Fabric scissor and shears are such an important tool when it comes to sewing and dressmaking. There is a lot of tips and advice out there about how to care for and sharpen them and so I wanted to explore with you who says what and my thoughts on the pros and cons of each recommendation.
In this episode I'll share with you the difference between all-purpose scissors and fabric scissors and shears. I'll explain why you need to think about sharpening your fabric scissors. If you have ever wondered which fabrics are guilty of dulling your blades then I'll give you a list to be looking out for.
I've also gathered all the different tips and recommendations and will give you a full run down so you can be better informed when your beloved fabric scissors need some care and attention.
For full show notes and links to extra resources visit: https://www.sewmuchmorefun.co.uk/post/episode79
If you have enjoyed this episode then remember to click 'follow' in your podcast app to get updates on any new episodes.
Sharing is caring - reviews
If you enjoy this episode please be sure to share it and to leave a review to help others find us.
Get in touch
I always love to hear about you trying out what you pick up from these episodes so do let me know:
Thank you so much for listening and for all your support. x
Fabric scissor and shears are such an important tool when it comes to sewing and dressmaking. There is a lot of tips and advice out there about how to care for and sharpen them and so I wanted to explore with you who says what and my thoughts on the pros and cons of each recommendation.
In this episode I'll share with you the difference between all-purpose scissors and fabric scissors and shears. I'll explain why you need to think about sharpening your fabric scissors. If you have ever wondered which fabrics are guilty of dulling your blades then I'll give you a list to be looking out for.
I've also gathered all the different tips and recommendations and will give you a full run down so you can be better informed when your beloved fabric scissors need some care and attention.
For full show notes and links to extra resources visit: https://www.sewmuchmorefun.co.uk/post/episode79
If you have enjoyed this episode then remember to click 'follow' in your podcast app to get updates on any new episodes.
Sharing is caring - reviews
If you enjoy this episode please be sure to share it and to leave a review to help others find us.
Get in touch
I always love to hear about you trying out what you pick up from these episodes so do let me know:
Thank you so much for listening and for all your support. x
[00:00:00] Jacqui: I recently had an email conversation with a sewing friend about sharpening sewing tools, and I thought I know someone who might also be interested in that. So in this week's podcast, I wanted to share with you some thoughts on all those tips that you see for sharpening your fabric, scissors, the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.
[00:00:17] So let's dive on in.
[00:00:18] Hello, everyone. And welcome to the Sew Mindful podcast where we dig into the tips and topics that will help you have great fun making clothes that make you feel fabulous. I'm your host, Jacqui Blakemore of Sew Much More Fun and I can't wait to share this week's illuminating episode with you, so let's roll the tape.
[00:00:51] So when you find a pair of fabric, scissors, or shears that you love, then you want to do your best to make them last as long as possible. There's a lot of information and opinions out there on how to keep them sharp, and so today I wanted to share with you some of those methods, some pros and cons to consider if you want to give them a try.
[00:01:09] As always, I've put some notes together on what I'm going to share with you and the links to the resources. So check out the blog post for the episode, which you can find at sewmuchmorefun.co.uk/post/episode79. There should be a link to that from your podcast app as well.
[00:01:25] Jacqui: So what's the difference between scissors and shears? While according to Ernst Wright's website who have been making scissors and shears since 1902, the difference between scissors and shears lies in the length of the blade and the design of the handles or bows.
[00:01:41] Scissors have symmetrical, equally sized finger holes and are generally under six inches in blade length while shears have one smaller and one larger finger hole and are over six inches in blade length.
[00:01:55] Jacqui: So to set the scene, I just wanna explain some of the key differences between what I would call all-purpose scissors and fabric scissors and shears.
[00:02:04] By all purpose scissors, I mean the kind that you might have in your kitchen drawer for opening food packets or to use when you're cutting wrapping paper to wrap presents. These scissors are great ' cause you can use them for all kinds of different cutting jobs. And when we use them, we tend to find that we use them for a single particular task that doesn't take very long.
[00:02:24] You can use them to cut fabric, but there are a few reasons why having fabric, scissors or shears can be a better option. When you're sewing and dress making, you're often cutting out quite a few pattern pieces in one go, which can mean you're using your scissors a lot in one sitting.
