The hallmark of your reviews are the experience with many different types, styles, and manufacturers of products out on the market. In my honest opinion, what really separates the reviews are your honesty and fairness. BZ
Thank you! Sometimes I hesitate to do a bad review, and oftentimes I'll just not do one at all if it's not something that I don't at least find something good about it.
Good morning Matt. Thanks for the product review. Enjoyed seeing a new product that I’ve never seen or heard of. I hope someone that needs a decent vise and is just getting started wins. I’m happy with my vise. Thanks for providing the opportunity. Take care Matt
Thank you Matt for the #Nirvana vice review. This is the most solid fly tying channel on TH-cam. You are covering every aspect of the sport. And covering it very well. Thank you my friend. God bless.
Like the honest review and comments on their great customer service. I have purchased some of their hooks and I really like them. Thanks for all you do Matt.
Hi from Kansas City 🎣🤠. This video looks like a nice One for the price. Thanks for the heads up. I don't need a new vise and don't want to beat someone out of it who needs it. I set up my phone and show your videos on the table where we fly tye and solve the world 's problem s , half a dozen old guys and I 'm the youngest at 70.🤠😂 On Tuesday and Friday if it's bad weather and can't meet up 🎣 fishing. Wrote you last week on the maxcatch and with the little jaws on it works great for mig's size 20. Thanks again for all your help and support 🎣🤠 Dave Hughes
Well thank you Dave; this is such a great comment to get! It really encourages me to keep doing what I'm doing here. I'm a bit behind in my regular emails right now so I apologize if you've written and I haven't gotten to it yet. But I certainly appreciate you watching and leaving comments here. :-)
Great review! Not in the market for a new vise but always appreciate keeping up with what's available and using this valuable info to help new fly tying friends! Thanks!
Always great the way you give back to the community. You have a lot of respect from this part of Kentucky. You are making the art of fly tying something very special for me with each passing video. #Nirvana
#NIRVANA - I have been sharing you know who’s vice for I don’t know how long! It’s time for one of my own! Thank you for a super review as always Matt!
Good morning Matt. Thank you for your review. Been thinking of upgrading to a rotary vice so appreciate this review. Have a great weekend and stay safe my friend. #nirvana
Great objective review. I don't have a bench, just containers of materials and a vise grip. I had sent you a photo when I tied a foam beetle with a tinsel pipe cleaner abdomen. Thanks for providing a chance to upgrade my fly tying with the #NIRVANA vise.
Thanks for another nice review Matt. I'm brand new to tying and this is the vise I bought. Got the purple version. I've tied (and messed up) about 5 flies so far but I'm enjoying learning a new skill. Learning so much from your channel.
Wow, thanks for this great comment Deake! I'd love to hear how you like the vise after using it for a few months. But I tell you, if you get proficient with something like this, and you eventually go to something like a Regal or Renzetti, you'll be amazed at how much more enjoyable tying can be. And that's not a dig on this one. I think you made a solid choice for a first vise. :-)
Thanks for another helpful review #nirvana looks to be a good vise to take when wife is shopping sit in car and do some fly tying thanks for your time and review
That's a great idea Kevin! I was at a horse show today (daughter was competing) and we had at least six hours of downtime between events. I could have tied several dozen flies!
Brandon over at Dragontail is a stud. Recently ordered a tenkara rod from him but production was delayed, which was no fault of his, yet he still apologized for the inconvenience and sent me two replacement tips for free! Im sure whatever products he sells are a great value, including this #nirvana vise. Thanks for the review Matt
The vise you reviewed looks like a great vise. I'm going to look at this vise for my second one. Thank you again for a great review on another vise. #nirvana
In the market for a new vice. I have just the kit vice my son bought me. Enjoying the mentions of my home state and towns. Thanks you for the videos they have helped me a ton improving my fly tying. The best part is if the fly you tie isnt perfect it's ok and you show your mistakes. #nirvana
I was actually researching this vise a while back. The design caught my eye and I like how you can move the jaws to adjust for hook size. But the downfall for me was how light the pedestal is. But a great an honest review. I hope this vise goes to someone who truly needs it. If someone who wins need this vise that actually doesn’t need it. I hope they will give it to someone who does. Keep up the great work Matt.
Thanks Matt for a great honest review. I already have two Regal vices and I think it would be hard to beat. It looks like a great travel vice where weight is an issue. I love what your doing.
Hey Matt...thanks for the great review on the #Nirvana vise. Even if I wasn't to purchase this particular vise your insights and observations are valuable to me while considering other vises to purchase. You highlighted some things I may not have thought of. This coming from a guy still tying on my Thompson Model A purchased about 45 years ago. Might be time to consider a new one! Once again, thanks for all you do!
Gerald, thanks for the kind words my friend! I got your picture so you're good! Now I've seen about 50 pictures of benches in the last day, and I have to tell you... yours is pretty neat! :-)
Another GREAT review Matt. I’ve seen this #nirvana vise here and there and always wondered about it. I was also unclear as to whether or not it was part of the larger tenkara company. You always do the community a great service with the thoroughness of your reviews. Always appreciated brother.
Hi Matt, it looks like it would be a good vise with only a couple minor changes. Your honesty is always greatly appreciated. Keep up the great work.#Nirvana
#nirvana I'm glad you actually give honest reviews instead of just saying how great things are all the time. That dosent do anybody any good. Especially beginners!
Matt, thanks for the review. Sounds like "maybe" is the perfect review. Sounds like this vise has a lot of strong qualities but some areas that could cause challenges, largely depending how you use it. I really appreciate your honesty in reviews. #Nirvana
Brian- got your email my friend; you're good! And that dubbing box looks great. :-) Just wait until you have six like that. One for each: squirrel, raccoon, opossum, rabbit, etc... Don't check out Glacier Wear or you might end up going off the deep end with all kinds of critters' pelts!
