Fly Tying Scissors

[rodgerole]

Can fly tying scissors be sharpened? I suppose I shouldn't be so cheap and should go get another pair. these only cost $6-8 and have lasted several years.
I'm curious though and know other scissors can be sharpened; so, what about fly tying scissors...any one know how?

Rodger Oleson

[TyroneFly]

I have several inexpensive tying scissors I sharpen with honing stone (wet: adding a drop or two of honing oil) I got from my grandfather when I was a kid. Does a great job of keeping the edges sharp.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Rodger,

In a word, yes. You can touch them up yourself, or get them done. Ask a beautician or barber who does theirs for the best sharpener around.

REE

[James Smith]

My son has a shear sharpening business where he only sharpens shears for beauticians. Typically it takes him from 20 to 35 minutes to sharpen a pair of shears at a cost of $25 per pair. Keep in mind that good scissors for a beautician run from $175 to $2500 per pair. The sharpening machine cost around $2,500 and does a great job, but all that being said, I wouldn't ask him to sharpen my tying scissors if they cost me less than $10 to purchase. Can your old tying scissors be sharpened? Sure, but it's probably not worth the time, effort or cost, especially when I can pick up Dr. Slick scissors for $3-4 on sale at Sierra Trading post from time to time. Just my opinion.

Jim Smith

[chewydog]

Those of you that sharpen your scissors. Do you sharpen one side only? All of mine are serrated on one side.

[Uncle Jesse]

You have to think about how scissors work, they shear, they don't slice. You sharpen to restore the edge on each side.

[tedshuck]

Those of you that sharpen your scissors. Do you sharpen one side only? All of mine are serrated on one side.

I don't think you can resharpen serrated scissors without special equipment. I have resharpened several pair of smooth scissors by running a sharpening stone along the bevel at the edge of the blade, trying to keep the stone along the original bevel angle. You do not want to do anything to the faces of the blades that touch each other unless they are damaged; then you only want to smooth them to remove any damage.

Ted

[Uncle Jesse]

Those of you that sharpen your scissors. Do you sharpen one side only? All of mine are serrated on one side.

I think you can sharpen the non-serrated side but like Ted said you will mess up the serration if you try to sharpen it.