Renzetti Presentation 4000 Vice

[SKollmann]

As we have turned the page to the month of December, I've begun to consider purchasing my last and final upgraded fly tying vice for Christmas. Have any ISA fly tying colleagues had experience with the Renzetti Presentation 4000 vice? Would appreciate your input and assessment. Thanks.

[Mike Flyrodder Miller]

As we have turned the page to the month of December, I've begun to consider purchasing my last and final upgraded fly tying vice for Christmas. Have any ISA fly tying colleagues had experience with the Renzetti Presentation 4000 vice? Would appreciate your input and assessment. Thanks.

 

Until I purchased my Renzetti Masters Vise the Presentation 4000 was my go to vise and I loved it and still use it. I would suggest, however that if you are getting a base model, which I prefer over a clamp style, get the heavier saltwater base expecially if you plan to tie larger flies. It keeps the balance from tipping under heavy thread tension when using GSP, big fly or Kevlar thread. Vises are a personal preference and some prefer a heavier construction like a Barracuda or cost effectiveness like the Danvise. Whatever you choose, try one out first to see if you like it. I might suggest you read the article by Hans Wielenmann on the pros and cons of vises from different manufacturers in varying price ranges. The article is a few years old, but with a few minor updates and newer vises it's a pretty good guideline in what to look for and what to expect in various vises. I like the base model because I can take it ANYWHERE and tie with it even if I don't have something to clamp it on. I have taken mine camping and can use those portable tables that are too thin and flimsy to mount a clamp model. I've used it in my tent when it was pouring rain and impossible to fish. It was a great way to spend my spare time and allowed me to tie up a few patterns I found they were keyin on that I didn't happen to have.

 

I hope that helps.

[bjensen]

Well I haven't had any experience with the Presentation vise, but I've had a Travler for about 10 years. I've always thought it was a nice vise, but I had the opportunity to play with a Dyna-King last week and boy was I surprised! The Dyna-King is a top-notch all the way, and if I had it to do over, I'd buy the Dyna-King.

 

Here are the pro's & con's:

 

Renzetti's tension setting on the handle can be a pain to get set correctly, and will sometimes come loose while turning the handle.

The Dyna-King doesn't have a multi-part handle assembly so it will never have that problem.

 

Renzetti has smooth jaws. When tying larger flies, and especially when spinning deer hair, the hooks will slip when heavy presure is applied. I've experienced this a lot tying bass bugs.

The Dyna-King has grooved jaws. The hook cannot, and will not, slip. Trust me, I tried to get one to slip....I bent the hook 90 degrees, but it didn't slip!

 

Renzetti's have short rotary shafts and jaws. I never realized how much more difficult it can be to tie on a short-shaft vise. The Dyna-King shaft and jaw assembly is almost twice as long and makes tying much easier.

 

Renzetti's are noticeably more compact, so if you don't have much room, that is a definate plus.

If on a budget, the Renzetti Traveler is cheaper than anything Dyna-King has.

 

 

Well, there are my observations. Since you're looking at the Presentation model, I'm assuming cost is not a priority. In that case, the Dyna-King is the vise to have, not to mention the Barracuda model is $30 less than the Renzetti.

 

Best thing to do is go play with them. I played with the Dyna-King at One More Cast. Joe had me sold, but unfortunately I was about $300 short!

 

Just my two cents worth,

Brian

[SKollmann]

In light of this struggling economy, Brian, cost is an issue for most of us Americans . . . including me! That's why I plan to add this item on my Christmas List so my sons and daughters can share the cost thereof.

 

To complicate this selection process further, Trout & Grouse is strongly advising me to purchase a Regal vice, claiming that it's the best vice for tying bass flies which will be the primary focus of my fly tying activities. Comments!?!

[SKollmann]

In light of this struggling economy, Brian, cost is an issue for most of us Americans . . . including me! That's why I plan to add this item on my Christmas List so my sons and daughters can share the cost thereof.

 

To complicate this selection process further, Trout & Grouse is strongly advising me to purchase a Regal vice, claiming that it's the best vice for tying bass flies which will be the primary focus of my fly tying activities. Comments!?!

 

 

I think I meant Royal vice . . . not Regal.

