Scissors
 

I've often heard that if you cut paper with your fabric scissors that the scissors are ruined.

Ruined for good? You can sharpen scissors, right? That should "fix" them, no?

I'm assuming this doesn't apply to the serrated edge scissors, or what Gingher calls their "Knife Edge" scissors. - the sharpening part anyway. So are they ruined then? Or can they be sharpened professionally again?

Do any of you sharpen at home? What sort of "stone" or sharpener do you use?

Also, for any of you who have Gingher Scissors.... uh... do they look like this? These ones have bounced off the floor a couple of times, but I didn't think it was hard enough to bend them...

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This is just part of the left handed or right handed bend, isn't it?

I'm a little ashamed to say I didn't look that carefully at them until after they'd bounced a few times.

my father taught me how to sharpen scissors many years ago. I haven't bought a new pair of sewing scissors in 40 yrs. paper scissors, they got broken. I use whet stones n files to sharpen them. you just have to make sure to maintain the bevel on the blade.
I've taken scissors that were so dull they wouldn't cut paper and when I was finished the were cutting cloth.

My dad taught me the same way. Also how to sharpen knives. Oh my goodness, that was 60 years ago. Time flies. I in turn taught my kids.

I had read on another board years ago that the 'don't cut paper with cloth cotting scissors' was a total myth. This was supposedly by a professional sharpener. I have very fine serated scissors that have only been used on cloth. I have dirt cheap scissors that I use on thread, cloth, paper and I'd still probably lose a digit or two if I slipped using them!

The only pair I treat with TLC are my Nogent scissors. I keep Ginghers and Clover in the kitchen, desk, and craft supplies for everyone to use. No looking for the good scissors anymore. Nothing is more frustrating then having a cheap pair of scissors to open a package or cut a clothes tag out. I have lots of different brands and they are used for paper or fabric, whatever I pick up first. I think if I used the same pair of scissors they would go dull fast but having an assortment the same pair is seldom used twice in a row or even more then two or three times a year.

Gingher sells a sharpening stone. I use that on all my scissors and it works great.

Actually - if you do cut paper with the fabric scissors it nicks the blade and it does not come out when they are sharpened. I have a pair that I caught my husband using on paper because they were "the only ones he could find". He accused me of being overly dramatic when I protested but they haven't cut fabric worth a dang since then. I have had them sharpened professionally, twice, and the nick is still there and the scissors will not cut fabric at that spot. My husband tried to use them as well to "prove me wrong" but he had to agree they didn't cut worth a dang. Next day he brought home a new pair of Gingher's for me.

My Dad had a sharpening wheel out by his workshop and that's where he would sharpen my Mom's scissors. I now have those scissors. They bring back many good memories. And yes, my Mom would always remind us not to use her scissors on paper. So I have passed that tradition on to my daughter!

You can send Gingher scissors to them for professional sharpening at a decent price: http://www.gingher.com/pages/repair-and-maintenance/4/

When they have back to school sales I pick up a few of the adult type universal hand sale scissors for "every day" use. My good scissors stay in my sewing bag. ( I am a lefty so no one but me uses them) Sharpening the scissors are just part of the difference in the better scissors. The adjustment bolt and nut assembly can also get messed up when used on things like price tags and thicker paper.