Griffin Enterprises, based in northwest Montana, has quietly been making inroads into the vise market with their basic, but well made and supported, range of low cost vises. Their Patriot vise is a classic product with a loyal following.

With the Odyssey cam version ($135) they have broken the $100 barrier, while the basic Odyssey, with thumbscrew lock-up, retails for $95, including C-clamp.

Both Odyssey versions are of in-line rotary design. The jaws are of the parallel-clamp design and hold a wide range of hooks very well. The thumbscrew jaws have a slightly finer point that offers better access to small hooks; the cam jaws are somewhat more bulky. A cam jaws kit is available from Griffin to upgrade existing thumbscrew Odysseys.

The in-line jaws assembly can be rotated by a crank handle, a simple design fashioned from round wire with a plastic cap on the turning end and a simple wire loop where it attaches to the jaws assembly. Loosening a brass ring controls the friction adjustment. The fairly high mass, especially when the cam jaws are fitted, causes the jaws to gravitate to a down-most position.

The jaws of any Griffin vise are fashioned from durable tool steel, and do a good job. The remainder of the vise is made up from low cost components, and many of the knobs appear to come straight off the shelves of your neighborhood hardware store. All threading is coarse and several of the knobs worked loose in tying. The jaw housing is a narrow brass block. The jaws assembly shaft is threaded for its entire length, while most vises have a rounded shaft with a good fit. The shaft is not well supported by the housing and there is significant play and wobble present, which is likely to irritate a discerning tier.

The C-clamp has a meager 1¾" gap and is not padded. The main stem breaks down into two sections creating a small package for easy transport. A bobbin cradle and a material clip are included in the price.