How do you sharpen scissors?

[FlatzFatz 0]

I have a pair of curved tip and the ones that fit in your palm...both have dulled over the past couple of months, how do you sharpen.

 

Thanks....dave

[tidewaterfly 0]

Scissors are usually sharpened on a fine grinding stone initially, then the serration is done if they have serrated blades. If they have a serrated edge you need a special tool, but if they just have a flat edge and are stainless steel, they can be sharpened with a small, fine, flat file similar to jewelers files, as long as they're not completely worn out. The trick is to try & maintain the same angle on the blades, and only make a few passes with the file, removing as little metal as possible. Scissors cut by shearing action, and removing too much metal will affect that action, and then they won't cut at all. The curved blades are a little trickier than straight blades, but still can be done with the same file.

 

Just make one pass on each cutting edge, then check to see if they still cut, then make another stroke with the file if necessary and check again.

 

A word of warning, it's easy to over do it, and ruin a good pair. If they're expensive scissors, you may be better off sending them back to DR Slick to have them resharpened or take them to a shop that has the equipment to sharpen scissors. If you're not sure about who to take them to, check with a local beauty salon that cuts a lot of hair, they probably know someone who sharpens scissors in your area.

 

I've got several pairs of various types I've resharpened with a file, and they work fine.

 

 

[Ronn Lucas 0]

If you have a larger pair of straight ones, take a glass bottle (a fingernail polish jar works for me) and open the scissors as wide as possible and as if you were cutting a feather or something, "cut" the jar while pressing the scissors against the jar. Then close the blades and you should feel a little resistance as the now burnished edges reset themselves. I've been using the same pair of cheap scissors for about fifteen or more years. They cut about as good as new ones. I don't use serrated blades so I don't know how they would work. Curved ones should work but I don't use them either so I can't make an informed recommendation.

[neoFLYte 0]

I have a pair of curved tip and the ones that fit in your palm...both have dulled over the past couple of months, how do you sharpen.

 

Thanks....dave

 

I use my mouse and credit card. Sorry... couldn't resist. :-)

 

I few months ago I did some online research on knife sharpening. I saw some scissor-sharpening info along the way. You might see what you can find with Google or something similar.

 

[sandflyx 0]

use a xtra fine stone then cut some tinfoil and cut it a few times. some of mine are 20 years old and still going

[DoctorD 0]

use a xtra fine stone then cut some tinfoil and cut it a few times. some of mine are 20 years old and still going

One of the problems with sharpening the kind of scissors we use in flytying is that it will not take much sharpening before the tips of the scissors no longer come together. If you look at good sewing scissors you will see a little bump under one of the finger holes that allows the scissors to be adjusted after sharpening.

 

But give it a try. It would be best to use a very fine stone. I have done it with the finest stone in my Lansky kit and it works fine. I have not added back the file groves and it seems to work just fine.

Lanning

[FlatzFatz 0]

I have a lansky and a ceramic light tube from an airfield lighting system....Will give them a try, will then go to to the mouse and CC version.

 

What brand do you recommend.

 

cheers...dave