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pstrwife 09-24-2011 07:06 AM

Maybe I'm being too frugal, but has anyone tried to sharpen a seam ripper? Am I being too cheap? I should use the 40% coupons from JoAnn's, isn't too much. Are there seam rippers that are better than others at staying sharp? Advice, please.

grammy17 09-24-2011 07:10 AM


Originally Posted by pstrwife
Maybe I'm being too frugal, but has anyone tried to sharpen a seam ripper? Am I being too cheap? I should use the 40% coupons from JoAnn's, isn't too much. Are there seam rippers that are better than others at staying sharp? Advice, please.

I've done one on a sharpening stone. Didn't help much. Bought a new Clover and it was worth it. It is so smooth. Had the old one for over 30 years (of course I still have it.) and a few cheap ones that broke in between.

BellaBoo 09-24-2011 07:27 AM


Originally Posted by pstrwife
Maybe I'm being too frugal, but has anyone tried to sharpen a seam ripper? Am I being too cheap? I should use the 40% coupons from JoAnn's, isn't too much. Are there seam rippers that are better than others at staying sharp? Advice, please.

My advice is to have several seam rippers. Using one over and over will dull it faster. I like Clover and Fons and Porter, they are easy to find in stores and stay sharp a long time. I have at last count when I organized my sewing room and sewing totes a drawer with 17 seam rippers of all makes and types. They are so inexpensive when on sale or clearance I throw one in my cart for good measure.

blueangel 09-24-2011 08:09 AM

I just buy a new one. They aren't that expensive.

bluteddi 09-24-2011 09:40 AM

I'm cheap too..... but, I tried but it didnt help...... ended up buying a new one...

Darlene Reid 09-24-2011 09:55 AM

Seam rippers have been a pain for me ever since I have been a quilter. I don't break them, they just go dull in a very short time. I have many, many, of them in drawers and boxes.
But I have found the perfect seam ripper. It's made by Ghingher and a little pricy but with your Jo Ann's cupon you can get one at a reasonable price. The retractable blade is very sharp and stays that way for a very long time. You also can buy replaceble blades. It is not made for poking the edges of a corner out. To do that buy the wooden or plastic thinghy's that are made for that purpose. I give them as little gifts because quilters never seem to buy the right tools for themselves. I make them special by tying several pretty ribbons through the holes.

BellaBoo 09-24-2011 10:10 AM

I have the Gingher blade seam ripper and it's great, the handle is worth the price in my opinion. You can find quality tools on sale or clearance easy online. I think most machine sewing frustrations come from not using the quality tools.

scowlkat 09-24-2011 11:25 AM

Recently jhittle had 100 seam rippers for $25 and my BFF and I split it so we each have 50 now! They are like the ones you get free with your sewing machine so won't last forever but at least we can find one when we need it!


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