[00:02:39] You're also cutting fabric, which ideally we want to keep as flat as possible on our table or work surface, and so fabric scissors, and shears were developed to make that specific task easier, more comfortable, and more accurate.
[00:02:53] There's a few key differences.
[00:02:55] The first is in the sharpness. Fabric, scissors are usually made from higher grade steel than all purpose scissors.
[00:03:03] The handle design is more ergonomic for cutting on a table with a larger handle opening at the bottom for your fingers and a smaller hole on the top, for your thumb. The handles can be coated or metal for personal preference.
[00:03:16] The blades on fabric scissors are not symmetrical. The one on the bottom is usually longer and more pointed, and the one on the top is usually slightly wider and rounded at the end. Some do also have a serrated edge, and these are better for gripping thicker fabrics, but not great for use with finer fabrics.
[00:03:34] And fabric, scissors are usually longer than all purpose scissors, ranging from eight inches up to as much as 12 inches. These longer blades are designed to allow for smoother continuous cuts.
[00:03:47] And finally, one reason why you might want to make sure that you look after your fabric, scissors, and shears is that they're often more expensive than all purpose scissors. So you do wanna make them last.
[00:03:57] So I'm gonna use the word scissors when I should probably be using the word shears, but I'm just more comfortable with that. So please forgive me, but I mean the same thing.
[00:04:04] Jacqui: So apart from the fact that we want to make them last as long as possible, why do we need to talk about sharpening our fabric, scissors? Well as you start to do more dress making and sewing, you'll be using these babies more often, and the more we use them, the more likely they are to eventually become blunt or for the blades to get dull.
[00:04:22] Some fabrics are more challenging to work with and can take the edge off our scissors more quickly, and for them to remain comfortable and effective, it is good to keep them in the best condition. Otherwise you find that they start to chew up your fabric or you have to go over things twice or grip harder to make them work, which is definitely no fun.
[00:04:38]
[00:04:40] Jacqui: So when I started dress making again about 15 years ago, and I was doing it more regularly, I used to have a pair of fabric scissors with a black plastic handle.
[00:04:48] They had about an eight inch blade, and I absolutely loved them. Then I happened to be at a sewing class where I got to use a longer pair of shears and I decided to treat myself to a new longer pair that I still use today. I gave the black handle pair to my mom, and last Christmas I treated her to a brand new pair because the black handle scissors had finally given up the ghost.
[00:05:10] So if you do look after them, then they do last, and I think you can definitely get a long life out of them.
[00:05:16] Anyway, I thought about talking about this topic because just before Christmas I'd been having an email conversation with a sewing friend about sharpening sewing tools, and when I'd had a quick scan of the information and ideas people were mentioning, I thought there were a lot of different suggestions out there, and it'd be great to talk them through.
[00:05:33] Now I'm gonna focus on sharpening scissors and shears today as the methods we're gonna talk about, don't relate to dropped or misaligned scissor blades. And I wanted to remind you that fabric scissors, and shears are precision tools, and they don't respond very well if they get bent even just a bit.
[00:05:50] They might seem like a very simple construction, but if you drop them onto a hard floor, it can really screw up the alignment and stop them being effective. So do look after them.
[00:05:59]
[00:06:00] Jacqui: So what kind of fabrics can blunt your shears or scissors? Well, definitely thicker, more densely woven fabrics like denims and canvases can take a toll on the blade.
[00:06:11] And some fibers like silk, which we use because they're strong that's one of the reasons we pick them in our fabrics, but this does also make them a little tougher on your shears. Also, some upholstery fabrics that have synthetic backings or any fabrics that have a high plastic or vinyl content can definitely dull the blades of your scissors.
[00:06:32] Obviously things like fabrics with sequins or beads will definitely give you blades a challenge, and wherever possible, even though it can be time consuming, it's definitely worth trying to smash beads to remove them along the lines where you're gonna cut before you cut them.
[00:06:46] Other fabrics that I found to be quite wearing on my blades are things like fleeces, velvets, faux furs, and faux leathers.
[00:06:54] If you do want to work with real leather and are going to do that on a more regular basis, then it can be worth investing in a pair of leather scissors. These specifically have a shorter blade and a longer handle, which makes them more comfortable to use when working with thicker fabrics. They often also have a serrated edge option, to help with a grip.
