scissors

[cruzfly89 0]

I was wondering if any of you guys could explain to me how to sharpen scissors. i can always sharpen my knives to a razor edge but i can not for the life of me sharpen my scissors. or should i just give it up and buy new ones?

[flytire 0]

aluminum foil

 

or

 

http://www.wikihow.com/Sharpen-Scissors

[Flyman416 0]

aluminum foil

 

or

 

http://www.wikihow.com/Sharpen-Scissors

 

Does the glass bottle thing really work? I thought if you tried to cut hard things it would dull your scissors. Such as logic and physics would suggest.

[flytire 0]

then just use the "better method" in the link above

 

or these other methods. find one thats best for you.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=swaging+edge+of+scissors&hl=en&rlz=1G1TSNACENUS400&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=qzxeT6mkA7K40QGc5v2_Dw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CAwQ_AUoATgK&biw=1402&bih=707#hl=en&rlz=1G1TSNACENUS400&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=sharpening+scissors&oq=sharpening+scissors&aq=f&aqi=g1g-S8g-mS1&aql=&gs_sm=3&gs_upl=15693l18923l0l21044l10l10l0l0l0l0l499l1248l0.4.1.0.1l6l0&gs_l=img.3..0j0i24l8j0i5i24.15693l18923l0l21044l10l10l0l0l0l0l499l1248l0j4j1j0j1l6l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=bafe88a083e602ca&biw=1402&bih=707

[cruzfly89 0]

i have tried the stone dozens of times always seems to make an almost unnoticeable change. i have never heard of the coke bottle though, makes sense since u can sharpen your knife on your car window. i was just thinking there has to be a way to get them as sharp as when u buy them

[Gene L 0]

I sharpen mine. No way you're going to get a razor edge nor is one wanted. That would defeat the purpose of scissors by reducing the bevel. What you want is an edge that will shear, not a edge that will shave. I use a finish file on mine, or a half round diamong hone, and hit them three or four strokes on each blade. This is generally all you need and leaves a rough edge that cuts thread and whatever you're going to cut with scissors.

 

If that scares you, take a permanant marker and paint the bevel edges then file the marks off. Or stone it off, whatever.

[SilverCreek 0]

Here are instructions I copied years ago from the Fly Fisherman Magazine BB years ago. I wish I could give the author proper credit but I don't know who wrote it originally. From what I recall, he knew a lot about knives and scissors and he said NEVER grind the INSIDE edge of scissors as some on the instructions above say to do.

 

"List of items needed for scissors sharpening - Magic marker, sand paper, a piece of glass, and a paper towel or newspaper.

 

Do not work on the inside of the blade, scissors are not like a knife they have only 1 bevel or angle per blade, on the outside.

 

Take a fine grit sand paper lay on glass [glass is level] & mark the outside edge of scissor blade with magic marker. Now lay the outside edge on sand paper with scissor open try to feel the edge or bevel of the edge. Push the scissor along the edge in one direction only so a burr forms on the inside edge of blade.

 

Make sure you are removing the ink that you put along the outside edge evenly. When you have removed all ink, you should have a burr along the inside edge from tip to the hinge. Do not close the scissor until you have done both blades.

 

Now apply pressure to the blades as you close trying keep the edges from touching. After closing, open to force the burr outside. Now slice the paper to remove the burr. They should be sharp as new. Do the sharpening under a good light you can see the burr form. You can also feel the burr.

 

If you have a nick from cutting wire or heavy mono, you will need to keep sharpening until it is removed and have a even burr.

 

Buy the best you can afford - German or Japan. The difference is these mfg. forge, most of the rest cast. Check inside of blades - this is the hollow grind of the scissor. The deeper the dish or hollow grind the sharper the blade. Shallow grind - pinch cut. Deeper grind - slice cut more as a razor edge.

 

P.S. do not work on the inside of the blade, scissors are not like a knife they have only 1 bevel or angle per blade."

[cruzfly89 0]

i will have to try the the sand paper one, that makes sense to me. I'm sorry i miss spoke, i ment by saying i know how to sharpen stuff, i know that sharpening scissors and knives are not alike. Silver Creek are you using like 1000 grit paper or more course? thank you guys for the replys much appreciated.

