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.

I only use my 40 year old Ghingers for fabric cutting. Haven't sharpened them for 30 years. Cuts like butter! Why take a chance on cutting paper with them. I buy cheap Fiskars for paper cutting. I have a rotary cutter designated specifically used for cutting paper or cardbard. Comes in handy.

sandy

Years ago i had one of those old fashioned avocado green "dial-a-matic" sharpeners. I miss that silly little thing very much, it just vanished one day. Right now i use a fiskars sharpener and it works ok on my fabric scissors that somehow always make it in with the paper cutting scissors. I've been watching thrift stores to find another one of those sharpeners but for now i ordered a new pair of scissors that i have warned the family several times will be fabric only.

It is not a myth about using scissors for one purpose and not mixing them up. When i was a kid i used my moms fancy hair cutting scissors for a craft project and the hell she went through getting them sharpened (expensive) left quite an impression on me. I've also noticed that i can't use general purpose scissors to clip coupons after my daughter has used them to cut construction paper so now we have several pairs of scissors around the house meant for specific tasks.

I buy cheap scissors by the multi-pack and scatter them all around the house, so there are scissors EVERYWHERE in my house. NO reason for my DH to ever touch any of my sewing scissors! I do believe paper will dull scissors so I am strict about keeping fabric scissors separate from "every day" scissors. I believe it because my snips won't snip threads anymore now that I've used them to trim paper!

I can sharpen knives and my wood chisels just fine. Scissors-not so much. I did find out that our local sewing store takes scissors in for sharpening. They were very reasonable too., about $3.50 a pair. They have a week turnaround so I'll be making a couple trips to get mine cleaned up.
Apparently hair cutting scissors are sharpened with a rounded bevel and it's recommended to only have them professionally sharpened. I would ask at a barber shop or salon where they get theirs sharpened.
Rodney

I won't allow a piece of paper to touch my fabric scissors. I have a set of Fiskar's ergonomic scissors and absolutely love them. They stay in my craft closet out of the sight of the rest of the family so there is no chance of them being used for anything other than fabric.

I learned dressmaking as a child as I had aunts that were tailoress, and I was taught to keep a pair of scissors for paper pattern cutting and separate scissors for cloth. I have always adhered to this to the extent that the scissors I leave out, , which my hubby and sons use for anything and everything are the ones I use for paper and my 'good' scissors are not easy to find, unless you know where to look. Lol.

I guess I'm lucky, it's usually just my MegaPro screwdriver that I have to guard in my studio. DH is pretty good about my scissors. He asks which ones he can use.

K, so if I'm reading this right, in many cases, I should be able to sharpen the scissors and take care of any issues, unless the blade is nicked.

Cactus Stitchin, is there any chance your hubby nicked the blade by cutting near or through a staple or something? Paper seems like it should give before metal does...

Candace, I've been eyeballing that stone too, especially because it deals with the knife edge scissors too. I think I will order it on my next order from my supplier.

Jan in VA, It's reasonable to send scissors to them if you're in the US. For me it's $30, which is more than I paid for the scissors (got them on clearance from the supplier for $16). If I had a more expensive pair, it might be different. ;) Thanks for the info though. They're actually not dull, and I haven't cut paper with them. I have 3 pair of scissors that came with machines that I thought could use sharpening because I don't know their histories.

Auntie V, adjustment bolt?

Carrie in PA, if I ever see one, I'll keep you in mind. I tried to find a pic of one on Google, but no luck, do you have a photo?

Rodney, thanks! I will ask around. I know there used to be shops in the malls called "House of Knifes" - their spelling, not mine! But I wonder sometimes if my scissors are worth the craftsmen, rather than the minimum wage teens I see in most shops these days.

notmorecraft - Actually, that brings up another question - what about the tissue paper in patterns? Should I have a second set for those? When I pin the pattern to the fabric, invariably I cut the tissue paper too, surely that shouldn't dull the blades...? I've also found that "girly colored" things also don't get touched. My next set of scissors (and screwdriver!) will likely be pink or purple! :)

Various clays, and/or calcium carbonate, are a component of many papers, including cardboard. They are there to make the paper stiff, to adjust the absorption of inks, to keep the paper hard when it is wet (wet strength), and as a filler (Clays are less expensive than wood fiber in many cases, depending upon the quality of the paper.) These minerals are abrasive and dull the scissor blades. (copied from the site below)

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasc...1/gen01215.htm

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My feelings exactly!

