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
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.
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
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
Those of you that sharpen your scissors. Do you sharpen one side only? All of mine are serrated on one side.
You have to think about how scissors work, they shear, they don’t slice. You sharpen to restore the edge on each 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
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.
I like 'snippers" that have replaceable blades such as Fly Rite Snippers or Anvil U.S.A. Accu-Tip Quick Snip Scissors. A company by the name of Mundial had this style snipper but I didn’t see them on their on-line site. (Judging from a picture, the Anvils doen’t look like it has a replaceable blade)
Check Chris Helm’s Whitetail Catalog he gives the name and address of a person in Ohio that sharpens tying Scissors.
Fishin’ Jimmy
I use Fiskars Sport Scissors and a Fiskars Scissors Sharpening Tool made to sharpen these scissors. I’ve been using the same pair of scissors for over 20 years. You can get the Fiskars Scissor Sharpener at a Michaels or JoAnns craft store.
We had a Fiskars factory till they moved to Mexico and you could get these scissors for $2 each. The sport scissors are no longer made but you can get almost the same scissor as an embroidery scissor.
Ted and Uncle Jesse have it just right. You should stroke only the sloped surfaces AND stroke only away from the cutting edge.
You don’t want any mini-burrs being dragged down toward the cutting edges.
Rogerole, here’s a quick, cheap scissors sharpening tip, take a small piece of alumminum foil and fold it several times, then make 10-12 cuts on it with your scissors. Sharpens them right up eliminating burs and polishing the edges. Try it, you’ll like it !!!
You could just pick up a pair of Wiss nipper scissors. They have fine pointed razor blades which are replaceable. They are highly recommended by A.K. Best and when it comes to fly tying his opinion is high on my list. Just my two cents.
I agree with the aluminum foil…it works. I keep a pile pre-cut by my tying bench and weekly give my scissors a quick sharpening. 
My scissors are Dr. Slicks. I sharpen them on my Smith sharpener. It has a scissors sharpener on it. Mine stay razor-sharp.
Worked very well, great tip!!