HMH spartan vise

**fisherjon15** · 02-06-2011, 01:38 AM

I was looking at this vise i read some good things on here in replies to other questions but i want to know more i was thinking about purchasing one any info at all would be cool i tie alot and it seems by reading reviews on here and other places it seems like it works good and reliable and it will last a long time

**Walshmiko** · 02-06-2011, 10:14 AM

I have one, it lasted near twenty years.. Would I buy another, nope. I think theres better vises out there in that price range

**fisherjon15** · 02-06-2011, 04:54 PM

oh any suggestions? i was looking at trying to keep at least under 200 i could go a little over but yah

**SherpaB** · 02-06-2011, 08:18 PM

The spartan is a very good vise. I have one that I inherited from my dad. I use it pretty much exclusively to tie midges. The reason being is that they have hands down the best midge jaw in the business. It has the functionality and quality to tie pretty much everything however. I think it has the smoothest closing cam system in the business so you really cant go wrong with it. I use my new regal Stainless for almost everything else just because it is easy, no adjustments etc. I have owned dyna kings too. They are great but not as good for the small stuff I have been tying lately the jaws just arent fine enough for my taste but if you are tying mostly normal sizes..(10-18) its great. I have seen the latest and greatest from Renzetti and they are ok..but you pay a lot for what you get on the Traveler series vises...although they are perfectly good vises with a great track record.
I would say in the sub $200 range...the HMH Spartan or the Regal Stainless steel head($213 for the c-clamp version) would be my choices for trout tying...if I had to tie a good amount of saltwater stuff too...I would opt for some sort of Dyna king. There are some interesting offerings under $200 most notably the Peak Vise...I have seen it and it looks decent but dont know much else. I would advise you to get a C-clamp too. There isnt much room for the bobbin to hang on the pedestal vices.

**fisherjon15** · 02-07-2011, 12:12 AM

Oh yah i mostly tie in between 8-18 size flies even though i do occasionally tie streamers size like 2-4 but not to much yah i saw the peak vises to they look decent i havent seen or looked for any reviews though so i dont know and then i did look at dyna king and i have heard good things about them on here and everywhere else i think the cheapest one was like 190$ i think i saw or a little over 200$ i cant remember what its name was but yah thanks again

**DrBob** · 02-07-2011, 01:23 PM

I have a Spartan. It is 20+ yrs old. I broke the original jaws and can't get new ones as mine was made by another company with another configuration. I do however have the midge haws for it which are absolutely great for the small stuff. As long as you are not going to do a lot of saltwater flies, you cannot go wrong. But wait! I think if you check the HMH site they sell a different set of jaws for larger hooks? If so, then by all means go with it. It always held a hook real well from my experience.

**Walshmiko** · 02-07-2011, 05:05 PM

Dr Bob Api.. See I knew mine was at least 20..The vise is alright< I just think theres better choices to be made than the spartan. Ill tell you this much, Weaving is near impossible on the thing