Regal Vise

_WW_

_WW_

Geriatric Skagit Swinger
Forum Supporter
I have a Regal vise that I bought 30 years or so ago and I noticed the other day that it had been hard to squeeze the handle to open the jaws. In fact it may have been that way for several years but it wasn't until this steelhead season that I noticed it was problematic getting the salmon sized hooks in there. Then it dawned on me that it wasn't because I had become a 70 year old wimp, but because the cam needed a shot of oil. What a difference! I now don't need to pull a ligament to set up an AJ #3.
 
Stonedfish

Stonedfish

Known Grizzler-hater of triploids, humpies & ND
Forum Supporter
My 30+ year old Regal is the opposite. The jaws don't completely shut when I release the handle.
I attribute it to using a tube fly adapter in it for many years. Almost like the tension spring or whatever produces the tension is sprung.
I'll try the oil trick and if that helps loosen things up. If not, I'll send it in for a tune-up since I have another head.
SF
 
O' Clarkii Stomias

O' Clarkii Stomias

Landlocked Atlantic Salmon
Forum Supporter
Stonedfish said:
My 30+ year old Regal is the opposite. The jaws don't completely shut when I release the handle.
I attribute it to using a tube fly adapter in it for many years. Almost like the tension spring or whatever produces the tension is sprung.
I'll try the oil trick and if that helps loosen things up. If not, I'll send it in for a tune-up since I have another head.
SF
Click to expand...
I bought one of these a couple of years ago and haven't looked back.
htube-regal-tube-fly-vise-head-regal-722518_960x768.jpg
 
Buzzy

Buzzy

I prefer to call them strike indicators.
Forum Supporter
Stonedfish said:
My 30+ year old Regal is the opposite. The jaws don't completely shut when I release the handle.
I attribute it to using a tube fly adapter in it for many years. Almost like the tension spring or whatever produces the tension is sprung.
I'll try the oil trick and if that helps loosen things up. If not, I'll send it in for a tune-up since I have another head.
SF
Click to expand...
Mine does the same thing, Brian. It just doesn't hold hooks like it used to so it sits in my closet. I should either send it in for a tune-up or get rid of it. It does have a copper "busbar" base that's pretty cool. Gonna try oil.
 
B

Bob N

Steelhead
Buzzy, take a look at the jaws end of the vise hood, there may be cracks that weaken the jaws. I've had a couple of jaws over the past 30 + years that had this problem. Sent them back to Regal, used to be free but you can get a replacement set of jaws for $50. Their web site has all the mailing info etc. that you need.
 
Buzzy

Buzzy

I prefer to call them strike indicators.
Forum Supporter
Bob N said:
Buzzy, take a look at the jaws end of the vise hood, there may be cracks that weaken the jaws. I've had a couple of jaws over the past 30 + years that had this problem. Sent them back to Regal, used to be free but you can get a replacement set of jaws for $50. Their web site has all the mailing info etc. that you need.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Bob -
I wore a pair of 5X glasses with my Optivisor and can't see any cracks. What I think I see is the vise jaws arent coming fully closed right at the tip of the jaws, it's as if one of the jaws is slightly bent. I don't see how that can happen as I think the jaw material is brittle (I broke a piece off once, Regal replaced the jaws). Note to self: use a pair of pliers to debarb hooks, not the jaws of a vise. I think it's time to send the head back to Regal.

thanks again for the suggestion./Pat
 
_WW_

_WW_

Geriatric Skagit Swinger
Forum Supporter
I always use some needle nose for debarbing. My pair is smooth near the pivot and serrated near the tip. Probably had them for as long as the vise.
I do have to clean the tip of the vise every so often of glue and resin from being a sloppy painter.
 
the_grube

the_grube

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
O' Clarkii Stomias said:
I bought one of these a couple of years ago and haven't looked back.
View attachment 107748
Click to expand...
I've been ogling over one of these. I tie tubes mostly on pro sports fisher tubes using the needles that they make. They work in my regal, but you can't really get a good bite on them unless you angle the head of the vice up so that the needle comes through the jaws at an angle. That makes the rotary feature of my vice is almost moot.
What tubes do you tie on? Did you find the mandrels that come with the head adequate for all the tubes you tie on?
 
O' Clarkii Stomias

O' Clarkii Stomias

Landlocked Atlantic Salmon
Forum Supporter
the_grube said:
I've been ogling over one of these. I tie tubes mostly on pro sports fisher tubes using the needles that they make. They work in my regal, but you can't really get a good bite on them unless you angle the head of the vice up so that the needle comes through the jaws at an angle. That makes the rotary feature of my vice is almost moot.
What tubes do you tie on? Did you find the mandrels that come with the head adequate for all the tubes you tie on?
Click to expand...
After years of tying on a number of different tubes, brass, copper, aluminum, and plastic, I've settled on Pro Sportsfisher plain plastic tubing. The Regal mandrels work very well with their tubing. I tied on a Renzetti tube vise for a long time, and the Regal is far superior. I don't tie in a rotary fashion, but I do rotate the head to check on proportions. I still have the Renzetti, and tie on it when I'm too lazy to swap heads on my Regal, but if I'm tying more than one, it's on the Regal.
 
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