Wolff Industries Apex Rotary Fly Tying Vise

I bought this vise as an upgrade from a cheapo Super-AA style vise with soft jaws that were starting to lose their holding power. I didn't want to drop ~$200 on a high-end vise, but I didn't want to settle for another low-end vise that would give out after another year or two. There's a pretty big gap from well-made starter vises (~$40) to more advanced vises like the Renzetti Traveler (~$170), with only a couple occupying that sweet spot around $100. There's the Griffin Odyssey series, which I've heard great things about but the cam-locking model came in above what I wanted to spend, and the Renzetti Apprentice which seemed like a slightly nicer Super-AA. Not happy wit those, I kept hunting.Enter the Apex! These can be found from between $90 and $110 if you're patient enough to poke around for a while. They come with both a solid pedestal base and a C-clamp base that's beefy and has a large enough gap to fit decently thick surfaces. The vise itself is built out of machined steel and is built like a tank; I could use this thing like a bludgeon if I had to. There's no play between components (except for the cam lever when unlocked, which is to be expected) and I haven't seen any machining flaws.The barrel can rotate in a pseudo-rotary fashion, though the hook shank will not be kept in a constant position; this is awesome for looking at all angled of your fly, and I almost always use this feature. It's kept from rotating wildly by an O-ring inside the collar, and by a set-screw on the side of the collar (though I don't use this since the O-ring system is so effective). The jaws are well-shaped, with the tips fine enough to hold midge hooks easily and grooves further back in the jaw for larger hooks; the smallest I've tied so far are size 18 parachute dries, and the largest were size 2 jig streamers. I've tied probably 180 flies in the last couple of months, and have encountered no issues of any kind. The cam lever long and operates smoothly, and it's easy to wrap your hand around the lever and the stem to get a very firm lockoff on hooks.In my opinion, this vise is the best option for someone looking for a long lasting and effective vise that won't break the bank. If you're looking to move up to a nicer vise from your starter, check these out before considering more expensive offerings! It beats the performance of the Renzetti Apprentice, seems more well-machined than similarly-priced Odyssey vises, and is cheaper than the entry-level HMH vises. If you *need* a true rotary action, there's the Atlas for another $40-50, which is just as well made. All in all, I expect this vise to last me many many more years and many more dozens of flies!

I have tied flies for 38 years now. In planning for a trip to San Juan river, I have made a couple hundred flies in size 18-24 range and the jaws are perfect and hook midge hooks well. I have also made some leeches and streamers (size 8) and vise holds well too. TIme will tell if the jaws will chip from tying midges as most other vises do and I hope I never have to try the Apex warranty. I don't use full rotary but it is useful to turn fly half rotation either way for work. The vise is Made in USA, is elegant sturdy design, and does exactly what I need. Hold the hook secure and a nice quick tighten/release. As one other reviewer said, the stem of the vise is very short and I wish it was longer. I bought a plastic container the same size as the base to raise it up to a comfortable working level. Other than that, highly recommend this vise to beginners and experts.

Screws are so loose they fall out when you try to use the vise. Clamp movenment is limited, with larger size hooks having to be forced into the jaws to clamp. It says it fits larger size hooks than 5/0 or 6/0 but I think not. I cannot return it because I live in Thailand and mailing it back would be more expensive than receiving it. My customs cost was same cost as the vise to get it to me. Renzetti Aprentice Vise is a much better value and quality build though it will not accept larger hook sizes.

I was excited to get this product in so that I could start tying my own lures. It was packaged nicely but making adjustments to the vise was difficult. The adjusting nut to open the jaws was very tight and hard to open/close. The vertical movement of the vise head was very tight and the up and down movement of it almost impossible after loosening the screw. I was originally thinking about sending it back but all I want it to do is hold my hook in place. Simple. Right? So I set it up as best I could according to my preferences and left it there. For the price, I wasn't impressed and I haven't even used it yet.

I've been tying on the vice for over a month now, and am very impressed with the quality. Great value compared to some others I have tried. As others have stated, the stem could be a bit longer and the base heavier/larger, but all in all, a very functional vice. The vice is well built. Mostly metal, but the rotary lock has a plastic cap. Not sure how well this will hold up over years of use, but we will see.I've tied a range of flies from 1/0 and 2/0 hooks for striper down to size 20 dries. The vice handles all of these hooks. I actually find the hook grooves in the jaws not all that helpful, especially with larger hooks. The larger the hook, the more apt it is to shift on you if putting pressure on the shank. Not all that inconvenient to periodically readjust the grip.

I decided it was time to upgrade my vice as I've moved from amateur fly tyer to intermediate and this vice is one that I can certainly grow into. It holds all size hooks very securely and has allowed me to try new techniques that has dramatically improved my tying. The quality is very impressive and the option for a pedestal base vs C clamp is very convenient. I highly recommend this for anyone from a novice to an expert. It is a great bang for your buck.

Had a cheap vise, and then bought this. If you've never bought a vise, don't waste your time on the cheap ones, they are a pain. Start out with this and you'll save yourself a lot of headaches. Curable, solid, precise, easy to use, and I love the table mount option with the clamp mount as well. Smart design. This is one of those products you look at and realize that's how you would have built one. Love it.