I was watching a tutorial on alterations and the instructor mentioned she was working at her mothers and tried to use her seam ripper. She discovered her mother hadn't replaced her seam ripper in forever. She said for the couple bucks it costs - replace it. Got me thinking and I bought a new one the next day - YOU CAN NOT BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES!!! I now have made myself the promise that every year for my birthday I am buying myself a $3 ripper.