Gear Review : Renzetti Master - Special Edition Vice

The story behind this vice is simple. Supposedly Bob Popovics came to regal years ago and asked the good folks at Renzetti to design a production vice with a non-glare finish. The result is the Renzetti Master Vice: Special Edition.

I have wanted a Renzetti Master for many years but I have been pretty happy with my HMH spartan that I have been tying on for about ten years. I have nothing bad to say about the spartan, HMH makes a quality product and there is nothing wrong with mine. In fact, I am just getting ready to do my first jaw replacement on it. The only reason I wanted a different vise is for rotary features.

With all that said I was at the Somerset show this past January when a friend of mine pointed out the special edition sitting in a shop booth during a walk around at the show. The temptation was too much to resist, especially with a little wheeling and dealing.

I could not be happier with my decision. This vice is a piece of art unto itself let alone a world class tying tool. It features a variety of hard to beat features including a dual ball bearing rotary head that insures smooth rotation. The tension is adjustable and it features a material clip that is movable and can be positioned close or far from the fly to meet your tying space needs.

The jaws are impressive too, accommodating a wide range of hook sizes from a miniature size 28 all the way to a monstrous 10/0 with very minimal adjustment. For a guy like me who ties small flies for trout and huge flies for big predators, this is a huge draw. My favorite thing about the jaws is that with very minimal effort you can put a hook in the jaw, squeeze the cam and it holds hooks...securely. I cant move the hook around in the jaw without bending it and you barely have to squeeze the cam.

The rotary action is incredibly smooth and completely adjustable. It did take me some time to get the tension right and you will have to play with it a little bit to get everything right but once you get the vice set up the way you want it, it stays that way.

Another thing I like about the vice is that its not very heavy, it doesn't even feel heavy or clunky when working with it but this thing is solid. Its well built, the base is sturdy and does not move and everything stays in place where you want it to. The finish is very sharp and eye catching and also serves a purpose. The finish absorbs UV light and cuts down on glare which help you to focus longer during long tying sessions.

So far having only tied on it for two weeks I have not found a single thing about this vice to complain about. If it has one downside now its the hefty price tag, this vice comes in at a whopping 799.95 at retail