Ha! I just bookmarked some Canadian red squirrel pelts there. Grade two for 13 bucks, or five for 60. And I always get their cheapest grade pelts. We're not making hats here... we're making bugs! Here you go if you're really curious. :-) www.glacierwear.com/canadian-red-squirrel-pelt-pine-squirrel.html
Got mine last week and as you said base a bit lite. But the company offers a flat steel base at a cost of around 40 . So i wish i had seen that option first. All in all I like it and hold hooks and works well. Might get to the scrap yard for a bit of plate steel and make my own base , then good to go .Thanks Matt for the review.
Great honest review as always. Off topic. What was your hardest fly to tie. Types of material, size etc? And easiest. Not including corn kernel on a hook. Thanks.
Thank you! The hardest fly I've successfully tied might be the Allerton from Mary Orvis Marbury's book. I was kind of proud of that one. That's why it's one of the three flies at the top of my channel page. As far as hard to tie that I continuously fail at, it's the Humpy. I never seem to make a good looking one of those. I really don't know why it's so hard for me. I guess I just need to practice it a bit more. Other hard ones... any of the old school married wing wet flies from Ray Bergman's book.
Hi Matt, another super informative review of a vice I did not know existed. Even with a warped base it would definitely be an improvement over what I presently use. Your channel is the best. #Nirvana Have a great week and God Bless.
Great honest review as always Matt! This looks like a good vise for those of us that currently have entry level vise’s. This would be a significant upgrade from my maxcatch. #Nirvana
Hey Buddy. I’ve been looking at a new vice for about three months now and like your review of this one. Hope you ship to Canada 🇨🇦. I’m going to try to find a Canadian distributor right after I finish this post. Thanks for the help.
Good morning Matt! Thanks for another honest review for all levels of tyers. I've been thinking of getting a rotary vise, and this one looks like a very good candidate. #NIRVANA
Thanks Lee I appreciate hearing that. :-) And you're right- tying with it partially rotated was a bit strange, but it worked okay rotated 180 degrees and tying in throats.
Matt, nice honest review. This vise looks to be a blend of several styles of brand name vises. Style of the jaws look similar to a Renzetti traveler. Post and bobbin cradle look like it was taken from Griffin. Just my thoughts/opinion. Looks like I am going to have to get you a picture of my tying bench for the future. Have a great day and thanks for all your great reviews. I now have build a separate area for my slowly growing book collection!!
Ha! I hear you Steve. If I don't stop buying so many books I'm going to need another shelf. And don't worry about sending me a picture. I know you're a tier my friend. You've been around here for quite a while and your last name is pretty recognizable. :-)
Good morning Matt. Not a bad looking vise. Been looking for a new rotary vise. Mine works, but it's just worn out. #Nirvana. Believe you already have my picture of my table. Have a blessed Sunday.
Thanks Michael! Check out my "5 vises under $100" or my review of the Peak if you're looking for a rotary. You've got lots of choices out there these days. :-)
Appreciate it Richard. I don't think it would be too hard for a lefty to use. You could always use the locking nut on the bottom instead of the one on the side. Probably not ideal though.
I would like to see a review of large size vises. I use bug hooks, up to 5/0 and sometimes bigger. I tie a bunch of jigs since I’m primarily a Bass fisherman, I do chase Trout and Stripers. Thank you for posting this review up, I am in the market for a larger jaw vise and appreciate all your reviews.
You bet! Thanks for watching. And I think Jeffrey mentioned a good one. The Regal big game jaws will go quite big. And Dyna-King has the Barracuda that'll go to a 10/0. Of course it's is pretty pricey so I doubt I can afford to do a review of that one any time soon.
Oh man, I hear you Jim! I was at a horse show all day today. It was 40 degrees, but the wind made it brutal. We had to go sit in the truck to warm up at least half a dozen times. But I did find a cool creek I'd never seen at the equestrian center. I think I'm going to take my new Tenkara rod with me next time and sneak off between events. :-)
Thanks for the review I found it balanced and quite helpful. I splurged on a Peak before this one was introduced, so maybe it will be a travel vise as you suggest.
Seems like a "silver bullet" vise requires LOTS of silver nowadays. Back in the day when I wanted to upgrade to a rotary like the Renetti Traveler it was I THINK $120 frog skins😉, still a lot but affordable for me back then. Now they're shy of $200. Matt you do a great service to novice and not so novice tiers with these honest reviews and giveaways. Thank you.
You're not kidding there Joe! The last I checked even the Renzetti Apprentice is getting up there. I would like to review one of their Presentation models but might start with the Traveler. But you know what I really want to try out? The Wolff Industries Atlas. I see that one in all the shops but don't know too many people who tie with it. Now you've made me curious... I've got to look it up. I see the Atlas is $190 at Stockard right now. I might have to do that one next. Thanks for the note!
Thanks for the honest review Matt! Sounds like "maybe" is the perfect description. One question: how easy would it be to set it up for us Leftys in the group? Kinda hard to tell from the video if the clamp and the big bolt for the rotary tension could be reversed. One very minor nit to pick: that six-sided thingy threaded on the bottom of the post is a NUT, not a bolt. (LOL, sorry, couldn't resist!) Have a great week my friend! 🙃🙃
Hahaha! I know that too!! When I re-watch videos (after editing and posting of course), I say dammit, I called that a bolt again! And I hope most people didn't notice but I said the bag came with a couple allen wrenches and screwdriver. I meant a wrench! I make these mistakes all the time that I don't catch until editing and by then I'm not going back to re-record. :-) As far as for a lefty, I suppose the only thing that would be different would be the tightening NUT would be on the opposite side. And I think you could get used to that. Thanks for the note Garrett. :-)
@@SavageFlies Yeah, the NUT would definitely be on the wrong side, LOL! I know we're a small percentage of the population but I sure wish manufacturers would pay a bit more attention to left handed operation. It really wouldn't be that hard to design those things so they could flip either way. Stay safe!
