Regal vise
Regals really do a great job with most applications. The exception being the small hooks. I was a commercial tyer throughout college and put about 20,000 flies on the regal INEX. I used it up to about 10 yrs ago when I got a DynaKing Barracuda. I have to say for most applications the Regal in whatever form you buy it in is a top vice. I too had the occaisional small hook slip out and the jaws did chip. I got them replaced for a small fee.
I am sorry to say I sold it to a buddy for short $. I love the barracuda but Im not totally thrilled with having to readjust the collet to get the proper tension. I tye salt and freshwater flys at any given session so I may change up from a 3/0 to a 22 from one fly to the next. Never had to think about it with the regal. Im contemplating getting a new one. Question is are the stainless jaws more likely or less likely to break if the small hook occaisionally goes ping?? As a former commercial tyer and current "experimentalist" in fly tying ...I would get the regal right off the bat and never look back
Re: Product review: Regal vise
They're supposed to be less likely to break... the new rotary regal looks cool.
Re: Product review: Regal vise
I had a chance to use the "new" Regal Rotary vise----I personally found it to be a clumsy vise to use and I still don't like the jaws for smaller flies. I feel the very positive clamping action is great but the handle interferes with my methods of tying and makes for an interesting piece of artillery with my 18-20's. This of course negates the vises use because I have a very precious cat who will undoubtedly snuff up smaller hooks. I recently switched from a Dyna-King Supreme to the Barracuda, after 30 years with the Supreme." Too soon ve grow old und too late schmardt...." 8)
Re: Product review: Regal vise
I love my Regal Vise. I have the Revolution with the Midge Jaws and I find the vise very easy to use and it holds hooks very solidly. I have had zero issues with hooks slipping, even when applying heavy tension with my tying thread.
Re: Product review: Regal vise
I agree with you Doc.
I love my Renzetti, 3000, all be it l have the afore mentioned Dyna kings and Regal, which certainly has some uses for Saltwater and larger flies.
DW
Re: Product review: Regal vise
Re: Product review: Regal vise
