Scissors in hand

[Aqueous1025 0]

Im really curious about the scissors in hand or not. I have read in more than one place that you can always tell a good or production fly tier by wether or not they put their scissors down. I also keep reading to try to keep your scissors in hand while tying. I understand the concept behind all this and try as I might it is just so cumbersome to me. Wether it was when I was originally taught to tie or somewhere along the lines, having come back to fly tying I find that I hold the bobbin with my index and thumb while cupping my other fingers around the bobbin and adjusting for thread tension with pressure to the spool. I do not see a way of doing that with scissors in hand as well as the bobbin and maybe some material too. I always put my scissors down or use them left handed. Im not a good tier or a production tier. Nor do I assume that this has anything to do with being bad good or proffessional. I am however curious to see how many people do or dont and any tips that might lead me in the other direction.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

Im really curious about the scissors in hand or not. I have read in more than one place that you can always tell a good or production fly tier by wether or not they put their scissors down. I also keep reading to try to keep your scissors in hand while tying. I understand the concept behind all this and try as I might it is just so cumbersome to me. Wether it was when I was originally taught to tie or somewhere along the lines, having come back to fly tying I find that I hold the bobbin with my index and thumb while cupping my other fingers around the bobbin and adjusting for thread tension with pressure to the spool. I do not see a way of doing that with scissors in hand as well as the bobbin and maybe some material too. I always put my scissors down or use them left handed. Im not a good tier or a production tier. Nor do I assume that this has anything to do with being bad good or proffessional. I am however curious to see how many people do or dont and any tips that might lead me in the other direction.

I tie for the most part with sissors in hand if you put your ring finger through the hole up to the second joint they can cur in your hand along with your bobin yet alowing you to slip your thumb in to do your cuts

[RickZieger 0]

I do it. It did take a while to get used to doing this.

Helps to have big rings on the handles for your fingers.

 

Rick

[flytire 0]

along with whip finishing by hand and keeping tying scissors in hand, i do not nor did i ever get comfortable with either one. it hasnt been necessary in my 30+ years of tying, this old dog doesnt need any new tricks

[perchjerker 0]

I have held my scissors in my hand for the 40+ years that I have been tying, and feel 'naked' when I set down to tie if I don't have my scissors in my hand before I ever put a hook in the vise. Granted, it does take some getting used to, but, like anything else, including learning how to ride a bike, once you get the "feel" for it, it becomes second nature.

[JSzymczyk 0]

it doesn't matter.

 

I do hold my scissor in my hand, ring finger method, but that's only because I always lose them when I put them down.

[Johny Utah 0]

It really doesnt matter, as stated above. I tie with them in my hand, I just like to.

[agn54 0]

I agree with the others that it doesn't matter. I usually hold mine but I think it just a matter of preference. If you do hold them, just be careful not to bang the scissor tips on anything while reaching for materials which could damage them.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I started keeping the scissors in my hand as these folks have said, with my ring finger thru one loop back when I tied commercially. It does help when you're tying in a production manner, but for general tying where you're not under any time constraints, it really doesn't matter. Although it could help keep you a little more organized if you're not!

 

However, I hold the scissors in my right hand, as I'm right handed, but I tie left handed. That is, I do most everything else with my left hand. When I first started tying, this is how I learned. I didn't have a vise, so I held the hook in my fingers, in my right hand because it was the stronger, and did everything else with my left.

 

I also whip finish by hand, my left, which is faster than picking up a whip finish too for me, something I never got to work well anyway!

[Njardar 0]

Im really curious about the scissors in hand or not. I have read in more than one place that you can always tell a good or production fly tier by wether or not they put their scissors down. I also keep reading to try to keep your scissors in hand while tying. I understand the concept behind all this and try as I might it is just so cumbersome to me. Wether it was when I was originally taught to tie or somewhere along the lines, having come back to fly tying I find that I hold the bobbin with my index and thumb while cupping my other fingers around the bobbin and adjusting for thread tension with pressure to the spool. I do not see a way of doing that with scissors in hand as well as the bobbin and maybe some material too. I always put my scissors down or use them left handed. Im not a good tier or a production tier. Nor do I assume that this has anything to do with being bad good or proffessional. I am however curious to see how many people do or dont and any tips that might lead me in the other direction.

 

I put mine down and pick them up, probably because I'm not as coordinated as most But does it really matter? Go with what works for you.

 

- Charlie

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

I'm with Njardar, go with what works for you. While many production tiers hold their scissors all the time, and a tier holding his scissors may indicate s/he is a production tier or one that ties a lot, I don't think it is an indication of whether s/he is a good tier.

My scissors tend to stay in my hand when I don't have to put them down to fool with materials but I don't hesitate to put them down when I need to fool with materials such as loading a dubbing loop or selecting paired feathers from a neck for a splayed tail fly. Just depends. So, if whomever said that about the quality of a tier being determined by holding of scissors, I would be considered a good tier sometimes and other times not - I guess.

I think there was a post recently where someone asked about holding scissors - if you do a search here, it should come up. I think it was in the Tier's Bench Forum.

 

Kirk

[flytire 0]

i agree with kirk. production tyers cannot spend tying time looking for scissors etc. for them time is money.

[utyer 0]

My bench is usually such a mess, if I put my scissors down, I could find them. I have held mine for a long time.

[Aqueous1025 0]

Thanks again everybody.

 

I saw the other scissor thread mentioned and went to take a look. Couple of ideas I might have to try and play around a bit again and see how things go.

 

Its so nice to be able to ask and see so many ideas and opinions.

[feathers5 0]

I keep mine in my right hand. I didn't use to, but gave it a try and now I'm annoyed when I lay them down for some reason. It's not about speed for me--I view it as a convenience. It's much more convenient than constantly looking for them.