Looks and sounds like a budget Peak and that's ok. Something for everyone. I bought the Peak from your review, (that's how I found your channel) I love it. Personally I like the heavy base. With the #Nirvana I would be clamping it to the table for sure. Great review Matt Thanks!
Thanks! I love my Peak as well. And good call on this really being a budget Peak. I think I could tie effectively on it, if I was using the c-clamp. The wobbly pedestal would drive me crazy though!
I love your honest and thorough reviews. Looks like a great starter or travel vise and was impressed with the ability to adjust the head angle. Fingers crossed! Thanks! #Nirvana
Rollin- congrats my friend. I just did the drawing and this comment was the winner. Send me an email with your address and I'll get the vise in the mail to you. matt@savageflies.com
HI Matt, I am still in the learning stage of tying. You are a great teacher and really enjoy your videos. I would love to have a upgraded vice like this one. #Nirvana
Cool little vise I like it. I believe it would take a brief period getting used to it but wouldn't be a bad one. I sent you a pic of my bench last April but just in case I went ahead and resent it. Love your channel and all the info you share #nirvana
I like the review Matt. The weight of the base can be overcome by a piece of thicker steel with a threaded hole for the post. If I'm fortunate enough to win this vise, I think that's what I'll do. I like your honesty and your strength forward approach to your critiques. Well done. #Nirvana
Good morning Matt thanks for your generosity! I’ve sent an email with bench photo don’t laugh too hard 😂. I can’t remember if I’ve sent a picture before or not. Thank you for the review, it would be a great travel vise for my father and myself. Everyone have a great day and be safe!! #Nirvana
I like the idea of having a dedicated travel vise. It took me a while to get my bench and vise set up the way I like it and the thought if doing it all over again is not my idea of #nirvana. Bad pun, sorry. Couldn’t help myself. Thanks for the honest review.
I love bad puns Ed. :-) And if I was traveling with this, I would take the clamp instead of the pedestal anyway so it would serve that purpose well. Thanks for the note!
Great name but this vice leaves me wanting for a few things. Great review Matt. I’ll stick with my Peak…though any recommends on large hook system? I’m looking at the Peak LIRS…but that thing isn’t cheap.
No that thing is not cheap at all Sam! I've never tied with really big hooks, but I have heard good things about the Dyna-King. They have a Barracuda that will hold up to 10/0, but that thing is even more expensive than the LIRS. It might be worth checking them out to see if they have any moderately priced vises for huge hooks.
Thanks Matt, I love your channel and the instructional videos. I have a vice for my bench, but one for the road would be nice. Thank you for what you do.#nirvana
You're right; I see it on Moonlit's sight now. I don't remember that option when I ordered a few weeks ago. Maybe it's a new option but I wish I had seen it as my review would have been a bit different. Thanks for the note Richard!
Nice review Matt. A couple of questions- a- Do you know if it has a 3/8” shaft like most other vises? If so, it could be used on a different base. If I have to hold the base with one hand while rotating with the other, I’ve used up all my hands and wouldn’t be able to hold the material I’m trying to wind on. That defeats the purpose of a true rotary. b- How smooth and easy is the rotation? In the video, it seemed like you had to tighten the adjustment quite a lot to keep the weight of the jaws from causing it to rotate on its own.
Thanks Jim, and these are great questions. Here goes... I thought it was a 3/8" shaft, by measuring it with my ruler, and just visually comparing it to my Regal. But when thinking exactly what you're thinking, I tried putting it in my Regal pedestal and it didn't fit. It was just a hair too wide. So I tried it in a couple other C-clamps and the same thing. And it's kind of an odd post. It's threaded for about a half inch at the bottom, and continues at that diameter for another half inch, and then actually gets a little wider further up. So I'm thinking it would have to be a unique pedestal that would hold it. Regarding the rotation. I could have probably done a better job at explaining this. If I was using the rotary feature to actually wrap material on the hook, I would loosen it enough that it would rotate pretty easily. So I wouldn't have to hold the base with my thread hand. And the vise performed fine like that. It's just when you're looking for that happy medium between freely rotating, and not rotating at all... like how I would like to use it. I think it under performed there (at least when it was on the light base). But I wouldn't say that it wasn't smooth. It was okay there. Maybe not as smooth as my Peak, but I'd say it rotated as smoothly as the Griffin's I've tried. I hope this helps!
Matt, This is Brandon from Moonlit Fly Fishing and NIRVANA ON THE FLY. We have an updated version of this vise, where we took to heart some feedback we received. I sent you an email about the new version of this vise. I would love to talk to you about it if you have time. Thank you
Brandon- I'm out at the moment but will be home this evening. I'll take a look at my email shortly and get back to you! Thanks for the note. Looking forward to hearing about the updates! :-)
#Nirvana, Thanks for honest opinion and review. I think does look a lot like Renzetti. Even with light base could you put it in a heavier base. At 1lb could still be a good travel vise.
Thanks Gary, but oddly enough, the post was slightly wider than the standard 3/8 inch so it wouldn't fit in a standard base. But as for a travel vise on a c-clamp... it'll do the job.
Thanks Bruce! There's not really anything you could change to make it more for a lefty, but I'd say you could still use it if you don't mind the locking bolt being on the far side.