Never knew that. I have several pairs of very good quality shears for dog grooming, and I regularly get them sharpened when I'm at a dog show. I know these are NOT sharpened with a rounded bevel. (most) Dog hair is coarser than (most) human hair ... suppose that's why.

When i was looking for how-to info on scissor sharpening I ran across that bit. It could be wrong. Oh-wait! Everything on the internet is true.
I hope I'm not passing on bad info.
Rodney

My scissors are MY scissors and not to be used by anyone. I have several pairs for different things and I use my Fiskar's for fabric. I have had them for years and never been sharpened. With rotary cutting my scissor use is minimal but having a pair for everything is the way to go. Sharpening by a professional is expensive so I take good care to not have to go there.

I heard or read somewhere to sharpen scissor cut aluminum foil...anyone else ever hear that....

I always use good equipment for everything. I believe that people have more accidents when they are dealing with dull or inadequate tools. If it is a good pair of scissors, one does not have to tug or hack at anything in frustration ad thus avoid slipping accidents. However, I do have coloured bands on them to denote usage. I generally take them to the Scissorman for maintenance.

I have scissors in every room just to keep hubs and kids from "borrowing" mine. They know that that is absolutely forbidden!

OK. I am a bit of a crazy. I have a 'collection' of scissors I don't know how it happened or exactly when it started. Maybe because scissors hide and kids carry them off. They take legs and hide - they go in weird places. Yup I keep scissors just for fabric, just for paper, just for other stuff, just kitchen scissors, just to clip threads, a half a little scissors to pick out stitches, kid scissors, fingernail scissors, long scissors, really long scissors, short scissors, hair cut scissors, button hole scissors, hair thinning scissors, historical camping scissors, special edge type scissors and so on. Oh yup there are yard scissors in the garage. I have yet to have a pair of pinking scissors stay sharp and if they go to a sharpener place they don't work any better before than after on fabric. When we moved here I started collecting the scissors I had around the house and I hung them in the window. Ikea has a real nice heavy rail thing that fits above my window perfectly and some hooks so I got some and hung scissors of all kinds. I keep finding more scissors. I don't know where they keep coming from. Now they are all together in the window but I still use certain scissors for certain projects. Once when I was getting a hair cut the beautician said some people's hair will dull their scissors.

I tied a piece of ribbon on the handle of my scissors. The rest of the family can use any scissors in the house that doesn't have a piece of ribbon on the handle. Before that I always heard "I didn't know those were your good scissors..." Not only does it identify my scissors but it also helps me find them if they are under a pile of fabric or stuff. I have a short piece of ribbon on my dressmaker scissors but on my small scissors that I use by my machine and for hand sewing I have a long piece of ribbon on the handle so I can wear my scissors around my neck when I'm sitting on the couch so I don't lose them in the cushions and when I'm at the machine I loop the ribbon around a spindle on the machine so if they get pushed off the table they won't fall all the way to the floor but can still use them by the machine without unlooping the ribbon. I had a good pair ruined one day when it fell point down on a tile floor and bent the point.

Looking at the picture of the curved scissors that have fallen on the floor, I don't have an answer. Mine don't lay like that but they are also not left handed so don't know if that's something unique to left handed scissors or perhaps that brand.

I always keep an old pair of cheap scissors handy to open envelopes, cut paper, open packages, etc. in the living room for anyone to use for anything they want. When they get too dull to use any more I throw them out Since the fit I threw at our son for cutting gasket material with my sewing scissors no one in my house would dream of using my sewing scissors for anything at all. I probably have a shoe box full of scissors of one kind or another. I'm not picky about brand, just so they cut nicely.

