Tying without a vice

[BrookieChaser]

Lee Wulff tied flies without the use of a vice to hold the hook. I wondered if anyone else has tried it?

 

[sandfly]

Used to tie with Lee that way...

 

[lv2nymph]

Very cool Bob... To answer, never have. I like my vise.

 

[eunanhendron]

Something I'm gonna try this winter for salmon flies....sounds like fun. Buses weren't common until late 19th or early 20th century

 

[BrookieChaser]

Sandfly, that is being part of fly fishing history right there.

Eunan, I had no idea when vices (I assume that's what a bus is... I've never heard that term before) were invented or became popular.

The reason I ask is, last night I was tying a classic fly pattern (Picket Pin) introduced to me by an older guy at the time (now deceased). Thinking about Lee Wulff's tying without a vice, and being one that appreciates history, I thought I ought to try it.

So I did, right down to the hand whip finish.

 

[eunanhendron]

well i just went and ordered the gossamer silk for tying in hand....

as soon as it comes i'm gonna try it....might be messy


E

 

[beadhead2]

Sandflea looses it once in awhile ,he was really talking about tying with LouM LOl Lol

 

[sniperfreak223]

I once attempted the "Carrie Stevens Challenge" by tying a Gray Ghost without the use of a vice...it didn't turn out too bad. The first year or so of my fly-tying career I rarely used a vice.

 

[Fishidiot]

I used to do it at streamside or at campsites when I was younger. It's not as hard as it looks. However, it is obviously much easier to use a vise and the finished fly usually looks a lot better too (of course). If you have a vise, what's the point? Perhaps trying to tie some flies "by hand" could offer some perspective on some angles to the hobby.

However, if you have use of a vise......tying without one is really just a novelty.

 

[eunanhendron]

BrookieChaser wrote:
Sandfly, that is being part of fly fishing history right there.

Eunan, I had no idea when vices (I assume that's what a bus is... I've never heard that term before) were invented or became popular.

Typo - I meant vises...

 

[BrookieChaser]

Haha! I thought maybe it was an old term that I hadn't heard before.

Tying without a vise was just something I wanted to see if I could do, since watching "Brook Trout of the Minnippi(sp)". I have a fine vise that I'll continue to use.

 

[turkey]

Some of the most technical married wing flies I've seen were tied in hand, and usually riverside. I've tried more pedestrian patterns twice iirc and I wasn't happy with the results. If I ever get to the point that I feel tying in a vise isn't challenging anymore I might try in hand again. That could be several lifetimes from now though.

 

[delta_dog]

Here's a tie I think anyone can master without a vise.

http://www.sexyloops.com/articles/troutflydesign1.shtml

 

[FrequentTyer]

If you think of how you tie flys with a vise and just subtract the vise it seems impossible. Like any new tool, the vise allowed for the development of techniques that would not have been possible otherwise. The patterns were relatively simple and tied in a manner that minimized manipulation of material on the hook. Using Wulff as an example, he never stacked hair. Carrie Stevens provides an even more dramatic example. I was shocked to learn that she did not use a vise, until I found out that she actually pre-assembled her flys off the hook. She glued the feathers together until she had 2 halves and then tied them on. Now she still had more tying talent than I ever will, but it helps understand that the approach to vise-less tying was different.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most of the folks tying without a vise were also tying without a bobbin. The use of watch makers vises to tie flys was somewhat common by the end of the 19th century, and fly tying vises were being manufactured by the early 1900's (I'm guessing by 1920 but don't have a date for this). However, many prominent tyers were working without a bobbin into the 1930s and 40s, and some right up into the 1960s through to today. They also were waxing their thread to a much greater degree than we do today to improve grip and minimize unwinding when tension was let off the thread. The development of the bobbin has made waxing less essential.
So if you decide to try vise free tying, choose a simple pattern that minimizes material manipulation, get rid of your bobbin, and wax your thread. You might also want to lower your expectations ;-)
Mike.

 

[nfrechet]

i tie bad enough WITH a vise let alone without one! :lol:

with a condition called "trigger finger" (fingers lock in place in a closed position and have to be forced into an open position) it would be very difficult to near impossible to tie flies in that manner

it is something that doesnt interest me in doing

 

[flyfishingNZ]

I have tied with out a vise and a good person to learn from is Austin Clayton. He has some videos online:

http://www.youtube.com/user/dafunk5446/videos

 

[Chaz]

Back in the day many tiers tied their flies without a Buse

 

[troutbert]

Remember that old TV show, Miami Buse?

On the topic, I've tried tying without a vice, and found it very difficult.

 

[lv2nymph]

Fishidiot wrote:


However, if you have use of a vise......tying without one is really just a novelty.

Or a challenge to see how nice you can get it to Finnish out. But overall I agree with that.

 

[eunanhendron]

I started this guy on christmas day, without a vise, hopefully i'll get it finished today or tomorrow. I took photos through the process....ill post them all when i get it finished.
All i can say is i'll be tying more 'in hand' in 2014

Eunan