"Larry Medina" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
. com...
Mike Connor wrote:

SNIP
Interesting comments... this is the thing I liked least about the
Danica, along with the lack of any place to really comfortably "rest"
the left hand while tying.

I did modify the vice slightly, instead of using the thumbscrews that came
with it, I changed these for ordinary round headed screws. This allows me to
rest my left hand on the vice without fouling the screw. The distance from
the vice barrel to the jaws suits me very well indeed ( I have relatively
small hands), and this was not the case on the Renzettis. I can pinch loop
on any size hook, with the ball of my left hand resting on the vice barrel
for instance. I just could not do that on the Renzetti. A major problem,
which among one or two other things, eventually caused me to get rid of, or
retire the vices.

From a machining, functional, and optical standpoint, the Renzettis were (
are!) very good indeed, but they just did not suit me.

For this reason (and it's hook holding ability) I've stayed a long time
with my Regal 360... Like Mike, I tied on Thompson's forever, still have
two of them actually, but once I tried the Regal, I was sold.

I have tied on a Regal "clone", but it was a poor quality Indian rip-off
thing, and so I could not really give an opinion on Regal. Some people like
them, and some apparently hate them! The one I used had very poor jaws, and
was otherwise not very good. I assume the original is a great deal better.

I have purchased a rotary recently, since my eyesight has cleared a bit
and allowed me to get back into tying after a diabetes induced hiatus...
and after years of agonizing over them, I settled on a newer entrant
into the field... the DynaKing Barracuda Trekker Jr. I got mine for
$159 and and VERY pleased with it's usability and functionality. It's
comfortable to tie on, plenty of room around the back of the jaws, holds
a hook as well as my Regal and there's a nice place to rest my "off
hand" while tying. The pedestal model comes with a 5 pound base, so it
doesn't dance around when you're tying, torquing down thread or spinning
hair.

I have a couple of Dyna King vices, and am also pleased with them, but I
mainly use them for tying large stuff. One thing I would not like to miss
is the Dyna King vice extender. This is a fabulous addition, and I also use
it with my other vices. Without this accessory, I tie a lot more slowly! As
I recently discovered when obliged to use a pedestal vice. I like plenty of
room all around the vice, and I also prefer a clamped vice, as I tend to
exert a lot of pressure on thread etc, and this will tip most pedestals, or
cause them to "wobble" etc.

BUT... I still go back to my Regal when I don't need the rotary features
of the DynaKing.

Vices are very personal matters really, and one man´s meat may well be
another man´s poison. I know a fairly large number of top dressers swear
by
the LAW vice, but I did not like it much. It is also very expensive of
course.

It's a SWEET vise, and a beautiful piece of workmanship. If money
wasn't an object, I'd probably go out and buy one... but it is. The LAW
is equivalent to 2-one week fishing trips for me, one of them guided =)
A little tough to reconcile when I've got *2* kids to put through college

Larry

Yeah well, I would not say that money is no object, but for quite a long
time now I have spent whatever was necessary on tools, tackle etc. I don´t
spend money on much of anything else, except maybe books, and I have no
children or other dependants, so I can basically afford whatever I want,
within reasonable limits. I still want value for my money though, and the
things have to be useful to me. Unfortunately, some things only become
obvious in use. Had I tried the Renzettis more extensively before buying
them, I would not have bought them, even though everybody I knew was
enthusiastic about them. Obviously the enthusiasm swayed me somewhat as
well.

Having said all that, I could quite easily use my old Thompson clone for all
my tying, and it would not bother me over much really, but I do like one or
two techniques which the rotary vice makes possible, and also a couple of
the "bells and whistles"are nice to have. The sight board on the Dyna King
is great for instance, and there are a few other things.

Oh well, enough rambling.

Very glad to hear that your eyesight has once again improved.

TL
MC