08-25-2007, 10:34 PM
I have seen a couple of people tie flies with out a vice (John Betts for one but can not remember who the other person). It is amazing to watch.
The guy you saw on ESPN has a good chance of being John Betz. He has developed a number of innovative products for fly tying and fly fishing. (Such as Z-Lon and gold and silver plated feathers.) He was the "Fly Fisherman of the Year" ( [url "http://www.flyrodreel.com/index.php/page/issues/sku/FRR2006_04/id/19082"]http://www.flyrodreel.com/index.php/page/issues/sku/FRR2006_04/id/19082[/url]) His artful creations have been on the cover of Fly Tyer magazine a number of times. If I remember correctly that is the only way he ties. I don't remember much at all about how he does. I decided I did not want to mess with it. Being fumble fingered I figured I stick enough hooks in my fingers with out trying that.
I do not know of any sources of instruction for tying without a vise. I did read a short article in Fly Fisherman magazine a few years back.
You might think about buying a Danvise. For the money it is an excellent vise. It is what I tie with for the last 5 years. You see a good number of people tying with them at fly tying events.
[url "http://www.artsnflies.com/pages/danvise.shtml"]http://www.artsnflies.com/pages/danvise.shtml[/url]
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The guy you saw on ESPN has a good chance of being John Betz. He has developed a number of innovative products for fly tying and fly fishing. (Such as Z-Lon and gold and silver plated feathers.) He was the "Fly Fisherman of the Year" ( [url "http://www.flyrodreel.com/index.php/page/issues/sku/FRR2006_04/id/19082"]http://www.flyrodreel.com/index.php/page/issues/sku/FRR2006_04/id/19082[/url]) His artful creations have been on the cover of Fly Tyer magazine a number of times. If I remember correctly that is the only way he ties. I don't remember much at all about how he does. I decided I did not want to mess with it. Being fumble fingered I figured I stick enough hooks in my fingers with out trying that.
I do not know of any sources of instruction for tying without a vise. I did read a short article in Fly Fisherman magazine a few years back.
You might think about buying a Danvise. For the money it is an excellent vise. It is what I tie with for the last 5 years. You see a good number of people tying with them at fly tying events.
[url "http://www.artsnflies.com/pages/danvise.shtml"]http://www.artsnflies.com/pages/danvise.shtml[/url]
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