[00:07:14]
[00:07:16] Jacqui: So let's talk about what options you might find if you did a search on how to sharpen fabric scissors. The options that I found fell into three main categories.
[00:07:26] The first category is do it by yourself, by cutting through something. This is the most common method that you'll find on YouTube videos and blog posts.
[00:07:35] I think it's the most commonly recommended method because the pros seem to be that you can do it yourself, at home, often with items that you might have lying around the house, such as sandpaper or tinfoil.
[00:07:47] Jacqui: So it's relatively low cost and pretty quick to try. The cons are that these methods often only give a short-lived or temporary improvement, if any at all. If you use the wrong thing, such as the wrong grade of sandpaper, they can also damage the blade or cause small nicks or maybe even sharpen it unevenly.
[00:08:07] So the second type or category of method is to do it yourself with some kind of device or tool. So these are things like your knife, sharpeners and those kinds of, devices. So the pros are that you can do this in your own home. If you do it well and it works, you can repeat it without any additional cost once you've invested in the original tool. It might be more cost effective than getting it done by a professional. But my caveat to that is that some of the tools and devices are quite pricey.
[00:08:37] The cons are that you still have to invest in some kind of equipment, and also some of the equipment is specific to the brand of scissors or shears because of the angle at which the blazer to be sharpened and the way that they're designed.
[00:08:50] And then the final option or final category is to get them sharpened professionally. The pros of this are that it's being done by somebody that's done this for a profession, so they'll have the right tools and expertise to do it properly. The cons are that you will have to find somebody, take your scissors to them and pay them some money.
[00:09:11] Jacqui: So before I get into who recommends what and why, I just wanted to share with you my own thoughts, but I'm covering all of these options so that you can make your own choice and decisions.
[00:09:22] I have a few pairs of fabric shears that I use, and I use them a lot. I love the ones that I have, they've taken me time to get used to, and whilst I have them, I want to give them the best care possible.
[00:09:34] Also in the past, I have tried sharpening kitchen knives that I cared way less about with a variety of different tools and devices, and I've been completely rubbish at it. So when it comes to my shears, when they need sharpening, I'll be looking for someone professional that has experience with fabric shears to sharpen them for me.
[00:09:55] But I don't want you to just take my thoughts on this, so I brought together a few other viewpoints for you and lots of links in the blog post for you to check them out too.
[00:10:04]
[00:10:05] Jacqui: So the first guidance I found was on the Singer Outlet website, which has an article with five ways to sharpen your fabric, scissors.
[00:10:14] Now, singer do sell their own fabric, scissors, and this was the only scissor manufacturer that I found recommending to try sharpening by cutting through things like sandpaper. So they recommend a particular grade of sandpaper folding it in half and cutting it with your scissors.
[00:10:30] They also recommended cutting into steel wool soap pads, the kind that you use for scouring when you are washing the dishes.
[00:10:39] They recommended using a knife sharpener and they suggested that you unscrew the scissor blades from one another and sharpen them individually.
[00:10:46] They recommend using a sharpening stone.
[00:10:49] And then finally, a weird method that I didn't really understand about using sewing needles and pins. So if any of you do read that and that you understand it, then please do let me know.
[00:10:59] And there's lots of other blog posts out there recommending cutting into things like tinfoil too.
[00:11:04] But personally, when I tried that out with a rotary blade to see if the principle made any difference, whilst it did give me some immediate small improvement. It didn't really last for more than one project and I had to keep doing it to get any benefits.
[00:11:19] I'll share some feedback on those methods from some other scissor manufacturers and professional sharpeners in a moment.
[00:11:24] Jacqui: But first, let's look at home sharpening tools. So there were two main tools that I found. The first is the Fiskars plastic sharpening tool, which is relatively low cost. So that's just under 20 pounds.
[00:11:37] They do recommend using this to sharpen their scissors on their website. So if you look in their FAQs, they do recommend if you need to sharpen them, use their tool.
[00:11:46] But they don't make any mention of any of the other home-based options that we've mentioned.
[00:11:51] I also found a YouTube video from Bridal sewing channel where she reviews the Chef's Choice Scissor Pro Electric Sharpener, which you can get in the UK from around 125 pounds. Hundred and 25 pounds.
