Stonfo Flytec Lever Vice

Stonfo Flytec Lever Vice
- Made in Italy

• High quality in-line 360° rotary action vise for the construction of fly fishing and lures.
• Stainless steel shaft with two precision ball bearings.
• Hook locking by lever device.
• Adjustable rotary tension.
• Locking knob 0°-180°.
• Small and lightweight.
• Equipped with pedestal base, C-Clamp (suitable for any table top up to 50 mm thick), 3 interchangeable (magnetised) hardened steel jaws, bobbin and parachute rest, centering gauge, spring material clip, Allen key and instruction manual.

I've been looking for a good quality rotary pedestal vice for a while. I have had a very cheap desk-clamp vice for a while and it is tricky to use on my work desk as I can't get to the sides and clamping it to the front is not practical.

So I came across the Stonfo Flytec Lever Vice which is made in Italy. If you search on 'Morsetto FlyTec Leva', you'll find it.

It is very well made, constructed from steel and brass with a substantial weighted base (about one kilogram in weight) enclosed in a plastic box. Ball bearings support the goosneck arm. It can be slightly loosened and you can rotate the goosneck with it latching at 0° and 180°. Loosening it further allows it to freely swivel in the goosneck.

A centering gauge is supplied which clips on to the goosneck. You clamp the hook and set up the gauge; then adjust the vice jaws support so that the shaft of the hook is inline with gauge pin and the centre of the goosneck rotation axis. Tighten everything up, remove the gauge and then if you rotate the goosneck with the handle, the hook and fly will rotate around this axis.

An adjustable bobbin rest is supplied, allowing you to hang the main thread off to the side whilst attaching dubbing, hackles, chenilles etc. by rotating the neck. You can swing the bobbin rest out of the way quite easily if you are not using it all the time.

Three hardened steel vice jaws are supplied with the vice. The medium No.2 is fitted on arrival. The all have slightly different heads as you can see left and below they are designed to hold different sized hooks for tying smaller and larger flies. The three jaws cover hook sizes 28 to 4/0. I've kept the medium one on for the moment. They are slightly magnetised to assist in securing the hook. The vice jaws are available separately too - perhaps they do get damaged, but time will tell.

A very well made and light desk clamp is also supplied. Made up of aluminium, steel and brass parts, it is quite sturdy and perfect for taking with you on fishing trips and holidays when you don't want to lug the heavy base around in your luggage.

A parachute tying hook is supplied, but you will have to use the arm that is used for the bobbin rest or get another one if you want to use both at the same time. To use the hook, you will have to make the parachute post from a loop then cut it down..

I'm very happy with this vice. The quality is great and it comes with some nice features as standard that are optional on other vices. The price, although not cheap, is reasonable. Shop around and you'll be amazed at the differences in prices. I bought mine from an online fishing shop in Italy. See the full range of vices from Stonfo on their website here.