Looks like a solid vise. I’m a c clamp guy and the only downside I see is you can’t adjust the height on the c clamp. It would probably take a little to get used to. I believe I sent you a picture of my bench awhile ago. If you don’t have it anymore let me know and I will send you another one! #nirvana
I need to change the height of my vise due to back issues & need a c-clamp. A vise stem that screws in at the top of the clamp makes me wonder if the screw socket & stem will stand up over time to repeated torque when tying large flies. Rather than pressure spread at two points on a clamp, this concentrates the pressure on one.
That's a good point Bob and one I didn't even consider. But having played around with it a bit, I think it would hold up to the torque. There is a good half inch of threads on the post. But how long would it last if you took it in and out of the clamp often? I don't know. I do think that was a poor choice of design though. With an aluminum stem, they could have done like Griffin does and used a threaded extension for going between a pedestal and a clamp.
Thanks for the review Matt. I was actually researching this one this weekend as we wore out our current video. The price point makes this one pretty attractive compared to the regal or Renzetti which is what I have been looking for. My main concern was that it looked mainly aluminum, but I am sure it will still hold up. I like the colors:). #nirvana
Appreciate it Derek! It's a solid vise and if you use the c-clamp instead of the pedestal it'll do a good job. Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
I just did the drawing and congrats to Rollin LaPoint. We had 126 entries here so thanks to all who participated!
The hallmark of your reviews are the experience with many different types, styles, and manufacturers of products out on the market. In my honest opinion, what really separates the reviews are your honesty and fairness. BZ
Thank you! Sometimes I hesitate to do a bad review, and oftentimes I'll just not do one at all if it's not something that I don't at least find something good about it.
Good morning Matt. Thanks for the product review. Enjoyed seeing a new product that I’ve never seen or heard of. I hope someone that needs a decent vise and is just getting started wins. I’m happy with my vise. Thanks for providing the opportunity. Take care Matt
You bet John, this is one of the most fun things I get to do here on the channel. :-) And interacting with all ya'll is pretty fun too.
Thank you Matt for the #Nirvana vice review. This is the most solid fly tying channel on TH-cam. You are covering every aspect of the sport. And covering it very well. Thank you my friend. God bless.
Wow, thank you Jeff! I appreciate these comments more than you know my friend. :-)
Like the honest review and comments on their great customer service. I have purchased some of their hooks and I really like them. Thanks for all you do Matt.
Thanks Chad, and cool to hear!
Thanks for your candid review Matt...very helpful...season's greetings from the UK
Great honest review Matt. I just got a Regal and it is pretty hard to beat. Good luck everyone.
No doubt John. I absolutely LOVE my Regal. :-)
Hi from Kansas City 🎣🤠.
This video looks like a nice One for the price. Thanks for the heads up.
I don't need a new vise and don't want to beat someone out of it who needs it. I set up my phone and show your videos on the table where we fly tye and solve the world 's problem s , half a dozen old guys and I 'm the youngest at 70.🤠😂
On Tuesday and Friday if it's bad weather and can't meet up 🎣 fishing. Wrote you last week on the maxcatch and with the little jaws on it works great for mig's size 20. Thanks again for all your help and support 🎣🤠 Dave Hughes
Well thank you Dave; this is such a great comment to get! It really encourages me to keep doing what I'm doing here. I'm a bit behind in my regular emails right now so I apologize if you've written and I haven't gotten to it yet. But I certainly appreciate you watching and leaving comments here. :-)
Thanks for the review Matt
I really appreciate these vice reviews. Thank you
You bet Mark! I hope they help my friend. :-)
Great review! Not in the market for a new vise but always appreciate keeping up with what's available and using this valuable info to help new fly tying friends! Thanks!
Well thank you Brian; I appreciate this great comment! :-)
thanks for the review Matt hope you are having a great weekend
Thanks Dave! It was a cold and windy day here in Maryland but a pretty good weekend overall. :-)
Always great the way you give back to the community. You have a lot of respect from this part of Kentucky. You are making the art of fly tying something very special for me with each passing video. #Nirvana
Wow Luke, I appreciate getting comments like this. It makes me smile and keeps me motivated to keep at it. Thank you my friend. :-)
#NIRVANA - I have been sharing you know who’s vice for I don’t know how long! It’s time for one of my own! Thank you for a super review as always Matt!
Ha! I was just thinking about Butch and wondering where he's been in these comments. But I know you two watch and I appreciate it. :-)
I love your honest reviews Matt. I did buy the Peak vise after your review awhile ago. Cheers!
Thanks Todd! I hope you're still liking it. I haven't tied much on my Peak since Christmas vacation at the farm but I still dig it. :-)
@@SavageFlies I am! Just tied again for a couple of hours last night.
I never heard of this vise before but I like how honest your reviews are. #nirvana
Appreciate it Brian!
#nirvana Great review Matt. I like how detailed you get into the vise for anyone that would be looking to buy one. Keep it up!
Appreciate it Nick! Thanks for the note and good luck my friend. :-)
Thanks for the excellent review Matt. That #Nirvana is a nice looking vise!
You bet Daryl! I appreciate you watching. :-)
Thanks Matt. Great review. Be a great vice for someone starting out for sure. I would have loved it as a beginner tier. Thanks for giving back.
Appreciate it Mike! While it may not be as solid as some of the big brands, it would have certainly beat the Double-A I started on. :-)
Good morning Matt. Thank you for your review. Been thinking of upgrading to a rotary vice so appreciate this review. Have a great weekend and stay safe my friend. #nirvana
Thanks Karl! I appreciate the note my friend. And good luck!