[SKollmann]

Until I purchased my Renzetti Masters Vise the Presentation 4000 was my go to vise and I loved it and still use it. I would suggest, however that if you are getting a base model, which I prefer over a clamp style, get the heavier saltwater base expecially if you plan to tie larger flies. It keeps the balance from tipping under heavy thread tension when using GSP, big fly or Kevlar thread. Vises are a personal preference and some prefer a heavier construction like a Barracuda or cost effectiveness like the Danvise. Whatever you choose, try one out first to see if you like it. I might suggest you read the article by Hans Wielenmann on the pros and cons of vises from different manufacturers in varying price ranges. The article is a few years old, but with a few minor updates and newer vises it's a pretty good guideline in what to look for and what to expect in various vises. I like the base model because I can take it ANYWHERE and tie with it even if I don't have something to clamp it on. I have taken mine camping and can use those portable tables that are too thin and flimsy to mount a clamp model. I've used it in my tent when it was pouring rain and impossible to fish. It was a great way to spend my spare time and allowed me to tie up a few patterns I found they were keyin on that I didn't happen to have.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Good Morning, Mike . . . I tried finding Hans' article referenced in your response via Google, but no luck. Please provide copy or specific website where this article can be found. Thank you.

[Rob G]

I think I meant Royal vice . . . not Regal.

 

 

Uh-oh, Vice Wars , I know everyone has their favorite but after owning several different vices, my Regal is my favorite for most everything I tie, especially all my larger flies. But realize the model below, although you can turn it over and around, it is not a true rotary vice like the Dyna-King (if that's important to you)

 

[Stuart_Van_Dorn]

Steve,

The best recommendation I can make is sit and tie with vise for a bit before dropping cash on an item that should outlast you and me.

That being said, I have personal favorites that I own and tie with. One of the joys of working in a fly shop for a few years.

Renzetti makes nice vises, as does Dyna King, and Regal.

I own two Dyna king vices, a traveler and the little kingfisher which at $135 price point makes it attractive and I keep it at work where I tie at lunch time. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles as some of the pricier vises but it'll outlast the two of us. I don't have any qualms with the Regal and T&G is right about it for tying bass flies, it's a good vise for that. It's probably not the best vise for tying size 22 midges, in case that day comes that you slip to the dark side and start thinking about trout. The Regal is also a good production tying vise and while it's not a rotary vise, lots of tiers have rotary vises and never use that function, or seldom use i (that's be me). But it's a good vise for turning and checking your fly out and it's well built for bass flies.

All that being said, I'm partial to Dyna-King because they're rugged, well built vises that meet my needs because I tie tiny flies for trout and bluegills and ten inchers for Pike and Musky, And my dyna-king voyager (now discontinued) is a work horse.

 

But no matter what you buy, get a clamp and base with it, if you can afford it. You never know where you'll be with your vise and it's good to be prepared.

 

In the long run, depending upon how much tying you do, find one you like tying on, it make your tying session that much better if you don't have to mess with your vise.

[Mike Flyrodder Miller]

Good Morning, Mike . . . I tried finding Hans' article referenced in your response via Google, but no luck. Please provide copy or specific website where this article can be found. Thank you.

 

I sent you the link in your private messages. As for what vixe to choose, you should try them to see what you like, but whatever you do, unless you never use it, I strongly recommend a "True" rotary vice. If you adjust your Presentation or Masters Vice correctly, you will find that they will hold as bid a hook as they recommend without any slipping. The Masters hold up to 10/0 and the Presentation holds up to 4/0 hooks. If you tighten the front adjustment on the jaes first and then the cam or back screw the hook will not slip. The Barracuda holds well, but grooved jaws concern me if the hook doesn't rest in the grooved correctly. I've seen too many hooks break on people who improperly clamp down on the hook with vises. If they don't tighten parallel jaws so that they are parallel they will pinch the hook and weaken it. If the grooves of a vice crimp the hook that too will weaken it. So, I guess it's six of one or a half a dozen of the other.

 

Pick a vise you are comfortable with and have tried. See if the means of clamping works with the largest and smallest hooks you will use. Some tie great with large hooks but can't hold a small hook for beans and some hold small hooks great but can't hold a large hook for beans. The link to the article covers a lot of these points in a very unbiased manner. It's hard to get that since a lot of people have their own personal preferences and biases. It's your vise and you are the one who needs to be comfortable with it.

 

I had my Presentation vise for well over 20 years and just recently looked to upgrade. I tried the Dyna-King, the Law, and a a lot of other vises, but for me the Renzetti Master faired the best and I can't say I've made a bad decision. They all had their good points and bad points, but the Masters did the best for me in all categories especially going from real small 20-28 size flies all the way up to muske and saltwater flies 4/0-10/0.

 

Try them without a preconceived notion of what others say. Give them a good work over and then settle on what's best for you and what you can afford. Once you move into that price category, with a few exceptions, you won't be dissappointed in whatever vise you chose.

 

FWIW