# Tying scissors



## MatthewAbbott (Feb 25, 2017)

Dr. Slick for the tight/fine work and a 6” dog grooming set for long cuts.


And no. I don’t have them sharpened.


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## MatthewAbbott (Feb 25, 2017)

I also have a couple old sets for cutting brush wires.


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## Ken T (Dec 10, 2015)

Dr. Slick synthetic scissors.


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## efi2712micro (Sep 17, 2015)

Dr. Slick all around


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## texican08 (Sep 13, 2016)

Combo of Dr Slick and Loon. Would like to get my hands on the large EP scissors for trimming baitfish patterns.


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## IRLyRiser (Feb 14, 2007)

I use dr slick a like them, but I haven’t really ever used anything different.


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## Ferrulewax (Mar 19, 2018)

Commercial grade poultry shears for trimming gamechangers and EP fiber. Loon Razor scissors for general use. Dr. Slick for fine work on nymphs. And a few pairs of cheap craft scissors for everything else.


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## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)

I don't waste money on fly tying scissors anymore, just get the 5" Fiskars or Westcott from Walmart. Just as good or better than the $25 pair. Save your money to buy materials, fly line, reels, etc. When they wear out, use them to cut stuff with wire and get another pair for fine work. They last just as long as the expensive fly tying ones and you don't pay more than $15 a pair (usually $5-10).
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fiskars-Ergo-Handle-Premier-Softgrip-Micro-Scissors-1-Each/19216410


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

Dr Slick 4" and 5" straight. I'll occasionally touch up the edges with a fine ceramic stone.


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## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

X2 on Walmart titanium Fiskars. Cheap and I have been using the same pair for a year now.
Trimming deer hair is a different story though.


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

Small detail work = needle point Dr Slick
Deer hair = serrated Loon for trimmming, wilkinson sword razor for pack/stack trimming
Long bait-fish rough in type cuts = Fiskars Ti sewing scissors


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## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

Dr. Slick, and I use Fiskars for heavier cuts. I have a pair of nail clippers for cutting wire, lead, etc.


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## sidelock (Jan 31, 2011)

X2 on the Fiskars for versitility.
https://www.fiskars.com/en-us/craft...s-and-shears/stitcher-scissors-no-5-01-005435


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## Moore Lyon and Quick (Aug 26, 2015)

Klein tools Embroidery scissors for clousers, EP fibers and most saltwater stuff:
https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/textile-and-carpet-scissors/embroidery-scissor-large-ring-5-inch
Anvil taperizers
some other Dr Slick scissors for other things


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

Last time I bought a pair was in the 80's. Bottom row are the ones I use 95 percent of the time and all work like new.

Bottom left is a pair made in Germany and cost me $36.00 mid 80's. Reason I remember is because my dad and I were tying a few and I mentioned them. He said something like he couldn't see paying that much for a pair...

Two things make scissors work well.
Being able to adjust the screw holding them together and being kept sharp. That little 4000 grit stone sharpens them in less than a minuet per side.


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## LowTideFly (Apr 8, 2016)

Dr. Slick & Renzetti


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Moore Lyon and Quick and sidelock, you two should know that you two are identical twins, as far as fly tiers go. 

That's a compliment. You probably would make good fly fishing buddies.

ML&Q, haven't seen you post up any flies lately. Please do (you too sidelock). I'm tied at looking at alien food.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Ken T said:


> Dr. Slick synthetic scissors.


Kenny, is that the black scissors I saw you using?


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## Moore Lyon and Quick (Aug 26, 2015)

Thanks - I fish and tie mostly clousers and clouser varients, so nothing terribly exciting. Gurglers and EP flies are my two other favorites.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

I usually buy the Dr Slick knock offs (probably the same ones Dr Slick buys) for about 1/2 the price as Dr Slick sells them for. Yes I own a few Dr Slicks as well. I have a few other ones including 1 or 2 Fiskars hanging around somewhere. I've also bought medical scissors too and they seem to be just as good and just as inexpensive as the Dr Slick knock-offs that a lot of fly shops carry. Too many scissors (maybe 16 of them) I've collected on my fly desk over the 30 years now I've been tying. I always like the scissors with larger finger holes so I can drop them quickly on my lap while tying. Small blades, longer blades, really short and fine, razor sharp and smooth blades, serrated blades, straight, curved, etc. Many different kinds. I sometimes look at them and think... "I could be the next Edward Scissor Hands!"  Lol Really though, you can away with just 2 pairs, but I could literally down size to about 5 pairs of scissors and be happy with that.

Funny side note about that. At one time, I lived about a 20min drive to the house where they shot the film of the outside of the house for that movie (here in Florida, believe it or not).










I have more scissors than I actually need. I've priced out how much it is to professionally sharpen them and for the cost of that, I can buy a new knock off. So I use the ones that have lost their razor sharp edges for things less important and use the newer ones for the finer work.

One thing to note for those newer guys coming into fly tying.... don't cut wire or lead wire with them, especially the wire in EP type brushes, or you'll ruin them. I keep a really small and sharp pair of diagonal wire cutter, handy, specifically for that.