Hi Matt, thanks for always giving back to the fly tying community. I hope you have fantastic rest of the week! #Nirvana
Thanks for the review Matt, I appreciate you keeping it real. Have a blessed day my friend. #Nirvana
Appreciate it! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
Great objective review. I don't have a bench, just containers of materials and a vise grip. I had sent you a photo when I tied a foam beetle with a tinsel pipe cleaner abdomen. Thanks for providing a chance to upgrade my fly tying with the #NIRVANA vise.
Ralph- you're good my friend. I know you're a tier! No worries. :-) And good luck my friend!
Thanks for another nice review Matt. I'm brand new to tying and this is the vise I bought. Got the purple version. I've tied (and messed up) about 5 flies so far but I'm enjoying learning a new skill. Learning so much from your channel.
Wow, thanks for this great comment Deake! I'd love to hear how you like the vise after using it for a few months. But I tell you, if you get proficient with something like this, and you eventually go to something like a Regal or Renzetti, you'll be amazed at how much more enjoyable tying can be. And that's not a dig on this one. I think you made a solid choice for a first vise. :-)
Interesting vice. Enjoyed the honest review and overall comments. Thanks, as always. #NIRVANA
Appreciate it Matthew! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
I think it's awesome how much you give back to the fly fishing community # nirvana
Thanks Pat! I appreciate the note my friend. And good luck!
Nice honest review Matt! Don't know of any other you tuber that does as many reviews on various items related to fly tying as you. #Nirvana
Thanks Jason! I appreciate the kind words my friend. And good luck!
Like your reviews. Thx Matt!
Thanks for another helpful review #nirvana looks to be a good vise to take when wife is shopping sit in car and do some fly tying thanks for your time and review
That's a great idea Kevin! I was at a horse show today (daughter was competing) and we had at least six hours of downtime between events. I could have tied several dozen flies!
Great vid Matt , I have a new purple Nirvana I like it so far Thanks Mark
Thanks Mark! I was hoping some of the commenters here would be able to weigh in with their experience. :-)
@@SavageFlies your welcome
Brandon over at Dragontail is a stud. Recently ordered a tenkara rod from him but production was delayed, which was no fault of his, yet he still apologized for the inconvenience and sent me two replacement tips for free! Im sure whatever products he sells are a great value, including this #nirvana vise. Thanks for the review Matt
Thanks Ben! I appreciate the note my friend. And good luck!
The vise you reviewed looks like a great vise. I'm going to look at this vise for my second one. Thank you again for a great review on another vise. #nirvana
Appreciate it Robert! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
In the market for a new vice. I have just the kit vice my son bought me. Enjoying the mentions of my home state and towns. Thanks you for the videos they have helped me a ton improving my fly tying. The best part is if the fly you tie isnt perfect it's ok and you show your mistakes. #nirvana
Well thank you; I appreciate the kind words. And good luck to you my friend!
I was actually researching this vise a while back. The design caught my eye and I like how you can move the jaws to adjust for hook size. But the downfall for me was how light the pedestal is. But a great an honest review. I hope this vise goes to someone who truly needs it. If someone who wins need this vise that actually doesn’t need it. I hope they will give it to someone who does. Keep up the great work Matt.
Thanks for this great comment! And I agree with you 100%. :-)
Thanks Matt for a great honest review. I already have two Regal vices and I think it would be hard to beat. It looks like a great travel vice where weight is an issue. I love what your doing.
Appreciate it James! And I hear you about the Regals. I'm not sure there's anything out there that I'd rather be tying on.
Thank you, Matt. I appreciate your honesty in your reviews. While I don't really need this, my daughter would love it. #Nirvana.
Thanks Kyle! Good luck to you and your daughter my friend. :-)
Hey Matt...thanks for the great review on the #Nirvana vise. Even if I wasn't to purchase this particular vise your insights and observations are valuable to me while considering other vises to purchase. You highlighted some things I may not have thought of. This coming from a guy still tying on my Thompson Model A purchased about 45 years ago. Might be time to consider a new one! Once again, thanks for all you do!
Gerald, thanks for the kind words my friend! I got your picture so you're good! Now I've seen about 50 pictures of benches in the last day, and I have to tell you... yours is pretty neat! :-)
Another GREAT review Matt. I’ve seen this #nirvana vise here and there and always wondered about it. I was also unclear as to whether or not it was part of the larger tenkara company. You always do the community a great service with the thoroughness of your reviews. Always appreciated brother.
Thanks Mark! I appreciate the note man. :-)
#Nirvana. Hey Matt. Looks like a reasonable travel vise for me to use at fly tying demonstrations and shows. Tight lines! Will
I think it would work well there Will. Appreciate the note and thanks for watching!
Great review and nice vise. Thanks for your time and efforts. #nirvana
You bet Mark; I appreciate the kind words. And good luck to you my friend!
Hi Matt, it looks like it would be a good vise with only a couple minor changes. Your honesty is always greatly appreciated. Keep up the great work.#Nirvana
Thanks Art! I appreciate the kind words my friend.
Great review Matt. I totally agree with your comments. My #Nirvana vise came in two weeks ago.
Appreciate it JB! And thanks for watching my friend. :-)
#nirvana I'm glad you actually give honest reviews instead of just saying how great things are all the time. That dosent do anybody any good. Especially beginners!
Thanks Shane! I appreciate this note my friend. :-)
Great review Matt thanks for all the information you give us. #Nirvana
Appreciate it Ash! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
A very good review on the #Nirvana vise. Even with the negative features you pointed out it would be a big up grade for my fly tying bench.
Appreciate it Terry! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
Love your reviews, you’re always honest, I see its a lot like the Peak, and the Renzetti traveler thanks #Nirvana.
Appreciate it! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
Looks like a solid vise for what I do. Thanks for the honest review of the #nirvana vise Matt!
You bet Jeff! Thanks for watching my friend. :-)
Very nice review
Thanks Lora!
