The original HMH Spartan came out in the early-'80s and was pitched as a scaled down (and less expensive) version of the HMH Standard. Scaled down in every aspect including jaws, barrel, cam, stem diameter, etc. It was a cute vise, nicely machined from good quality materials, but it never gained much popularity.

For 2001 the Kennebec River Co. has released a much-improved version of the Spartan and it is quite an impressive package!

What has remained is that it is once again positioned as a smaller sibling to the HMH Standard, but it now shares many of the same components with 'big brother'. It takes the same jaws, and likewise, the jaws change by simply unscrewing them from the front, then screwing in a different set. No tools are required for the switch and the operation takes seconds.

Omni, the general purpose jaws are supplied with the vise and will hold the full range of hook sizes for most tiers. Two other jaw sets are available, the magnum and micro, for large hooks up to #6/0 and the smallest hooks #20-32, respectively.

The cam lever is now full size, as is the stem (3/8") allowing it to fit most standard vise accessories.

The HMH Spartan is supplied in either a C-clamp or pedestal version. The black finished C-clamp opens up to an adequate, but not overly generous, 2" gap. The pedestal, also finished in black, weighs in at 3 lbs. A heavier base would be a plus and I would recommend using the C-clamp, especially for deer hair and bass bugs. Now that the Spartan has a standard diameter stem, obtaining a much heavier base elsewhere is much easier.

Overall material choice and finish is first rate, on a par with the more expensive Standard. Stainless steel and some brass fittings throughout are machined with fine tolerances and overall, the vise is well finished.

For tiers in the market for a traditional design vise, the new HMH Spartan at ($159) is one of the 'real deals' in contemporary vises. Highly recommended!

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