New Shears
01-28-2022, 07:54 AM
#11
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Walker Missouri
Posts: 199
The time has come, I'm afraid. Need new shears. I've been using a pair of 8" Wiss dressmakers for about 50 years. They finally need sharpening and I'm just not willing to risk them to the mails to send them off to be professionally sharpened. They were a gift from my mother--the only 'adult' gift I can ever remember her giving me--and thus quite precious. So I am shopping for new shears and open for suggestions!
I've been looking at Kai 5230 over on amazon. I like the idea of Japanese steel. Are there any other brands that you've found work especially well for quilting? Since professional sharpening seems to be running about $20+/-, I'd like to keep the price under $30 so I can toss them and by new with a clear conscience the first time they need sharpened.
Experience (good and bad) is always helpful, too, and may help someone else as much as me!
Thank you all!
Rusty
I've been looking at Kai 5230 over on amazon. I like the idea of Japanese steel. Are there any other brands that you've found work especially well for quilting? Since professional sharpening seems to be running about $20+/-, I'd like to keep the price under $30 so I can toss them and by new with a clear conscience the first time they need sharpened.
Experience (good and bad) is always helpful, too, and may help someone else as much as me!
Thank you all!
Rusty
01-28-2022, 08:56 AM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 8,145
I like my kai embroidery scissors. No idea what their larger scissors are like.
I bought 8" gingher dressmaking shears when I was doing custom sewing back in the 1980's, and I am still using them. (most of my cutting now is rotary) My husband has always done the sharpening (he sharpens my knives too). I have no idea if they still are the same quality though. . .
when my Mom passed 6 years ago, I found another pair of the exact scissors that looked near unused, She had not sewn for about 30 years before she passed, so I expect they were not much newer than my set. So now I've got a spare if I ever need them.
I bought 8" gingher dressmaking shears when I was doing custom sewing back in the 1980's, and I am still using them. (most of my cutting now is rotary) My husband has always done the sharpening (he sharpens my knives too). I have no idea if they still are the same quality though. . .
when my Mom passed 6 years ago, I found another pair of the exact scissors that looked near unused, She had not sewn for about 30 years before she passed, so I expect they were not much newer than my set. So now I've got a spare if I ever need them.
01-28-2022, 09:59 AM
#14
Power Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mableton, GA
Posts: 11,224
Most of my quilting friends love the Kai and highly recommend them. They have been replacing their Ginghers and other brands with Kai.
It might help that for us in the Pacific NW, the US headquarters are in Puyallup (a small town sort of between Seattle and Tacoma), so they have a presence at the local sewing expos and such.
It might help that for us in the Pacific NW, the US headquarters are in Puyallup (a small town sort of between Seattle and Tacoma), so they have a presence at the local sewing expos and such.
01-28-2022, 10:16 AM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,867
My favorite pair by far. They aren't much at JoAnn's with a coupon.
01-28-2022, 06:48 PM
#18
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Alabama
Posts: 42
01-28-2022, 10:04 PM
#20
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 9,442
I own several pairs of Kai scissors, they're my absolute favorite, my second favorite is a pair of Karen Kay Buckley scissors.
Both brands are micro-serrated, which means the blades grab the fabric and don't let it slip as they cut.
The Kai handles are super comfortable.
Kai has a free sharpening program that can't be beat. You pay the cost of postage, they sharpen for free. Last time, I sent 4 pairs in, one of which had a bent tip because I dropped it. They replaced that pair with a brand new pair at no charge.
Kai also has customer service that can't be beat. A few years ago, someone here on the board was looking for a pair of specialty scissors, I *think* they were the duckbill applique pair, but in a left-hand version, she couldn't find a pair anywhere. We suggested she contact Kai. They made a pair for her, she was super happy.
Both brands are micro-serrated, which means the blades grab the fabric and don't let it slip as they cut.
The Kai handles are super comfortable.
Kai has a free sharpening program that can't be beat. You pay the cost of postage, they sharpen for free. Last time, I sent 4 pairs in, one of which had a bent tip because I dropped it. They replaced that pair with a brand new pair at no charge.
Kai also has customer service that can't be beat. A few years ago, someone here on the board was looking for a pair of specialty scissors, I *think* they were the duckbill applique pair, but in a left-hand version, she couldn't find a pair anywhere. We suggested she contact Kai. They made a pair for her, she was super happy.