Fantastic review!! Love the honest input. Keep up the awesome work Matt!! #Nirvana
Appreciate it Rick! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
I saw this on line and was curious about the quality. Thanks for the honest review. #Nirvana
Appreciate it Don! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
Matt, thanks for the review. Sounds like "maybe" is the perfect review. Sounds like this vise has a lot of strong qualities but some areas that could cause challenges, largely depending how you use it. I really appreciate your honesty in reviews. #Nirvana
Brian- got your email my friend; you're good! And that dubbing box looks great. :-) Just wait until you have six like that. One for each: squirrel, raccoon, opossum, rabbit, etc... Don't check out Glacier Wear or you might end up going off the deep end with all kinds of critters' pelts!
@@SavageFlies ha! I definitely "won't" check out Glacier Wear. That's just synthetic dubbing box #1, I'm sure of it.
Ha! I just bookmarked some Canadian red squirrel pelts there. Grade two for 13 bucks, or five for 60. And I always get their cheapest grade pelts. We're not making hats here... we're making bugs! Here you go if you're really curious. :-) www.glacierwear.com/canadian-red-squirrel-pelt-pine-squirrel.html
Got mine last week and as you said base a bit lite. But the company offers a flat steel base at a cost of around 40 . So i wish i had seen that option first. All in all I like it and hold hooks and works well. Might get to the scrap yard for a bit of plate steel and make my own base , then good to go .Thanks Matt for the review.
Oh man, I didn't see an offer of a steel base either. That would have made this thing significantly better. Thanks for the note!
Great honest review as always. Off topic. What was your hardest fly to tie. Types of material, size etc? And easiest. Not including corn kernel on a hook. Thanks.
Thank you! The hardest fly I've successfully tied might be the Allerton from Mary Orvis Marbury's book. I was kind of proud of that one. That's why it's one of the three flies at the top of my channel page. As far as hard to tie that I continuously fail at, it's the Humpy. I never seem to make a good looking one of those. I really don't know why it's so hard for me. I guess I just need to practice it a bit more. Other hard ones... any of the old school married wing wet flies from Ray Bergman's book.
@@SavageFlies Matt, thanks for the reply. I value your skills. I like to study older flys. If I ever need a challenge. Lol.
Hi Matt, another super informative review of a vice I did not know existed. Even with a warped base it would definitely be an improvement over what I presently use. Your channel is the best. #Nirvana Have a great week and God Bless.
Well thank you Sam! I appreciate this comment and the kind words. Good luck my friend. :-)
Great honest review as always Matt! This looks like a good vise for those of us that currently have entry level vise’s. This would be a significant upgrade from my maxcatch. #Nirvana
Well thank you DB; I appreciate the kind words. And good luck to you my friend!
Another great video thanks for the opportunities
Appreciate it! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
Hey Buddy. I’ve been looking at a new vice for about three months now and like your review of this one. Hope you ship to Canada 🇨🇦. I’m going to try to find a Canadian distributor right after I finish this post. Thanks for the help.
You bet John! I've shipped a few things to Canada and they usually make it okay. After about a month anyway. Good luck my friend!
I'm in the market for a new vise and this would be a great addition. Thanks again for the review. Keep them coming. #Nirvana
Appreciate it Samuel! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
Good morning Matt! Thanks for another honest review for all levels of tyers. I've been thinking of getting a rotary vise, and this one looks like a very good candidate.
#NIRVANA
You bet Troy! And it's not a bad vise for your first rotary.
Looks like a nice clamp vise, looks a little cumbersome to tie while rotated half way. Thanks for the review, wimping out is fine, it is honest.
Thanks Lee I appreciate hearing that. :-) And you're right- tying with it partially rotated was a bit strange, but it worked okay rotated 180 degrees and tying in throats.
Matt, nice honest review. This vise looks to be a blend of several styles of brand name vises. Style of the jaws look similar to a Renzetti traveler. Post and bobbin cradle look like it was taken from Griffin. Just my thoughts/opinion. Looks like I am going to have to get you a picture of my tying bench for the future. Have a great day and thanks for all your great reviews. I now have build a separate area for my slowly growing book collection!!
Ha! I hear you Steve. If I don't stop buying so many books I'm going to need another shelf. And don't worry about sending me a picture. I know you're a tier my friend. You've been around here for quite a while and your last name is pretty recognizable. :-)
@@SavageFlies Lol
Good morning Matt. Not a bad looking vise. Been looking for a new rotary vise. Mine works, but it's just worn out. #Nirvana. Believe you already have my picture of my table. Have a blessed Sunday.
Oh you're good Nich. You've been around here a pretty good while. I know you're a tier. :-)
I think I could find a space for that #Nirvana vise, thanks Matt!
Appreciate it Mike! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
Grate review as always keep up the great work 👍 👏 im looking at a Renzari for my next vise how 🤔 would it stand up to that vise
Thanks Charlie! I think most all Renzetti's are going to be in a higher class than this one.
@@SavageFlies for me its not about price its about how well it works
Great review, thoroughly enjoyed. I'm presentingly researching new vises. Keep up the great work! # Nirvana
Thanks Michael! Check out my "5 vises under $100" or my review of the Peak if you're looking for a rotary. You've got lots of choices out there these days. :-)
I am just beging and really don't have a bench yet but I'm learning from your experience
Great job on the review Matt, please keep them coming!! Shame the vice is not "south-paw" friendly, or I'd put my name in the hat. All The Best Matt!!
Appreciate it Richard. I don't think it would be too hard for a lefty to use. You could always use the locking nut on the bottom instead of the one on the side. Probably not ideal though.
