Dropped them and bent the tips. Does anyone sharpen these things? I would appreciate some help. Thanks
You might email ranchwife. I think she had a place that sharpens siccors.
Depending on how bad they are bent, they may not be fixable. It’s not a sharpening issue. I suspect that just replacing them is best and use those for wire and other coarse stuff.
Happy Trails!
Ronn
Aren’t Dr Slick scissors slightly serrated to “grab” onto materials when you are cutting? If so, then sharpening them will make materials slip when cutting.
IMHO, getting a new pair would be best.
Any one who has sharpened a plane blade can sharpen a scissors, the principles are the same.
I sharpen and file the points on all my scissor, including the Dr Slicks. If the scissors have a serrated edge you can add new serations with a special file made for that purpose. I am real picky about sharpness and also want a very thin point for flies in the 24-26 range. I use diamond stones or wet/dry silicon carbide sand paper on a glass plate (grits 500 thru 2000).
There are two surfaces that can be re-sharpened. First the flat inside surface needs to be made flat and true, then the cutting edge (narrow surface) needs to be honed to a sharp edge.
It is very easy to ruin a scissors with bad sharpening technique so get some instruction and practice on something other than you ‘favorite’ pair.
If the tips are bent first try to straighten them with gentle pressure on a flat hard surface. Re-shape the outside of the points with sand paper, diamond stones or metal files. Outside only, no filing on the inside surface.
Then open the scissors and flatten the inside surface of the blades, the surfaces that face each other when the scissors is closed. The objective is to remove any burrs and uneven areas so the cutting surface of the blades meet perfectly. Be extra careful not to remove too much material. Hold the scissors as flat as possible for this stage, any rocking motion will round the edges and destroy the cutting edge. Some scissors are slightly hollow ground, very easy to remove too much on this type. All you need is a consistant polished, perfeclty flat surface where the blades touch, a shiny line just a hairs width for the full length of the blade.
Next re-sharpen the cutting edge. Here is where you can remove more material, this step can remove defects an nicks. Look carefully at the cutting surface, you will see that it is at an angle slightly more acute than 90 degrees. Hold the scissors at the appropriate angle to match this bevel and gently draw it across the stone/sand paper, pulling or pushing in the direction of the cutting edge first (honing away from the cutting edge will leave a wire burr that will dull the scissors on the first cut.)
Check the cutting surface for a shiny spot and insure that you have exactly the right bevel angle. I sometimes blacken the blade with a sharpie marker so can better see the fresh surface. Small nicks and defects won’t interfere with the cutting action as long as the burrs are removed. Excessive honing or slight rounding will destroy the cutting action by preventing the cutting surfaces from meeting.
Go a little at a time, you can always remove more metal-but you can’t put it back. Remember, take as little material from the face as needed to flatten. Then do the bulk of the sharpening on the cutting bevel.
Never use a power stone or grinder, the heat builds up too rapidly and the temper of the steel is lost. This is especially true for the tips. The small (1" X 3") diamond hones work well in medium (blue) or fine (black) grits or use wet/dry silicone carbide sand paper mounted on a glass plate with spray adhesive. Use water or WD-40 as a lubricant.
Always use a lubricant to help disipate heat and to remove the ‘swarth’ (metal filings).
To create a serrated edge you can find special metal files made for that purpose (look in knife building web sites) or you can use a course wet stone. The course grit will cut micro-scopic grooves into the polished surface that help grip slippery materials like hair. To add serrations make one pass over the cutting edge with the blade held at 90 degrees to the length of the scissors, matching the bevel.
This is breif outline of ‘how to’ happy to respond with more detail if your interested…
Check with your local hair cutting shops, they often spend $100 or more on a real fine pair of scissors and get them regulary sharpend by proffesionals…
Thanks for the help. Clearly sharpening requires acquiring some additional skills this newbie doesn’t have yet. Really appreciate the thoughts, though.