Sure works for sharpening knives, too! Use the unglazed bottom ring on the bottom of a coffee mug!

I've used these for awhile now and I love them, they are razor sharp and the tips are curved up for trimming threads on your quilt top and the teeny points fit perfectly under stitches.

https://www.amazon.com/Karen-Kay-Buc...ckley+scissors

They are so inexpensive that I just buy a few at a time (not that I ever need one wink,wink) :)

I use small embroidery scissors or a surgical scalpel. Be careful though because they are extremely sharp.

I use my husband knife sharpener that he uses to keep the serrated blades on both our Spyderco pocket knifes sharp. Works perfectly on the hook like seam rippers. For the flat ones resembling a scalpel I use a whet stone.

Exactly how I do it. Saves me so much time because after much trial and frustration, my head has it memorized that this is the only way I should be doing it as my hands just don't do what I want them to do all the time. I snip on the 'top stitching' of the fabric layers, and then the bobbin thread pulls out easily. A small piece of painters tape on the little snippets cleans up the threads with no mess.

I agree with this

I bought one of the brass ones over 30 years ago. It came in a set with a brass stiletto. I used it to rip out heavy threads on jeans, leather motorcycle coats, upholstery, on fine fabrics, knit fabrics, pick out embroidery threads, you name it. it has been my go to ripper all those years. It just recently started to go a little dull, so I bought a new one. I really like the brass ones, as they have a thin fine point, making it much easier to get under the threads. They are very sharp too.