Do your household scissors no longer cut as well as they should? This is no longer a problem. Learn how to sharpen scissors in a simple and easy way.
Everyone has those scissors at home that haven’t cut the way they should for a long time. Over time, the material’s edge loses its initial effect, but this does not mean that it is no longer useful. Although there are specific instruments for sanding and sharpening certain instruments, it is possible to do this in the comfort of your home, without much stress. Therefore, learning how to sharpen your scissors becomes much easier than you think.
It is common for scissors to lose their cut easily due to age or improper use. In addition to the grinder, the specific device for sharpening, rounding or finishing parts, you can also achieve the same effect by sharpening your scissors in other ways. Whether using aluminum foil, a needle or sandpaper, the techniques allow anyone to save the material they don’t want to throw away.
Check out 10 different tips and ways on how to sharpen scissors with household materials or specific devices below.
How to sharpen your scissors
The following tips vary between different ways of sharpening scissors with instruments such as a grinding wheel or emery, which many may not have at home, or everyday kitchen utensils.
1 – Sharpen scissors on the grinder
The grinder is used to sharpen specific tools, as well as remove burrs from parts, remove rust and polish. To sharpen your scissors with the instrument, first of all, unscrew the scissors so that you can sharpen the two parts separately. Then turn on the machine, passing each part very close to the stone. Keep your thumb steady on the other side of the blade to ensure stability.
2 – Grinding wheel
Likewise, the grindstone is an instrument used to sharpen cutting tools, consisting of a circle made of abrasive material. Open the scissors as wide as possible and position the blade edge on the circle. Turn on the device and slide the entire length of the blade through the equipment, so that the entire surface is sharp.
3 – How to sharpen scissors with a file
Sharpening your scissors with a file, a rod-shaped tool used to grind parts, is no secret. Just open your scissors as wide as possible and hold them so that they are steady in your hands. Then slide the file diagonally across the entire edge of the blade, from back to front. Repeat the process as many times as necessary and only then switch sides.
4 – Porcelain mug
Did you know that even a porcelain mug can be used when sharpening your scissors? The process is simple. Turn the mug upside down and open your scissors, running the blade along the edges of the bottom of the mug. Repeat the movement at least 20 times on each scissor blade and, finally, use a cloth to clean off the dirt.
5 – Needle for sharpening scissors
In this sense, for this process, any sewing needle should do. Position the needle in the middle of the scissors, from its edge. Pass it slowly through the blade, closing the scissors in the process, carefully, as if you were going to cut the needle. Repeat as many times as necessary. Remember that you must slide the needle along the entire length of the blade while closing the scissors, without squeezing them!
6 – Aluminum foil
The following method is probably the cheapest and simplest of all. All you will need is a sheet of aluminum foil, which helps make the scissors cut better. Open a roll of paper and start making cuts with scissors as many times as you deem necessary to sharpen the instrument. Ready!
You can also use aluminum foil to sharpen nail scissors, which tend to be more delicate. Fold the paper and keep the shiny side out. Pass it over the scissor blade, holding it on both sides, as if you were cleaning it, from bottom to top.
7 – Wood sandpaper
To sharpen your scissors on wooden sandpaper, in an identical way, you must repeat the same process as with aluminum foil. It is recommended for pinking scissors, those used to create edges on the fabric, so that it does not fray. Consider using 220 grit sandpaper, one of the finest, and make cuts in the paper until the edge of the scissor blade improves.
8 – Glass pot
Just like the needle, the movement you must make to sharpen your scissors in the glass jar is the same. First, open the scissors and position one of the blades inside the mouth of the pot and the other outside. Make the cutting movement, pulling the tool outwards, without applying too much force. Repeat this a few times and then switch sides of the scissors if necessary.
9 – How to sharpen scissors with a carborundum stone
Carborundum stone is a specific stone for sharpening knives and other materials, having a rough and smooth wearing surface. The process works for any smooth-edged scissors.
Turn the carborundum stone on its smoothest side and open the scissors all the way, holding them in the center, but without forcing the screw. The blade you are going to sharpen must face you: normally, the roughest side of the scissor blade is the inside. Position the stone on the edge of a table and then slide the blade diagonally, to the corner of the stone.
Attention! Either way, don’t slide the scissors in a straight line, as this will cause them to lose their edge. Repeat the process a few times. For added stability, position the index finger on the end of the blade being sharpened as it slides across the stone.
10 – Nail file
Finally, a nail file is also another extremely simple and cheap method of sharpening your scissors. You should just open the scissors all the way, passing the finer side of the sandpaper along the edge of the blade, from bottom to top. It is not necessary to exert any force. After repeating the process a few times, then do the same on the other side of the blade.
Was this article useful to you? If so, also take the opportunity to check out How to use aluminum foil? The right way to use it in recipes
Sources: Your Home, eCycle
Images: Veja SP, How to Sew, Felt School, Sharpening University, Megafino Cutelaria, Pinterest, Sigbol, Freepik, Reviewbox, Pricelandia
