The Nor-Vise
Peter Watson spins up some flies with a vice from Peter Hayes.
Developed by Norm Norlander, a professional research engineer, the Nor-Vise fly-tying system is well equipped to meet the challenges of fly tying.
The vice comes standard with small in-line jaws; these easily handle hooks from #16 to 1/0. The jaws are designed to hold the hook shank in line with the rotating axis of the vice. This not only allows you to rotate the hook but to spin it rapidly, and this is where the Nor-Vise really shines. The ability to spin the hook drastically speeds up any thread work or wrapping of materials.
Start your thread off with a few turns, then a quick flick of your fingers gets the vice spinning and your thread is wrapped down the hook in seconds. Now the thread post comes into play; made the same height as the rotating axis of the vice it’s a simple matter to move your bobbin down and over the post. This holds the thread in line with the hook-shank, catching it on the eye of the hook and preventing it from unravelling.
Tail materials are tied in as normal, but dubbing is a different matter altogether.W
With the thread held over the thread-post, simply spin the vice, which starts the thread spinning as well, then touch your dubbing of choice to the thread and it will start to wrap around the thread, much like someone spinning wool on a spinning wheel. With a little practice you can put enough dubbing on your thread, and taper it if desired, to then lift your dubbed thread off the thread post, give the vice a quick spin and wrap your whole dubbed body in a flash.
Delicate materials like peacock herl can be reinforced in a similar manner. Tie in your herl and place the thread over the post, hold your herl forward and a quick spin of the vice sees the herl tightly wrapped around the thread—an instant herl dubbing-brush.
All this passing the thread backwards and forwards over the thread post highlights the brilliance of the other part of the Nor-Vise system—the automatic bobbin. The bobbin automatically retracts the tying thread as the pressure is released, giving you a constant thread tension throughout your tying and allowing you to move your bobbin over the thread post and back without having to manually wind some thread back on. This allows you freedom of movement with the bobbin throughout your tying.
It takes a little while to get used to—old habits are hard to shake—and you won’t be the last to snip your thread after completing a fly, to hear ‘zip’ as the thread is retracted down the bobbin. To overcome this it’s a simple matter to pull the thread out about 14 inches, this exceeds the length of the spring, and the clutch will kick-in, releasing some more thread. Now when you cut your thread it will retract the 14 inches leaving the extra still threaded through the bobbin. Even if you don’t have a Nor-Vise, these bobbins are a must on any tier’s bench, saving tying time.
The Nor-Vise system can be tailored to suit your own needs with the numerous conversions available. Larger in-line jaws for bigger patterns, a tube-fly conversion, and a fine-point conversion with angle jaws for better access to the rear of the fly on smaller patterns and curved hooks. Sets of jaws are quickly and easily changed over with a single locking screw loosened with the supplied Allen key.
A tying lamp can be mounted on the thread post for bright, shadow-free illumination, and a magnifier can be mounted on the Nor-Vise shaft for those of us who need a little help in the optical department. Having the accessories mounted up on the shafts helps keep your tying area clean and uncluttered.
All of this packs away neatly in the travel case with ample storage space. Pre-formed compartments hold your Nor-Vise and tying tools, and a high-density polyethylene board is supplied with pre-drilled mounting holes for the vice and thread post.
If you’re in the market for a new vice, or looking to speed up your tying, then the Nor-Vise system is definitely worth considering. More information on the Nor-Vise system is available at www.nor-vise.com and the vice and accessories can be purchased from Peter Hayes. www.peterhayesflyfishing.com