FLYMPH FORUM

Has anyone used a Harry Darbee vise? I’m intrigued by the design and I would like to try one if I can ever find a good one. Lots of his Catskill flies were “dressed” on one.
Bazza

I tied on one for years and it's a good piece of equipment. The Thomas was the original design and the one the Darbees used and described in Catskill Fly Tier. I well remember watching Harry and Elsie tie on them in their little green house above Hazel Bridge on the Willowemoc.
The Xuron vise was an improved model of the Thomas and was the one I had and still have. Every Catskill tier had one in the 1970's and they were about the best on the market. When the HMH became available many of us switched to that because of the rotary feature and interchangeable jaws. My HMH Standard is over 35 years old and is still the one I use.
The Thomas and Xuron both had a slightly softer steel in the jaws then other vises and held hooks perfectly. Also, there is no adjustment for different size hooks which is convenient, something like the Regal vise.

Writing this makes me want to dust off the Xuron and tie a couple Gordon Quills.

If you're interested I know where there are both models for sale at reasonable prices.

Xuron, eh? I have one of those, though I have never tied on it; it was in my grandfathers tying kit that he kept at camp. Until this thread I had no idea what the name of the vise was. There were several other vises in his collection, some I actually knew of. There's a reasonably well kept Thompson 'B' that I've never tried. I think I'll remedy that situation...

Mike-post up some pictures of those old vices !
Dana

Here is a nice Xuron I picked up last winter at a fly show in Ashville N.C. The local TU chapter had set up a rummage table and I got a great deal. It is like new.
Tom

An original Thomas Vice.

Tom

These are both beautifully simple and simply beautiful. I sense an Art Deco influence.

I have two Thomas vises from different manufacturing eras. The difference is the size of the head, one is noticeably larger then the other and one is on a ball the other not. I also have an early version Xuron. I have tyed on all three and I like them. There is one item that is my holy grail is finding the attachable thread holder. There are a couple of those, one fits on a flat one the stem and the other is a clamp on.

Theroe wrote: ↑Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:00 am Mike-post up some pictures of those old vices !
Dana

They're at camp. I was just there, too. We went in Sunday afternoon to shovel off the roof; we've already had 3' of snow. We put on snowshoes and dragged a tote sled full of fresh venison and the last of the partridge and spent the night. After we finished shoveling we sat there on the roof with a wee bottle of scotch and just enjoyed the absolute stillness. There's a few patches of open water still available and there are 4 Loons still hanging around...

I'll grab pictures when we go back up in a month or so.

I have something like that..... I'll have to find it and take a pic