Gray's Needle Tubes were introduced in 2008. Developed and manufactured in Scotland by Grays of Kilsyth, these fine stainless steel tubes are the slimmest plastic lined metal fly tubes ever produced commercially for fly tying. Their introduction posed a slight problem however .... Most conventional fly tying tubes, be they plastic, copper, brass or aluminium, have outside diameters greater than two millimetres and, consequently, most tube fly vices are not designed to hold tubes of much less then this diameter. Grays Needle Tubes have outside diameters of 1.5 mm and 1.8 mm and very few fly tying vises can accommodate such ultra slim tubes efficiently. So we decided to make a dedicated Needle Tube Fly Vise, which might be conveniently fitted to most standard fly tying table clamps or bases, to facilitate the dressing of tube flies on needle tubes and other very fine fly tying tubes.

The new needle tubes and tube fly vise are now available from Grays of Kilsyth

The Needle Tube Vise

The new tube fly vise is simple and uncomplicated, designed to be fitted to the table clamp or weighted base of most standard fly tying vises. It consists of three components, as shown in the photograph to the right - a 200 mm long stainless steel shaft with an outside diameter of 8mm; a pin vise which can hold securely very small tubes of less than 1.5mm diameter; an aluminium adaptor to secure the pin vise to the upright shaft, which is designed to be fitted to the kind of clamp or base which is supplied with most standard fly tying vises. The adaptor, with its knurled thumbscrews, also allows the vise to be rotated through 360 degrees at any time during the tying of the tube fly, without the need to loosen the tube in the vise.

Click on images to enlarge

A new fly tying vise head for use with Grays Needle Tube Vise

Since the introduction of our Needle Tube Vice we have been asked if we could make a second vice head which would accept metal fly tying tubes of the conventional size and type, for example the traditional type of copper, brass and aluminium tubes of between 2.5 mm and 3 mm in diameter, and which could be fitted to our Needle Tube Vice. In response to this demand, we have now added a standard tube fly vice head, shown in the photograph to the right, which is now available in our Online Fly Shop as an optional accessory for anyone purchasing, or who has already purchased, our Needle Tube Fly Vice.

click images to enlarge

Using Gray's Needle Tube Vise

Grays Needle Tube vise fitted to a standard fly tying vise table clamp.

Please note that no table clamp or weighted base is supplied with the Needle Tube Vise. The 8mm diameter stainless steel shaft supplied should, however, fit most fly tying vice table clamps (as shown in the photograph) and bases. Tyers should ensure that they have a compatible table clamp or weighted base before buying our Needle Tube Vise.

The thumbscrew on the top of the needle tube vise can be loosened at any time during the dressing of the tube fly to allow 360 degree rotation of the vise head.

Click on image to enlarge

A 1.5mm stainless steel needle tube fitted securely in the needle tube vise ready for dressing.

Simply open the vise jaws by turning the vice head towards you, insert a needle tube of your choice and tighten.

Click on image to enlarge

A simply dressed needle tube fly, dressed on a 35 mm long stainless steel needle tube with an outside diameter of only 1.5mm, intended for sea trout fishing. The needle tube vise holds these ultra slim needle tubes very securely.

Click on image to enlarge

A Cascade salmon tube fly dressed on a shorter needle tube with a diameter of 1.8mm. The silver body of the polished stainless steel needle tube has been left undressed to create a very slim and simple salmon tube fly.

Note: The tube can be rotated easily through 360 degrees at any time during the tying procedure by turning the thumbscrew on top of the vice.