I would like to see a review of large size vises. I use bug hooks, up to 5/0 and sometimes bigger. I tie a bunch of jigs since I’m primarily a Bass fisherman, I do chase Trout and Stripers.
Thank you for posting this review up, I am in the market for a larger jaw vise and appreciate all your reviews.
You bet! Thanks for watching. And I think Jeffrey mentioned a good one. The Regal big game jaws will go quite big. And Dyna-King has the Barracuda that'll go to a 10/0. Of course it's is pretty pricey so I doubt I can afford to do a review of that one any time soon.
Hey Matt!
Good Honest review 👍
Went fishing but the wind was crazy 20+mph and big gust and got Skunked 🤣🤣🤣
Oh man, I hear you Jim! I was at a horse show all day today. It was 40 degrees, but the wind made it brutal. We had to go sit in the truck to warm up at least half a dozen times. But I did find a cool creek I'd never seen at the equestrian center. I think I'm going to take my new Tenkara rod with me next time and sneak off between events. :-)
Looks awesome ! Perfect for travel and use in the field. #Nirvana Cheers !
Appreciate it John! Thanks for the note and good luck my friend. :-)
Thanks for the review I found it balanced and quite helpful. I splurged on a Peak before this one was introduced, so maybe it will be a travel vise as you suggest.
Appreciate it Bob. Good luck my friend!
I have been looking for a good travel vise. Thanks for the review Matt!!. #Nirvana
Appreciate it Kurt! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
Thanks for the information it's great. to now.
Seems like a "silver bullet" vise requires LOTS of silver nowadays. Back in the day when I wanted to upgrade to a rotary like the Renetti Traveler it was I THINK $120 frog skins😉, still a lot but affordable for me back then. Now they're shy of $200. Matt you do a great service to novice and not so novice tiers with these honest reviews and giveaways. Thank you.
You're not kidding there Joe! The last I checked even the Renzetti Apprentice is getting up there. I would like to review one of their Presentation models but might start with the Traveler. But you know what I really want to try out? The Wolff Industries Atlas. I see that one in all the shops but don't know too many people who tie with it. Now you've made me curious... I've got to look it up. I see the Atlas is $190 at Stockard right now. I might have to do that one next. Thanks for the note!
Thanks for the honest review Matt! Sounds like "maybe" is the perfect description. One question: how easy would it be to set it up for us Leftys in the group? Kinda hard to tell from the video if the clamp and the big bolt for the rotary tension could be reversed. One very minor nit to pick: that six-sided thingy threaded on the bottom of the post is a NUT, not a bolt. (LOL, sorry, couldn't resist!) Have a great week my friend! 🙃🙃
Hahaha! I know that too!! When I re-watch videos (after editing and posting of course), I say dammit, I called that a bolt again! And I hope most people didn't notice but I said the bag came with a couple allen wrenches and screwdriver. I meant a wrench! I make these mistakes all the time that I don't catch until editing and by then I'm not going back to re-record. :-) As far as for a lefty, I suppose the only thing that would be different would be the tightening NUT would be on the opposite side. And I think you could get used to that. Thanks for the note Garrett. :-)
@@SavageFlies Yeah, the NUT would definitely be on the wrong side, LOL! I know we're a small percentage of the population but I sure wish manufacturers would pay a bit more attention to left handed operation. It really wouldn't be that hard to design those things so they could flip either way. Stay safe!
Looks and sounds like a budget Peak and that's ok. Something for everyone. I bought the Peak from your review, (that's how I found your channel) I love it. Personally I like the heavy base. With the #Nirvana I would be clamping it to the table for sure. Great review Matt Thanks!
Thanks! I love my Peak as well. And good call on this really being a budget Peak. I think I could tie effectively on it, if I was using the c-clamp. The wobbly pedestal would drive me crazy though!
I love your honest and thorough reviews. Looks like a great starter or travel vise and was impressed with the ability to adjust the head angle. Fingers crossed! Thanks! #Nirvana
Appreciate it Rollin! Thanks for the note and good luck my friend. :-)
Rollin- congrats my friend. I just did the drawing and this comment was the winner. Send me an email with your address and I'll get the vise in the mail to you. matt@savageflies.com
HI Matt, I am still in the learning stage of tying. You are a great teacher and really enjoy your videos. I would love to have a upgraded vice like this one. #Nirvana
Thanks Joe! I appreciate the kind words my friend. And good luck!
Hi, Matt. Great review. Would love to use this as a travel vise. Will send a picture of my bench/office desk/kitchen table. #nirvana
I got it brother, you're good!
Cool little vise I like it. I believe it would take a brief period getting used to it but wouldn't be a bad one. I sent you a pic of my bench last April but just in case I went ahead and resent it. Love your channel and all the info you share #nirvana
I got it Jason- but you were good anyway. I remembered the Punisher sticker. :-)
Matt, very nice review!
#nirvana
Appreciate it George! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
I like the review Matt. The weight of the base can be overcome by a piece of thicker steel with a threaded hole for the post. If I'm fortunate enough to win this vise, I think that's what I'll do. I like your honesty and your strength forward approach to your critiques. Well done. #Nirvana
I appreciate the note Don; thank you! I also got your bench picture so you're good my friend. :-)
Nice review Matt , appreciate the honesty . Would be an upgrade to starter vise . #Nirvana
Thanks for the review Matt, looks like a good vise. #Nirvana
Good morning Matt thanks for your generosity! I’ve sent an email with bench photo don’t laugh too hard 😂. I can’t remember if I’ve sent a picture before or not. Thank you for the review, it would be a great travel vise for my father and myself. Everyone have a great day and be safe!! #Nirvana
Appreciate it Mike! And you're good my friend. I know you're a tier. :-)
you should do a review on venture fly CO's flysmith rotary vise.
