Reader Review: Regal Fly Tying Vise
featured, Fly Tying, Fly tying Vises, Gear, Product Reviews — By Kevin Hospodar on May 24, 2012 10:17 am
New England is known for its quality craftsmen whether in firearms, ship building, or furniture manufacturing. Being your best starts with a state of mind and for the folks at Regal Engineering, this state of mind is rooted in a proud New England heritage.
Big game Jaw
Big Game Jaw
Our most versatile jaw is specifically built to tie saltwater and large fresh water flies from tarpon to bill fish, pike, musky, salmon and bass. It can accommodate hook sizes from size 22 to 5/0, and features three hook grooves machined into one side of the jaw. It holds large hooks extremely secure yet allows for tying hooks as small as size 22. From tarpon to trout, this is one great vise!
Traditional Jaw
Traditional Jaw
Midge Jaw
Midge Jaw
Stainless Jaw
Stainless Steel Jaw
Building a high quality product is both easy and hard. The easy part is a mental decision to be the best you can be and to transition it through to build the best products possible. The hard part is execution. At Regal Engineering we approach every day and every project with a standard of excellence we have set for ourselves, to be the best, and to build the best! Standards produce quality, quality produces performance, and this is our company tradition. This is a way of life for us and the reason we produce “the best fly tying vise in the world.”
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18 Comments
I have used a couple of different vises over the years. But bottom line is, Regal is by far the best vise I have ever used. I personally tie on the Medallion and I absolutely love it. What I love most about the vise is it’s no gimmick approach and function. Simply squeeze the jaw arm, place hook in vise, let go. Your ready to tie! The jaws are super strong. Can go from 6/0 down to size 22-24. No problem! Extremely durable and built like a tank. It does what it is designed to do.
I have used the Regal for the last 10 years. Living in Florida I tie large and small saltwater patterns. I also travel to the Roaring Fork Valley of CO every year and to upstate NY fishing for trout. I tie size 22 dries to size 4 streamers. The vise has worked excellent.
This is an absolute state of the art fly tying vise, I have owned mine for a few months now and am very happy with its performance, also I have owned a knockoff of the Regal for about 10 years and it also works extremely well it is not as smooth as the regal and the craftsmenship is not at the Regals level but this style of vise is the only one that works the best for me after using a number of conventional vises,I ty midges to salmon flies for big chinook, and steelhead flies for my spey rods, I hope Regal stays in business for a long time..
I was talked into switching to a Regal approximately 25 years ago, shortly after the first “Rotary’ came out, and I have not looked back! I tie from # 26 to 2/0 with it with no problems. One does need to learn how to properly mount the smaller hooks into the jaws to prevent them from being “spit out”. The new SS jaws should go a long way towards correct this issue. I would buy another Regal if mine needed replacing!
My first regal vise was purchased from “The Hook and Hackle company” in Alberta in the early 1980′s. It was the first Regal vise brought into Alberta by Ed and Simone Martyna.
I tied Polar Bear Bucktails in 3/0 and 4/0 for the Salmon fishing of the Coast of Vancouver Island and then tied 22′s for the BC interior lakes and rivers.
I now use the medalion and my Grandchildren are learning to tie on my old but still in great condition Regal Vise.
When I first started tying a few years ago I bought a kit thinking if I liked tying I would upgrade soon. Now, this you probably don’t like to hear, I have upgraded most items in the kit,not, however, the vise, and it is not a Regal. The vice is a Regal knockoff and it still works well for me. Now this you probably like to hear. When I will finally get a new vice it will be the real Regal. The whole principle of the unit is great and I will then own a top quality item as I have seen the real McCoy and it looks very, very good.
Thanks, A.K.
PS I can’t really fill in your rating schedule since I don’t own a Regal yet.
I’ve owned a Regal Medallion vice for almost 20 years and it continues to be a valuable part of my fly fishing arsenal. I own other vices (for different reasons – HMH and a Renzetti), however, the ease of use and reliability set the Regal Medallion vice ahead of its competitors and the other vices that I own.
As a former member, instructer and Board member of United Fly Tyers in the Boston area, I can attest to the fact that hundreds of other tyers have caught on to Regal vices and use them religiously. These are one of the best vices on the market for the money and I’d recommend it to anyone interested in a lifetime vice for their tying needs.
I’ve been tying flies for over 40 years and was the proud owner of Rainbow Fly Shop, in Independence, Missouri, for 22 years. I sold Regal Vices in my store and I have always tied on them. They are the BEST!!!!!!! Everything about them is GREAT! BUY ONE!!!!!!!!!! D.P.
I tie on the Medallion with Stainless Steal Jaws . This was a investment worth every penny !!! Simple to use and quality craftsman ship .
Very nice report Kevin and I couldn’t agree more with all of those who have commented.
Regal has quite a bit in the way of new offerings and accessories that will be featured in the future on both our updated website (www.regalvise.com) & Facebook page.
One additional note; with regard to hook size capacity, it is often the wire diameter in larger saltwater hooks, rather than the hook size that is important. For example, I often use the Partridge #8/0 Ad Swier Absolute Pike hook in my Medallion Stainless, while a #6/0 Owner Octopus would be a very tight fit.
The best i know.
I have used the same Regal Vise for over 25 years. When I tied commercially, the time saved made a big difference in my production.Put the hook in and go!
I STARTED TYING FLIES IN 1964 WITH A uNIVERSAL ROTATING VISE WHICH SERVED ME WELL FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS. a FEW YEARS AGO I PURCHASED A REGAL AND WAS EXTREMELY SATISFIED TIL THE JAWS CHIPPED. i CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER FOR REPLACEMENT BUT WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT NEW JAWS WOULD COST $40 PLUS SHIPPING. NOT EXACTLY THE SERVICE I EXPECTED. OTHERWISE THIS VISE IS SUPERB.
I have been using a Regal for five years now..I did not give all stars in every category, because the jaws are starting to chip, I have on chip in the top where the hook sits, and imagine more are to come….
I have had a few vises since I started tying. I just wish I had gotten the Regal vise along time ago. It holding of the hook is supper. It dose all that you can ask a vise to do. The money was well spent.
Have had my Regal for 16 years now, It chipped about 6 years ago and when I contacted Regal, they thought that I might have been abusing the vise, sent it back and it had was repaired without cost. I have other vises but when I ty, it seems only the Regal is the one that stays on the bench until I finish.
I have had a regal vice for over 20 years and must have
tied over a 1oo,ooo flies on it,i have several classes
that i teach here in the uk,i do demonstrations at shows and fully endorse the regal vice,i always tell
my students and fellow tiers that when you’ve tried the
rest buy the best REGAL!!
I’ve been tying for about 45 years now, and have had numerous vises, non-rotary, full-rotary, standard. Lots of money spent on various high-end vises. I wish I had started out with a Regal. I finally got to the point where I was tired of all the “bells and whistles”, and wanted to simplify. This vise does what a vise is supposed to do – hold a hook so you can lash stuff to it; and it does this better than any vise I have ever used. No fussing with adjustments every time you change hook sizes, just squeeze the lever, insert the hook, and go. I tie mostly sizes 10 to 16. I feel like I wasted a lot of time tying on other vises. This one should last me until my ticket’s cancelled.