Abel “First Run 1998” Fly Tying Vise – Signed by Steve Abel

This is where it started.

An early Abel vise from the original 1998 production run, stamped “First Run” and signed by Steve Abel himself on the underside. Before Abel vises became widely known, this is the level of machining and design they were putting into the first pieces.

It’s not just a vise—it’s a snapshot of a moment when a reel maker stepped into the tying world and did it right the first time.

Smooth, solid, and built to last—but what sets this one apart is the provenance.

Pieces like this don’t come around often.