[dontheo 0]

This is a huge question really. If you are like me, I have a lot of pairs and some are very expensive. For the expensive one, I have them sent out for about 10 bucks. You have to remember some are serrated too. That adds a whole new dimension as the hardness changes. My rule of thumb, under 20 bucks try to touch them up or toss them. Over 20 bucks, send them out to a professional who can maintain the angle and deal with the varying hardness.

 

Of course, always have an extra pair for heavy work like wire and such. I just use a fine tip pair from Office Depot for that. Orange handle Fiskars. Easy to find too on the bench.

 

If you had or made a jig you could use the "scary sharp" technique used to sharpen plane blades for building bamboo rods.

 

I have no idea why I am a freak for scissors. I keep buying more. Maybe it was Mom who would always yell at me "don't use my good scissors".

[Ebrant10 0]

Best thing ive found are Dr. Slicks razor scissors. 3 years and still as sharp as the day i bought them, just NEVER touch them with any kind of wire.

[flytire 0]

i have dr slicks that are 15+ years old that have never been sharpened and i cut wire all the time.

 

i just cut wire closest to the pivot point of the scissors. until there is data to prove otherwise.

[perchjerker 0]

For about $3.00, you can buy a scissor sharpening device at any fabric store that works like a charm. I still use the one my mother, an excellent seamstress, bought close to 70 years ago, with great success. They have a knurled bar in them and you either pull or push the bar between the blades; the very same principle as using the Coke bottle.

 

No muss, no fuss, and your through in less than a minute---three to four passes is usually all it takes. And yes, I use it to sharpen my, at today's prices, $125.00 Iris scissors.

[dontheo 0]

Nice. I wish I had my Mom's still.

 

I still don't like clipping wire close to the back of the blade, but that is just me. I had a pair that I nicked back there and it ofset how the scissors closed. A file fixed it. I now just bend the wire and break it off. The less tools on the bench the better.

[SilverCreek 0]

i will have to try the the sand paper one, that makes sense to me. I'm sorry i miss spoke, i ment by saying i know how to sharpen stuff, i know that sharpening scissors and knives are not alike. Silver Creek are you using like 1000 grit paper or more course? thank you guys for the replys much appreciated.

 

 

I don't use sandpaper.

 

I actually use a soft Arkansas whetstone (novaculite) that I lubricate with water. The water keeps washes the metal away. Arkansas novaculite is what I have always used to sharpen knives. However, you need to reserve one only for scissors. If you use it to sharpen knives, it can get worn unevenly. So I have 3 sharpening stones. Two soft Arkansas whetstones, one for knives and the other for scissors plus a hard finishing whetstone for knives.

 

http://www.hallsproedge.com/picturepages/natural%20stones.htm

 

I use Dan's whetstones:

 

http://www.danswhetstone.com/novaculite_101.htm

 

http://www.danswhetstone.com/stone_grades_101.htm

 

BTW, I do carry a Fiskar's scissor sharpener in my tying kit, but the method I describes gets the scissors much sharper. The reason is that with the whetstone method you sharpen and maintain the manufacturer's blade angle. The Fiskars has a set angle as you can see in the image below. If the angle of you scissor blade is steeper, you are actually rubbing the edge not along the entire side of the edge to sharpen it, but against the sharp edge to blunt it. If you angle is less steep, you will rub along back edge of the blade and not along the cutting edge.

 

Take a look at how the ceramic insert is set in the blade guides and you will see what I mean. Only by sharpening at the manufacture's original angle can you remove metal evenly along the scissor blade at the original angle. No set scissor sharpener can do this for all scissors.

 

Imagine you want to sharpen a knife and the angle of the mechanical sharpener does not match the angle of the knife edge. Can it sharpen the knife as well as if you were able to set he angle yourself with a whetstone? It is the same for a scissor which is has two "knife" blades.

 

[Gene L 0]

Nice. I wish I had my Mom's still.

 

Your mom had a stil??? Cool.