The JVice Fly-Tying Vise

The JVice

As a commercial fly tyer, fly-fishing guide, and avid fly angler, I tie a large number of flies each year. Most years the volume exceeds 1,000-dozen flies. If the nearly 3-decades that I’ve spent tying flies has taught me anything, it’s what I demand in a vise. My demands have been gleaned from years of using “almost-good-enough” vises, capturing each shortcoming in the back of my mind. This past year I had enough and set out to find my perfect vise. Indeed, I have found it.

Jay Smit resides in South Africa, not exactly what we consider to be the fly-tying Mecca. I was pointed to Jay's VISE late this winter by a fellow tier who was aware of my quest. I had openly stated some of my demands and the JVice that was being promoted at the time was respectably close to what I wanted. A simple email query to Jay started the process.

I simply asked Jay if he was willing to modify his current product to suit my demands and he responded that he was. The next step was to detail the modifications for his review. Given the distance, it was obvious we needed to skip the prototype period so I was as detailed as I could be and I let Jay do the rest. Design modifications were relayed to me via emails with photographs. The photos would be viewed and commented on. Jay was a pleasure to work with and his patience is appreciated. What follows is my review of the vise that Jay built.

My Perfect Vise

Let me outline what I was seeking from this dream vise and explain why I feel the way I do. I fully realize that each tyer is unique, so what appeals to me may be disturbing to you. So be it. Accompanying my explanation will be the result I received when my JVice arrived.

First, and foremost, the vise jaws were to securely and effortlessly hold hooks across a very broad array of sizes with minimal adjusting. I tie too many varied sizes, in too great of a quantity to have slippage or muddle with this screw and that collet. I wanted one adjustment, to be needed as infrequently as possible.

Furthermore, the jaws needed to be cam operated and the actuator was to be mounted on the bottom of the jaws so that I could open or close it with my thumb from the front or index finger from the rear. This is most efficient and comfortable for me. A cam mechanism is durable and I demand the ability to feel and control the pressure I exert on the hook. Spring loaded, squeeze-open jaws lack this ability.

The jaws on my vise succeed on all accounts. Constructed from tool steel, they operate using a large brass cam with a stainless steel lever. The lever is long and easy to find, even when closed parallel with the jaws. The jaws are long, and I have found that this enables a great deal of pressure to be created at the gripping point while maintaining an eerily smooth operation. A single spring and adjustment screw are seated near the front of the jaws for wire adjustment and to force the jaws open. At my request, the adjustment screw was made from SS and the diameter is sufficient to prevent shearing under torque. But to be safe, Jay included a spare. This will be a common theme.

The interior surface of the jaws contains a hook pocket for large irons. I have found that a broad array of hooks and bends will indeed fit into this generic shaped pocket. Hook pockets will take a tremendous amount of stress off the jaws when trying to get a rock-solid grip on large hooks. As mentioned, the jaw length permits silky-smooth operation. There is no peak or valley when closing on a hook, and the jaws just flat-out hold hooks. Adjustment is required, but not for every change in hook. I would say that one adjustment would hold at least 4 sizes of hooks securely.

The standard jaws are a tad bit blunt, but I am able to seat and tie down to a #26 with no problems using my gooseneck stem (see photo). But for those compelled to tie wee flies, Jay makes a spring steel set of midge jaws. I have them too, and they are equally wonderful, but less than attractive. I do have a feeling that he will be attempting to create a set of universal jaws and will undoubtedly succeed.

Jay offered 3 possibilities for locating a material clip (all three shown in photo on the right). I elected the option of locating the clip at the terminal end of the bearing shaft but requested the brass fitting to be very much smaller. Asked and received! Spring will also mount as shown on the other two locations but I generally prefer it to be located to the rear and in-line with the jaws.

UPDATE: Jay has redesigned the bearing shaft. The shaft I received is brass and involves a more appealing terminal fitting to hold the material clip.

Next on my list of demands was that the vise be of rotary design. Since I use that feature often, but very little in the true in-line capacity my interest in in-line capabilities were limited. It should have the capability, but the operation of the vise needn’t be focused on it. The rotary tension was to be adjustable, and the adjustment should hold until the next one is made.

The bearing housing was to be large enough to rest my off hand since I demand that the vise also supports that hand as I apply materials.

Lastly, the rotary crank was to have an elbow that was parallel to the rotation of the hook shank. Two things about most vises that bug me: 1. The darn crank is a little stub that runs nearly perpendicular to the axis of rotation—this forces you to let it go once during each revolution. 2. I find it awkward to use a lever that operates on an angle other than the axis of rotation. My crank was to be like the crank on a fishing reel.

My vise arrived with the rotation mechanism and crank nailed to a tee. The keyed Vesconite bushings compress into the bearing housing via a large knurled brass knob that runs in-line with the rotational shaft. The tension settings are infinite and rock-solid when set. The aluminum and Vesconite are non-corrosive and support my hand well. The crank was suited to my request via the addition of a 1-inch elbow that runs parallel to the axis of rotation.The extension is a fixed shaft and a bushing that rotates on itself. I can crank as fast as I want and never need to let go.

Next on my wish list was a mechanism to adjust the angle of the standrod near the bearing housing. This would boost access to the rear of small hooks by permitting adjustments to the jaw angle. The same can be done at the jaw stem, in fact Jay’s current product has that feature available, but I dislike that design for a few reasons. First, having a joint on a horizontal section of the vise would increase the chance of slippage since much of the pressure would be exerted downward. Second, I do not like the appearance of such protuberances at that location. Instead, I asked Jay to design me a joint, or knuckle, on the standrod just below the bearing housing that would permit me to change the jaw angle at any point in time. The joint should be trouble free and solid.

