In the mid-'70s, Bill Hunter designed and manufactured a vise that set new standards in more ways than one. Not only were the materials selected and the finish of the final product in a class of their own, so was the price. The first HMH Standard and Premium models weighed in at more than double the cost of the next most expensive vise!

But they were worth every cent. The $112 I paid for my HMH Premium # 274 was one of the best deals I ever made.

For several years Bill Hunter and his HMH products had the high-end vise market sewn up. Then the company changed hands, quality control slipped and Andy Renzetti moved in with his novel design of in-line rotary vises, followed by Ron Abbey with DynaKing.

HMH vises took a back seat in the fringes for a decade or so. But now they are back at the forefront. While remaining true to the original design, the Kennebec River Co. has refined some of the details, tightened up the quality control, and are producing first class vises at competitive prices.

The HMH Standard is a classic cam-lever operated vise with draw-in collet jaws. The general purpose Omni jaws are the best choice for the majority of tiers, while those interested in tying larger salmon or saltwater hooks should consider the Magnum jaws, which handle hook sizes up to #10/0. The Micro jaws are more a niche product, designed to hold hook sizes #20-32.

Each set of jaws holds its range of hook sizes very securely. The well designed and solid cam lever, carried over unchanged from the original design, makes for smooth operation with excellent hook holding power.

Exchanging the jaws is a simple procedure that requires no tools. Ease off the cam lever and simply unscrew the jaws from the front of the barrel, then screw in the next set of jaws.

The revamped HMH Standard now features a slightly longer machined stainless chassis with a bronze bearing. The fit is excellent, without any discernable play between chassis and the stainless barrel. Loosening the brass ring located just behind the chassis allows the jaws to rotate 360 degrees. Delrin rings on either side of the chassis assist in making the rotary function operate with velvet smoothness.

The HMH Standard is supplied with either a C-clamp or pedestal version. The black finished C-clamp opens up to a 2" gap while the pedestal, also finished in black, weighs in at a solid 4 lbs and proved to be stable for all but the most solid pulls. For deer hair bass bugs, a slightly heavier base would be beneficial.

One pet peeve is that the brass knobs on the C-clamp thread directly into the aluminum. A brass bushing would be a more professional finish. Similarly, a brass knob threads directly into the cast iron pedestal base.