Best Fly Tying Vice 2025?

[Mike Barrio]

Fly tying is clearly an enjoyable part of our fishing 

What vice are you using?

What do you like most about it?

Does a new fly tying vice fire you up with enthusiasm, or do you prefer one that has seen a few flies and served you well over the years?


My Jan Tvrdek vice has seen about 10 years use, this is my go-to vice. So smooth and practical, I fell in love with this vice from day one!




My Snowbee Fly-Mate vice (somewhat customised) has seen 30+ years. A bit tired & cranky after so many Haddo hut hours, but I can't bring myself to skip it.

[Kav Ring]

I have only been tying a few years and have a second hand dyna-king with a c-clamp but I would like to try a pedestal base as think it might work better where I tie.

[Mike Barrio]

That's a good point/question Kav ...... 


What are everybody's preferences.....

Do you prefer a clamp style vice, or a pedestal one?

[Bryan McDonald]

Renzzeti traveler  bought at Orvis in Banchory many years ago,

[Peter McCallum]

My life in vices, (flytying ones of course) 

I started tying probably 55 years ago with a vice where the jaws were closed by a large wing nut, not the best grip but it was all there was. The picture shows an example of the style though this one is much more elegant than mine 



I graduated to an Indian screw collet type chuck, then an Indian AA type cam operated one.

The grip on these wasn't great so I manage to buy a 2nd hand veniard salmo vice which I tied on for many years. I had started to demonstrate at various places and found the majority of tables were useless for my vice C clamp so I made a wooden base for the salmo and I've not returned to C clamps, in fact I do not own a C clamp now.



Next vice was a Snowbee Flymate like Mike, though his is the fixed head, which I would say is the one to go for. Mine had the base and was very steady. As it's a rotary head it helps when tying flies, not necessarily for tying ribs etc but being able to rotate the head to check the fly from all angles.

I have recommended this vice to a number of people looking for a low cost well made vice. If not for a piece of good luck I may still be using that vice.



However, some 20 years ago, I managed to buy a LAW vice from Lawrence Waldron at what was a (compared to now) reasonable price for such a well engineered piece of equipment. This is still my main vice which sits permanently on my fly tying desk. It handles every type of hook effortlessly and is adjustable in all directions, an incredible piece of engineering whose precision fit and finish is, IMHO, unparalleled.



I used this at many shows however 7 or 8 years ago someone at the BFFI walked in behind Barrie Ord Clarke, while he was demonstrating and stole one of his tying bags. Given the ease and audacity of these thieves I decided taking the LAW to shows was too risky and I also bought a Renzetti Traveller from Orvis Banchory for use at shows.

The traveller is a cracking little vice which will hold size 30 to 6/0 equally well. Its a light vice which helps with carrying back and forth and I can thoroughly recommend it.



There are an awful lot of good vices out there but I've not used many for any length of time so can't comment on them. Most appear to be good but there are some overpriced pieces of kit out there. Like rods if you can try a few vices before you buy it will help with your choice.

[Mike Barrio]

@Peter McCallum : Nice one Peter, that's a great post  

My Snowbee Fly-Mate vice was a C clamp version, it didn't fit the Haddo hut worktop, but by coincidence I knocked over and broke a bedside table lamp, the lamp base seemed pretty much ideal for a vice to me so the two were merged/customised to suit 

I started out on a very basic screw type vice similar to the one below. It served me well for many years and I can remember giving it to Chris when he took an interest in the flies that I was tying in the hut .... he became a keen fly tyer!

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

My vice history is surprisingly similar to Peter's. I started my tying on an AA cam type vice which was part of a Veniards kit. Then progressed onto the Snowbee Flymate, I too have recommended this video to a number of people.

Then 20 some years ago I naught a Law vice direct from Lawrence Waldron.

Not wanting to take the Law out of the house anymore I bought an Atlas vice but did not get on with it. I then bought a Cottarelli vice which is another excellent bit of kit.

[James Laraway]

So for quite a few years i have used the vision 2-in-1 vice. It allowed you to swap very quickly from jaws to the tube needle and rotates horizontally



I also have a Grays of Kilsyth tube fly vice



This vice has a 'gripper' very similar to a drill and holds all metal tubes amazingly - there is an extra small bit for needle tubes and a larger one of copper tubes etc...

[Ben O'Neill]

I've been tying since last summer but absolutely love it... I had a Snowbee prestige with a pedestal that I'll keep as it's portable.

However for Christmas I bought an FF Techmont. It shares some features with your vice @Mike Barrio and is also from the Czech Republic. I opted for the "laws-ish" vice but interestingly it comes with interchangeable jaws including a regal-style spring jaw but on a rotating "chassis" if that makes sense.....!

I think They're less well known here and I found them by doing a google image search from. Screenshot of Lubos Roza in a fulling mill video.... I was hankering for a serious vice and was curious to see what he used.

With plenty of additional toys it was pretty exceptional value.