My vise arrived with a friction knuckle located on the standrod immediately below the bearing housing (see photos). The joint is quite similar to a ball and socket with a single knurled knob to adjust the tension. Once the tension is adjusted, the entire jaw/bearing assembly can be tilted approximately 30-degrees at will and will remain there until shifted again. This feature simplifies the jaw stem and maximizes hook access. Next to the jaws, I feel this is the best feature of the vise.

I spend long hours tying under 2 fluorescent shops lights and 2 fluorescent gooseneck lights (that’s a TON of light). I am always perplexed why vise builders insist on producing a highly polished product, even more amazed that tiers buy them. For me, shiny metal has “headache” and “eyestrain” written all over it. My vise was to be entirely non-reflective. I was willing to permit the jaws to remain unaltered since my hands cover them.

Jay was able to produce that finish on all SS parts (lever, jaw stem, standrod) by having those pieces bead blasted (see photo). I could not be happier. The result is very similar to graphite in appearance and has absolutely no reflective qualities. The bearing housing and Vesconite are black and equally non-reflective.

Yet another bone of contention for me with the vises on the market revolves around the c-clamp. I refuse to tie using a pedestal base as I insist on having a 100% secure platform. However, when I travel to fish or tie invariably I encounter a surface that is either too thick or contains a bull nosed or recessed edge that will not accept a vise clamp. I asked Jay to forego his handcrafted lumber pedestal and design me a large c-clamp. I asked that the c-clamp have a 3-inch working opening and was deep enough to get around various table edges.

Jay calls his design the “super-clamp.” To date I have only had one problem with the clamp; the setscrew that secured the standrod in position had an inadequately small knurled knob that would not permit enough torque to be exerted to grip the rod firmly. This resulted in wobble and slippage through use. The solution was obviously a change in design to either a larger diameter knob, or to a T-bar. I opted with the T-bar. Once that was received and installed, the c-clamp has been a dream.

Universal Features

The JVice presents several features that will be universal to anyone who purchases one. All of these features are viewable on the JVice website.Vises come equipped with brass adjustments or SS set screws and appropriate Allen wrenches. Jay presented me with a wealth of spare parts.The standrod can be purchased in a metric 10mm diameter or in the more standard 3/8-inch diameter. The latter is suggested, as it will accept aftermarket hardware.

The JVice comes with a bobbin cradle and scrap collector. Both are stem-mounted using matching brackets. Adjustments are quick and easy. Jay has designed a hinged bobbin cradle (see photo) that he is quite proud of, claiming it will eliminate the need for half-hitching. I have not used the new cradle, and I do not use cradles of any type much at all so I will not comment further. The scrap collector is made from olive nylon fixed to a circular hoop and serves it’s purpose as well as any.

As I understand, a package JVice comes complete with the above as well as a timber handcrafted pedestal base/tool caddy. The base doubles as a travel case and is enclosed in a Cordura cover. Since I opted for the super clamp I did not receive those components; therefore I cannot comment on them. I do not have any regrets.

The JVice has multiple jaw stem options; a simple bent-arm stem with 3 jaw height settings, a gooseneck jaw stem, and a knuckle jaw stem. I requested the gooseneck stem initially since it obviously provides tremendous rear hook access. Later a requested the bent-arm stem sans adjustment holes. I do not have the knuckled stem since my standrod knuckle accomplishes the same task of changing the jaw angle.

The various jaw stems all come complete with SS material springs.

There are Gallows and SW Streamer clip accessories that fit on the jaw/rotary stem interface. This requires a protuberance at that point that I found distracting so I requested it be omitted from my Jaw stems.

The bearing housing and rotary stem are all easily maintained using supplied Allen wrenches. All that the builder requests is a periodic cleaning and very light oiling of the threaded portions. The friction surfaces should not be lubricated or slippage will occur.

Available too are spring steel midge jaws. The jaws are very unique in design and appearance, I am unsure how to explain either.

The jaws are very thin but rather wide and the jaws have a long fine taper. The jaws are cam operated with a bottom-mounted actuator. There are no adjustment settings, which troubled me a first. I quick email to Jay was responded to with the explanation that spring steel was chosen to permit the flex on the jaws. This negated the need to adjustment between hook sizes. These jaws will hold hooks from #4 on down to the famous Mustad 277 #32. Coupled with the gooseneck stem, it is hard to imagine better access.

I did have problems with the first set of midge jaws involving slippage. Jay respecified the spring steel and that solved the slippage problem. I am really intrigued with this design and I encourage Jay to continue developing it. The cam operation is not entirely smooth due to the nature of the spring steel; there is a pronounced wall in the operation to prevent the jaws form snapping open. I only find this to be an issue when I remove the hook from the vise.

The Crowning Achievement

Perhaps the most fundamental success with Jay’s product is that, as far as I can tell, the product line entirely modular. By requesting a bottom mounted jaw actuator, the jaws will accept any stem. Initially the standard jaws had a rear-mounted actuator that would not work with the gooseneck stem, but the bottom lever Jay designed for me solved that issue. Changing stems does not impact any other vice feature; the housing remains the same. To me this is an ideal design concept. The tier is free to mix and match options to suit his or her specific needs. I am sure that as Jay continues to build his line of accessories, this feature will hold true.

Conclusion

The JVice is clearly a solid, functional, and dependable product-overengineered is entirely fitting . Users will be amazed at the fluid strength of the jaws and the determined craftsmanship of the overall product, not to mention it's rock-solid stature. Couple these qualities with the modular design and willingness of the builder to discuss your unique needs makes this vice one of the very best available at any price. For US tyers, the price of the vise will fall into the $300 range depending on which accessories you purchase. Factor about $35 for shipping.

I proudly call this my “perfect vise.”