[00:12:05] She seems to like it for sharpening her fabric scissors. And she gives some examples in the video of her using it and shows the results.
[00:12:13] And she uses it on more than just her fabric shears. She uses it on some applique scissors and some other smaller scissors as well. If you have lots of different pairs of scissors and you are making lots of garments, then that kind of tool could definitely be a good investment, but personally, that's outside of my own budget.
[00:12:32] I then checked the advice given by the scissor and shear manufacturers, William Whiteley and Ernst Wright. Ernst Wright specifically instruct you not to adjust the screw that holds the blades together as over tightening or loosening this can affect the cutting action. They both also recommend getting the scissors professionally sharpened.
[00:12:52] In a really good Threads article by Sara Maker, and if that's her real name then isn't that just the perfect job for her.
[00:13:00] Anyway, she contacted Ernst Wright and LDH Scissors, who both manufacture scissors and also pro Sharp, who are in the guild of master Craftsmen and provide professional sharpening.
[00:13:10] Their feedback was that if you do try it yourself, you might sharpen at the wrong angle, which seemingly is specific to the particular brands of blade and scissors. You might remove the hollow against the blades, which is meant to be there. You might accidentally nick the blades or overtighten the scissors, causing the blades to grind together against each other.
[00:13:30] Now with that said, they are also companies that make scissors and do, or have previously offered professional sharpening services, so it would be less likely for them to advise you to pick the do it yourself option.
[00:13:43] But I'll give you the link to the full Threads article as there are more details in there too, and I'd highly recommend giving it a read.
[00:13:50] Jacqui: So after all I've read and watched, my thoughts are that for my general purpose craft or paper scissors, I'd be willing to give some of those home-based methods a try, mainly because those scissors will cost me a lot less to replace, and even if I got a few more uses out of them, then that might be worth it.
[00:14:07] But personally, for my lovely fabric shears, I'm gonna stick with the professional option.
[00:14:13] Jacqui: So I just wanted to leave you with a few care tips for your beloved fabric scissors to help them feel appreciated.
[00:14:21] Ideally, store them where there isn't too much moisture or humidity.
[00:14:24] When cleaning them use a dry cloth and pay attention to the insides of the blades as well as the outsides.
[00:14:31] William Whiteley and Son also recommends that, fabric scissors that can have a buildup of fibers between the blades near the screw, they advise wiping them after every use and regularly applying a small amount of machine oil near the screw and nut to keep them in their best condition.
[00:14:48] I did see other recommendations for wiping them down with things like machine oil, but make sure you do clean that off before you then cut into your fabric.
[00:14:57] And as a general rule. Try not to drop them because we know that this can affect their alignment. So try and keep them on the table where possible.
[00:15:04] And if you want to make them last, I would avoid letting anyone else near them so that you don't end up finding them in your kitchen drawer being used to cut open Amazon packages.
[00:15:12]
[00:15:14] Jacqui: So it's just a little short and sweet episode on how to keep your fabric scissors in tip top condition. I hope you found it useful. Again, I certainly picked up some tips in preparing for the episode, so thanks for the opportunity to do that.
[00:15:28] If you've enjoyed the episode and have any sewing friends that might also like it, then please do share it with them. And if you have any insights or personal experiences with fabric scissors, or shears that you want to share with me, then I love it when you get in touch.
[00:15:41] My email is hello@sewmuchmorefun.co.Uk and the contact details are in the show notes too. Have a wonderful week and I look forward to chatting with you again soon.
[00:15:52]
[00:15:54] Jacqui: Well, that's it for this episode. Thank you so much for listening. Check out the show notes in the description area of your podcast app and click to follow or subscribe or head over to sewmindful.com/podcast, which is S E W M I N D F U L.com, where you can also sign up for an email reminder so that you don't miss out on any juicy episodes.
[00:16:17] If you listen on Apple Podcast, then please help others find us by leaving a review, if you love this episode, And I'm always excited to find out what you got from the episode and how you plan to use the tips. And finally, if you have a question, feedback or a topic you'd like me to investigate, then you can also email me at hello@sewmuchmorefun.co.uk .
[00:16:38] So until next time, stay gorgeous and have sew much more fun.