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-   -   Cutting through aluminum foil to sharpen scissors? (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/cutting-through-aluminum-foil-sharpen-scissors-t247176.html)

michelleoc 05-22-2014 04:40 AM

It makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it!

ManiacQuilter2 05-22-2014 05:36 AM

I wouldn't try it. Never heard of this. I have only Gingher scissors and I wouldn't risk damaging them.

DebraK 05-22-2014 06:05 AM

lol, that was my feeling (filling?).

Peckish 05-22-2014 07:51 AM

I've heard of doing the same thing with needles by poking them into steel wool. Seems to me that would dull them, not sharpen them.

just_the_scraps_m'am 05-22-2014 10:31 AM

if that worked i'm sure i'd have heard of it a LONG time ago...there are other ways of sharpening tools, but I wouldn't want to damage a good pair of scissors...they're hard to keep!

bigsister63 05-22-2014 10:52 AM


Originally Posted by SittingPretty (Post 6726048)
I understand it's only a temporary fix, until you can get them sharpened the regular way. I think I tried it once, but was not impressed.

.
I agree! I have used this method to sharpen pinking sisszors but it did not really work. I do have a sharpener for Fiskars sissors and tthat does work on a lot of sissors. It is well worth the $10-40% off coupon at Joanns investment. But buy the bigger one since it easier to handle.

roadrunr 05-23-2014 06:27 AM


Originally Posted by Peckish (Post 6726745)
I've heard of doing the same thing with needles by poking them into steel wool. Seems to me that would dull them, not sharpen them.

the steal wool does work on needles and pins. A couple of years ago my sister gave me a new pack of safety pins to use for quilting. Man, were they ever dull! I heard about the steal wool, so I bought some a tuck the safety pins in it and it worked. The safety pins are now sharp and I have used them numerous times in quilt sandwiches.they were

MargeD 05-23-2014 08:04 AM

I've cut through aluminum foil as well as sandpaper and find that it has worked for me.

suzanprincess 05-23-2014 08:31 AM

I've not tried foil but I've used 400 grit sandpaper (the finest) with pinking shears that would not cut fabric at all, and after a few cuts through the sandpaper they worked reasonably well on fabric. Not like new, of course, but I couldn't afford new back then, and really wanted to pink a few ravelly seams.

Friday1961 05-23-2014 08:39 AM

I tried it with my rotary cutter and then promptly ran the blade over my left hand index finger! I think the foil may have smoothed some of the tiny nicks out of the blade-- certainly made it sharp enough to cut skin-- but I agree, it's probably a temporary fix.


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