#nirvana love the reveiw it was full and unbiased and very well spoken ill be coming back forsure.
Thank you Destin! I appreciate the kind words. I got your picture so you're good to go. :-)
I like the idea of having a dedicated travel vise. It took me a while to get my bench and vise set up the way I like it and the thought if doing it all over again is not my idea of #nirvana. Bad pun, sorry. Couldn’t help myself. Thanks for the honest review.
I love bad puns Ed. :-) And if I was traveling with this, I would take the clamp instead of the pedestal anyway so it would serve that purpose well. Thanks for the note!
Great name but this vice leaves me wanting for a few things. Great review Matt. I’ll stick with my Peak…though any recommends on large hook system? I’m looking at the Peak LIRS…but that thing isn’t cheap.
No that thing is not cheap at all Sam! I've never tied with really big hooks, but I have heard good things about the Dyna-King. They have a Barracuda that will hold up to 10/0, but that thing is even more expensive than the LIRS. It might be worth checking them out to see if they have any moderately priced vises for huge hooks.
Thanks Matt, I love your channel and the instructional videos. I have a vice for my bench, but one for the road would be nice. Thank you for what you do.#nirvana
Thank you Tom! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)
I just found out they have a steel base that can be purchased separately. So you could have a great travel vise and home vise.
You're right; I see it on Moonlit's sight now. I don't remember that option when I ordered a few weeks ago. Maybe it's a new option but I wish I had seen it as my review would have been a bit different. Thanks for the note Richard!
Nice review Matt. A couple of questions-
a- Do you know if it has a 3/8” shaft like most other vises? If so, it could be used on a different base. If I have to hold the base with one hand while rotating with the other, I’ve used up all my hands and wouldn’t be able to hold the material I’m trying to wind on. That defeats the purpose of a true rotary.
b- How smooth and easy is the rotation? In the video, it seemed like you had to tighten the adjustment quite a lot to keep the weight of the jaws from causing it to rotate on its own.
Thanks Jim, and these are great questions. Here goes...
I thought it was a 3/8" shaft, by measuring it with my ruler, and just visually comparing it to my Regal. But when thinking exactly what you're thinking, I tried putting it in my Regal pedestal and it didn't fit. It was just a hair too wide. So I tried it in a couple other C-clamps and the same thing. And it's kind of an odd post. It's threaded for about a half inch at the bottom, and continues at that diameter for another half inch, and then actually gets a little wider further up. So I'm thinking it would have to be a unique pedestal that would hold it.
Regarding the rotation. I could have probably done a better job at explaining this. If I was using the rotary feature to actually wrap material on the hook, I would loosen it enough that it would rotate pretty easily. So I wouldn't have to hold the base with my thread hand. And the vise performed fine like that. It's just when you're looking for that happy medium between freely rotating, and not rotating at all... like how I would like to use it. I think it under performed there (at least when it was on the light base). But I wouldn't say that it wasn't smooth. It was okay there. Maybe not as smooth as my Peak, but I'd say it rotated as smoothly as the Griffin's I've tried.
I hope this helps!
@@SavageFlies Your answers to both questions help a lot! Thanks.
Matt,
This is Brandon from Moonlit Fly Fishing and NIRVANA ON THE FLY. We have an updated version of this vise, where we took to heart some feedback we received. I sent you an email about the new version of this vise. I would love to talk to you about it if you have time. Thank you
Brandon- I'm out at the moment but will be home this evening. I'll take a look at my email shortly and get back to you! Thanks for the note. Looking forward to hearing about the updates! :-)
#Nirvana, Thanks for honest opinion and review. I think does look a lot like Renzetti. Even with light base could you put it in a heavier base. At 1lb could still be a good travel vise.
Thanks Gary, but oddly enough, the post was slightly wider than the standard 3/8 inch so it wouldn't fit in a standard base. But as for a travel vise on a c-clamp... it'll do the job.
As usual Matt an excellent review. One question, I'm a lefty can the vice be changed over for that? #nirvana
Thanks Bruce! There's not really anything you could change to make it more for a lefty, but I'd say you could still use it if you don't mind the locking bolt being on the far side.
Looks like a solid vise. I’m a c clamp guy and the only downside I see is you can’t adjust the height on the c clamp. It would probably take a little to get used to. I believe I sent you a picture of my bench awhile ago. If you don’t have it anymore let me know and I will send you another one! #nirvana
Oh you're good my friend. I know you're a tier. :-)
I need to change the height of my vise due to back issues & need a c-clamp. A vise stem that screws in at the top of the clamp makes me wonder if the screw socket & stem will stand up over time to repeated torque when tying large flies. Rather than pressure spread at two points on a clamp, this concentrates the pressure on one.
That's a good point Bob and one I didn't even consider. But having played around with it a bit, I think it would hold up to the torque. There is a good half inch of threads on the post. But how long would it last if you took it in and out of the clamp often? I don't know. I do think that was a poor choice of design though. With an aluminum stem, they could have done like Griffin does and used a threaded extension for going between a pedestal and a clamp.
Great review Matt! #nirvana
Appreciate it Alex! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
Thanks for the review Matt. I was actually researching this one this weekend as we wore out our current video. The price point makes this one pretty attractive compared to the regal or Renzetti which is what I have been looking for. My main concern was that it looked mainly aluminum, but I am sure it will still hold up. I like the colors:). #nirvana
Appreciate it Derek! It's a solid vise and if you use the c-clamp instead of the pedestal it'll do a good job. Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!
Thanks for the review, Matt. Sounds like a pretty decent vise. I have actually been looking to add that one to my arsenal. #Nirvana
Appreciate it Todd! Thanks for watching and good luck my friend!