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Member since 11/16/05
Posts: 1570
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Posted on: 8/4/09 3:04 PM ET
I took my very dull Fiscars scissors to Hancock's today where they offered a scissors sharpening service. Their contractor wanted $13.50. I was shocked. A new pair of scissors was $15! At that rate, it is not cost-effective to sharpen even a pair of better-quality scissors more than twice.

Is there a tool I could buy? How does everybody on the board sharped their scissors? I tried a whet stone, but that really dulled my pair.

Claudia
  
Member since 2/13/06
Posts: 93
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Posted on: 8/4/09 3:14 PM ET
I sharpen maybe once, then re-purchase. So I now have several pairs of pretty great used scissors for wrapping paper (which is also used in my sewing room). It does make me cringe a little, but I cannot stand dull scissors and I haven't been too pleased for very long whenever I get them sharpened. LOVE my KAI scissors - a nice cross between precision, lightweight, and not exhorbitantly expensive.
  
Member since 9/7/08
Posts: 361
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Posted on: 8/4/09 3:15 PM ET
In reply to purplebouquet
In a pinch I have gone out to the garage and cut through a piece of fine sand paper a few times. My husband has yet to come in and ask why his sandpaper has been fringed.

It actually works pretty well. I had read that somewhere.

It might be cheaper than Hancock's if you have a local vac and sew type of store.

HTH!
  
Member since 6/14/06
Posts: 557
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Posted on: 8/4/09 3:21 PM ET
At one time I bought a little gadget especially for Fiskars that was supposed to sharpen them. I didn't find that it worked very well.

You might possibly be able to find some other scissor sharpening service. The dry cleaner 2 blocks from my house leases space to a guy who fixes shoes, sharpens knives, makes keys, etc. I finally took my Fiskars there, but I don't recall what it cost. Made a huge difference, though.

I guess another alternative, if you take a long-term view, is to buy a scissors sharpener from Chef's Choice. Kind of pricey, but if you sharpen scissors more than a couple times a year, or have multiple pairs, that might be quite cost effective.
  
Member since 4/25/04
Posts: 611
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Posted on: 8/4/09 3:24 PM ET
You can sharpen them on a needle. A regular sewing machine needle. You use the back end of the needle and use a cutting motion with the scissors as though you were cutting something. Make sure the blade runs all the way down. You will hear how it is grinding on the needle. Believe it or not this really work. It saved a pair that had a dull spot as from a nick on the blade and they work great now.
  
Member since 7/25/08
Posts: 11055
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Posted on: 8/4/09 4:26 PM ET
In reply to Jannie
I think that's the principle of the Fiskars sharpeners, which you can get in JoAnn's when they are 1/2 price. They have
the orange small kind and a larger one that's black/gray.

I've had better luck with a knife sharpener that my hubby got at Lowes. Look for one that says it does scissors too.

Actually my favorite ones now are named OXO, office scissors from hubby's stash-- they are better than Fiskars and stay sharp! And my mom's 40-year old Singers!
  
Member since 6/26/06
Posts: 1311
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Posted on: 8/4/09 4:51 PM ET
In reply to purplebouquet
I bought a Chicago Cutlery knife sharpener a few weeks ago. When I discovered that a pair of scissors was dull I tried it on them and it worked really well. I wouldn't try to sharpen my really nice Gingher scissors on it but it worked well for my Fiscars. I bought it at an outlet mall and I think it was about $10.

JT
  
Member since 7/31/08
Posts: 780
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Posted on: 8/4/09 8:08 PM ET
I took my Gingher scissors in recently to be sharpened. It was a sew and vac place. I was very disappointed. It was like they weren't even sharpened at all! I ended up buying some new Ginghers on sale. Sigh.
-- Edited on 8/4/09 8:32 PM --
  
Member since 12/3/06
Posts: 10072
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Posted on: 8/4/09 8:10 PM ET
Potato chip bag. Trimmed the top just to get at those greasy little devils and found the kitchen shears were sharper after the trim.
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OLD CHINESE PROVERB: I HEAR & I FORGET; I SEE & I REMEMBER; I DO & I UNDERSTAND.
  
Member since 9/22/05
Posts: 795
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Posted on: 8/4/09 9:00 PM ET
In reply to Sewnsewmom
I have actually sent my Gingher dressmaker's shears back to the company to be reconditioned - made them like new. That was quite a few years ago. Not sure if they still do this. I have a sharpening stone that I use on the blades now when they seem slightly dull. I match the angle of the bevel & move the stone the length of the blades. It helps keep them working better. Kinda like using a sharpening steel on good kitchen knives. Don't let them get too dull, then it's hard to get them working really well again. I use the stone when I first notice slight dullnes or 'nicks'.

I have the Scissor Pro that Sandra Betzina recommends but haven't really felt it is wonderful. Maybe I need to use it more. I finally decided that I had nothing to lose if I avoid using my scissors because they are dull, I might as well try sharpening them myself - if I wreck them, I'll have to buy new ones. Which I'll end up doing anyway if I avoid using the dull ones!
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SEWING: Pfaff Performance Icon; Pfaff Performance 5.2; Baby Lock Ellegante; Elna Air Electronic SU; Singer Featherweight. SERGING; Baby Lock Imagine Wave; Baby Lock Acclaim; Baby Lock Coverstitch
  
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