I'm thinking about starting to tie but need a kit!

[Pauly]

As the title says I'm looking into tying. First question is about the vise. Do you like the clamp on style or the weighted base?
I have a nice table/ workbench to tie on. It's a maple 1 1/2 inch thick clean bench I use for fine wood working like dove tail work so clamping on is not a problem. I'm just wondering if working at the edge gets hard on the body. But the weighted base might move.

All that may be moot because my next question is to recommend a kit. One that you would be proud to give as a gift. But not so expensive you decide to keep it for yourself!

Cabelas has kits. Is this a good place to look are they quality enough; or, will they end in frustration?

So what do you usually recommend? I did a search for tying kits and such but found nothing.

 

[lv2nymph]

When I started tying I bought a kit from Harry Murry in virginia. The vise was a very basic clamp on style not alot of money cause I did'nt know if I would stay with it. There are kits now that have pattern specific materials for just a few flies. I also got a book on basic tying and had at it. Google fly shops and you should find endless kits to choose from. At first I would not spend alot of money on the stuff until you are sure you are into it enough to drop major money on supplies. Then replace things one at a time. Clamp on vises are the ones I prefere, the base style are nice if you need to move the vise around alot or you go other places regularly to tie. I've never heard anyone complain about the base style at the tying nights I've been to over the years. Clamp on can be an issue going other places to tie, sometimes the table is not just right and it's difficult to get on. Hope this did not make things worse for you, good luck finding your kit and let us know how you're doing when you get to tying.

 

[Volksnurse]

Pauly wrote:
As the title says I'm looking into tying. First question is about the vise. Do you like the clamp on style or the weighted base?
I have a nice table/ workbench to tie on. It's a maple 1 1/2 inch thick clean bench I use for fine wood working like dove tail work so clamping on is not a problem. I'm just wondering if working at the edge gets hard on the body. But the weighted base might move.

All that may be moot because my next question is to recommend a kit. One that you would be proud to give as a gift. But not so expensive you decide to keep it for yourself!

Cabelas has kits. Is this a good place to look are they quality enough; or, will they end in frustration?

So what do you usually recommend? I did a search for tying kits and such but found nothing.

I personally like the weighted base, bit have a clamp that fits as well. I have a Cabelas AAA vice and tool kit in a wooden box (I think it was around $25) Its a good starter although pick up an extra thread bobbin or two.

FWIW, you'll collect materials pretty rapidly, so pick one or two patterns to try and buy the materials for a few of those. Before long you'll have boxes of stuff....

 

[Pauly]

Yep I like the price of the kits too.

 

[MKern]

I like clamp vises, but I'm in the rareity I think.

Don't get a kit with materials, you are way better off buying materials individually. Take afriend or talk to a quality fly shop employee.

The materials in kits are scrap materials that they sell to noobs.

 

[shakey]

you could always start with a clamp on base and add a weighted base later.the shaft size to most vises are the same,except i think norvise.

let me ask a simple question.what flies do you use the most?

 

[ryguyfi]

kit materials are crap

get a tools kit and a vise


buy materials as needed to tie the flies you want.

get a mentor or youtube is your friend.

 

[Foxgap239]

Pauly, most kits have crap materials and much like my advice on good tools, I would say the same about materials. Best way to tie, is to get a beginners tying book that starts out teaching you basic flies with basic concepts and buy materials as you need them. Move to the next fly and so on. There are several online fly shops that give free shipping or free shipping over $5 or $25. If you buy a kit you will find 90% of the materials will never be needed.

 

[Quent]

I think I stumbled across a kit that is very good (naturally, after I'd acquired my stuff piecemeal). It is the L.L. Bean Deluxe Fly Tying Kit (TA247609). It includes an HMH vise which is made exclusively for L. L. Bean, the late Dick Talleur's Fly Tying Handbook and a nice selection of stuff for $100. I understand the vise alone retails for $80 in the L. L. Bean stores.

I bought an HMH SX vise, which I like very much, but that kit vise would have lasted me a lifetime and it is $60 less.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

http://www.flyfishersparadiseonline.com/category_s/2215.htm