Fortunately, I am the only one using my scissors. I have two pairs of paper scissors and use kitchen scissors for difficult to open packages.

I have heard that too but i believe it's meant to just do a light sharpening on paper scissors. I have done it and i think it works but i haven't done it enough to really be sure.

Now i do know that cutting up wax paper will lubricate blades, especially on something like a paper shredder.

I do this with my rotary cutter. It does work. As an apprentice hairdresser many years ago I was told not to cut ribbon with hairdressing scissors. Many people seems to have the opinion that, what ever their special need is for their scissors, that cutting anything else will wreck them.

My husband picked up my good scissors to cut open an envelope, he was going to ignore me when I told him to not cut paper until I threatened to go use the tools in his garage however I wanted to use them. He promptly put my scissors down and got the generic scissors to use.

I purchased a. Scissor sharpener at Joann's. it is Fiskars, the same one that the girls use at the cutting counter. I don't wait till they are dull. I just touch them up. One of my fist pair of Fiskars actually came with a blade sharpener-20+ yrs ago but it still works. It is cheaper and easier than sending out. Get out tose coupons and try one!

To answer the question about the adjustment bolt...My Dad owned a sharpening business for several years and did scissor sharpening. If you look at the OP picture of the scissors (bottom image) you can clearly see the bolt and the space between where the two sides of the scissors come together. Part of the professional sharpening process is to make sure all of that area is clean, oiled and aligned correctly. Or I guess I should say that is what his process was.

I took a class with Carol Doak who said basically the same thing about the concern with cutting paper ( paper piecing paper) with a rotary cutter. She pointed out that paper is made from fiber, the same as fabric, and will it not harm the rotary cutter. I would assume the same would be true of scissors. That being said, I would not use by sewing scissors for cardboard, template plastic or anything abrasive. I generally get a pair of Fiskars with a coupon at Joann's and use them till they're dull ( then they are allowed for cardboard and template plastic )and get a new pair. I had a pair of Ginghers, but felt they were not worth the cost, or the hassle of having to return them to get sharpened.

So far have had no visitors over to sabotage my scissors. Friend of mine has a lot of relatives including grandkids. She has a lot of craft scissors. She made little cloth tags for her scissors that are allowed for different crafts. Her embroidery scissors and sewing scissors are locked in her drawer and also her rotary cutters. All others are at the disposal of every one else.

I haven't heard about using aluminum foil for sharpening scissors but I cut thru sandpaper every so often and that seems to work for me.

I send out all my shears to be sharpened, even my pinking shears. They always come back good as new.

Cutting paper with the same shears one cuts with fabric is a total misconception.
Egged on by people who think they need new more expensive shears to teach the family a lesson about using their shears.

I have found that cutting things other than fabric dose dull the blades. I have a pair of Fiskars in the kitchen for everyday use. I have a small pair of Fiskars in bedroom for cutting clothing tags ect and THEN in my sewing/craft room I have Fiskars with MOM written in permanent marker for fabric only (everyone knows NOT to touch them) also in that room is off brand scissors for crafting and small Fiskars for crafting. I have daught my sewing.crafting partner 13yr grand daughter the importance of the scissors and she tells everyone else she knows about it. I have DH sharpen my scissors with the Fiskars sharpener oops I also have a pair for cutting batting.

I actually saw a professional say that cutting paper/fabric doesn't matter. I tend to disagree, however, my Mom would tell me to cut aluminum foil/sandpaper to sharpen scissors. I might be all wet, but it has worked for me in the past as I don't have access to any professional way to sharpen my scissors. I have 2 Fiskars scissors that only but fabric, then I have other scissors (usually the $1 scissors-mainly because I keep misplacing them) to cut anything else. I guess my comments probably aren't very helpful, but I'll put in my 2 cents as the sandpaper/aluminum foil has worked for me. Until my kids left home, the 2nd or 3rd time, I marked my good scissors and threatened with death or other suitable torture (LOL-really I'm sort of kidding here), if they used them for any reason other than cutting fabric, although I strongly suggested that they do not touch.