I've also found that using serrated scissors are best for deer hair trimming and sometimes I'll use it to trim other fibers like EP style baitfish bodies and brushes. The "serrated" blades helps to hold on to the fibers so they wouldn't slip off the blades while cutting. So I keep a few pairs just for that too. Here's a cheap pair I found for the discussion purpose, but not necessarily the ones I have.

https://www.ebay.com/p/22004239104

I ran into a guy I know that I haven't seen in a while that has an entire knife/scissor sharpening business set up in his garage and told him I was going to bring a few knives for him to sharpen for me (to see if it's any better than what I do with them, with the kit I have). So this will be a good reason to bring him some dull scissors I have and see what he can do with them and compare the cost. I know I can't sharpen them myself the right way cause you need special jigs for that, which I don't have. So it's cheaper for me to just pick up another pair every so often, than buy a jig set and have the right equipment to do it right. Anyway, I'll compare the cost of having them sharpened vs buying a new pair and report back.

Ted


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## texican08 (Sep 13, 2016)

Ted do you have a link for the Slick knock offs?


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

texican08 said:


> Ted do you have a link for the Slick knock offs?


I usually just pick them on in several fly shops or fly fishing shows I visit on occasion.

This is an example of the knock-off I"ve bought before. I've seen this brand in several fly shops too.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/TERRA-FLY-...655985?hash=item1ce6e20371:g:jugAAOSw30JeKLqi

Just looked on ebay and Amazon and this is what I found.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Set-of-2-P...693682?hash=item3aa7e1c2b2:g:tBsAAMXQ0pNRApaK

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-1-2-XLar...654823?hash=item5481a9ffe7:g:sBgAAOSwH4tdqLrG

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Premium-...208763?hash=item56a1e3323b:g:rvwAAOSwhYdZxIN0

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Premium-...244977?hash=item56717d9cb1:g:A4YAAOSwZjJU8nZ-

https://www.ebay.com/itm/OUR-PREMIU...u8AAOSw3qdbPRXc:sc:USPSFirstClass!34221!US!-1

https://www.ebay.com/itm/OUR-PREMIU...AgAAOSwylRbPRRD:sc:USPSFirstClass!34221!US!-1

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Streamwork...261252?hash=item341194c2c4:g:tJUAAOSwI3BdXwLw

https://www.amazon.com/Scissors-Gol...rds=Fly+tying+scissors&qid=1585664628&sr=8-28

https://www.amazon.com/Scissors-3-5...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

https://www.amazon.com/Iris-Scissor...8&sr=1-1-22d05c05-1231-4126-b7c4-3e7a9c0027d0

Here's a scissor sharpener...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-2-in-1...758154?hash=item1a09836e8a:g:YBwAAOSwcdBWTs-U

Etc, etc.... They are out there, you just have to look.

Probably the next pare of scissors I buy will be a Tungsten Carbide bladed pair of scissors, like this one.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DR-SLICK-C...031445&hash=item2a785fcaca:g:aUUAAOxydlFS-UDA

Found a knock-off version (looks the same).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-TUNGSTEN...255780?hash=item41fcbf1664:g:5pwAAOSwzgBYzYna


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## 8w8n8 (Sep 30, 2017)

Dr. Slick and similar for 95% of my tying.

Fiskars for dense material, kevlar thread, (globugs).

A few years back had some sutures removed and the nurse gave me the scissors as she said they’re throw-aways. The scissors are small, curved, and the tips very sharp … they’re handy for cutting close to eyes, legs, antenna. (The doc’s disposable scissors were probably purchased from one of the suppliers that Backwater listed!)

Also, have scissor sharpeners by Fiskars, Smith, and others.


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## Ken T (Dec 10, 2015)

Backwater said:


> Kenny, is that the black scissors I saw you using?


it is. Never dulls and for a big scissor it does some delicate work.


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## Josiah Harper (Aug 10, 2018)

I use the rising black adjustable scissors and love them. They are very sharp and hold an edge well.


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## Chris M (May 1, 2017)

My ABSOLUTE favorite (and I have many, incl. Dr. Slick, Anvil, Tiempco, Ice and more) are the Dovo 4” sewing/embroidery scissors. They feel great in hand and are razor sharp with an extremely fine point. Germany. At $57 they aren’t cheap but well worth the price.

DOVO 4" Sewing Embroidery Scissors (Satin) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KD1724C/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_E1CHEb35SRFJW

For light wire and coarse material, I like the Elan 4” serrated embroidery scissors ($18)

Elan 4" Embroidery Scissor Serrated Edge Scissors With Florine Non Stick Coating https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FUQEEWO/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_h6CHEbNBC4010


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## Gorma (Nov 21, 2018)

Dr. Slick - trusty standard in many sizes and colors.
I am not sure if the PRISM series are really harder (titanium nitrate treated) but I use them ad like them.
I do not like Slick tungsten scissors - If they still make them- heavy! And I tie with 4" in hand all the time.
By the way: often overlooked- great Dr. Slick PREPARATION scissors. Great for large cuts. My wife and kids stealing them from me all the time. And they are Made In Germany if it matter to some of you (above).


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## Finsleft258 (Oct 7, 2018)

Gingher.


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