Sharpening my cutting out scissors?

Mrs_Cupier

Morning all. I am in the middle of making the 3 Minors towelling swimming tops (for when they come out of the pool) and have hit a snag.

I have a lovely pair of cutting out scissors that came from John Lewis about 10 years ago. I've had them sharpened once, by a mobile knife grinder who all but destroyed every blade in the house (my embroidery scissors, paper scissors, kitchen scissors, cutting out scissors, wallpaper scissors, big and little garden shears and lawn mower blades), but that's a rant for another day. Obviously, I'm not going to go that route again.

So, I'm trying to cut towelling and finding it VERY hard going. The cutting out scissors are suffering rather from an unfortunate photograph-trimming incident courtesy of DH and (my fault) a couple of goes at giving the boys haircuts because they were the sharpest thing I'd got.

So what can I do? I could plough on but frankly I'm chewing the material. I've tried cutting the neck of wine bottle and just achieved powdered glass in the sink.

Please can anyone advise? The Minors are really excited about these tops and I don't want to have to stop making them because I can't cut the jolly things out!

Thanks

Mrs C

carriebradshaw

I've heard you can sharpen scissors by snipping some baking foil with them a few times, never tried though

whatatwit

Have you got a steel for sharpening knives...or does a neighbour have one.

I find that a few swipes down a steel does wonders for my scissors.

Primrose

Don't know whether you have a kitchen knife sharpener on which you can sharpen them. Years ago I was given an expensive pair of fabric cutting scissors which have never been any good at all and torn everything I've tried to use them on. I now use a "cheap as chips" pair costing about £1.50 from a car boot sale trader and they're extremely effective.

Swan_2

I've heard, but I've never tried it, that cutting sandpaper sharpens scissors temporarily

I'm a scissor freak/nerd* & have a pair for every purpose (must have 20+ of them :rolleyes:) & go crazy if anyone uses a particular pair for the wrong purpose



*(I blame it on my mum, for giving me a row when I was little for cutting paper with her pinking shears )

bryanb

It's probably not worth persisting with these scissors. All the above suggestions may remove small burrs but will not sharpen them after they've been ruined. Buy some cheapos to finish the job, or even borrow some.

Swan_2

bryanb wrote: »

It's probably not worth persisting with these scissors. All the above suggestions may remove small burrs but will not sharpen them after they've been ruined. Buy some cheapos to finish the job, or even borrow some.

I fear you're probably right bryan

Penelope_Penguin

Swan wrote: »

I'm a scissor freak/nerd* & have a pair for every purpose (must have 20+ of them :rolleyes:) & go crazy if anyone uses a particular pair for the wrong purpose

Are you me

Do you have a school or college near you? I'm friends with the Head of Technology at our High School (I attended evening classes he gave ) and he sharpens my blades from time to time on his grinding disc :T

Is this thread any good - sharpening knives.

Penny. x

Swan_2

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

Are you me

I might well be, people are always telling me how very, very Geminian I am

so I've I always suspected there was another 'me' somewhere out there

Mrs_Cupier

Thanks all, for the advice. I fear a new pair of scissors is about to enter the Cupier household.

Swan_2

Mrs_Cupier wrote: »

Thanks all, for the advice. I fear a new pair of scissors is about to enter the Cupier household.

don't be afraid, new scissors are good things

on second thoughts, you could well be sparking the beginnings of an addiction! :eek: