Galoots-

I recently acquired a pair of shears - two pair actually.  One was a J.
Wiss and Sons Model A pinking shears with replaceable blades.  Was
interesting to learn that pinking shears are a relatively modern tool,
first appearing in the early 20th century.  Apparently they only work well
on natural fiber fabrics so their popularity waned after the appearance of
synthetics.  The pair I got is still sharp, cutting t-shirt knit fabric
with ease (something that seems to be a problem for many scissors), with
only minor surface rust in a few spots - massive cast aluminum frame with
steel blades held by screws.  Anyhow, lots of interesting stuff at:
http://jwissandsons.com/ for those so
inclined.

The other pair were not in as good of condition.  Mechanically, the gently
curving blades meet well and the pivot is tight, but corrosion or perhaps
misuse has taken the edge off the blades so they won't cut.  I think they
are salvageable if the edge can be touched up, but I'm clueless how to
proceed.  No great loss if they are wrecked in the attempt, but I thought
someone here may be able to guide me and up the possibility that I may end
up with a useful tool. Any one with a knowledge of proper techniques,
angles, etc?

Phil

I can only tell you how I sharpen my scissors.

I remove the bolt which is the pivot, and put each blade into my soft faced
vise. I use either a small mill file to draw file, or a diamond coated sharpener
to sharpen the blade. It is pretty easy to see what angle you need.

I then place the flat of the blade on some fine sandpaper (400 or 600) and touch
up the leading edge. Only enough to see that it is sharp. Then back together
with a little oil.

It works for me.


On Jan 3, 2015, at 9:32 AM, Phil Schempf  wrote:

> Galoots-
> 
> I recently acquired a pair of shears - two pair actually.  One was a J.
> Wiss and Sons Model A pinking shears with replaceable blades.  Was
> interesting to learn that pinking shears are a relatively modern tool,
> first appearing in the early 20th century.  Apparently they only work well
> on natural fiber fabrics so their popularity waned after the appearance of
> synthetics.  The pair I got is still sharp, cutting t-shirt knit fabric
> with ease (something that seems to be a problem for many scissors), with
> only minor surface rust in a few spots - massive cast aluminum frame with
> steel blades held by screws.  Anyhow, lots of interesting stuff at:
> http://jwissandsons.com/ for those so
inclined.
> 
> The other pair were not in as good of condition.  Mechanically, the gently
> curving blades meet well and the pivot is tight, but corrosion or perhaps
> misuse has taken the edge off the blades so they won't cut.  I think they
> are salvageable if the edge can be touched up, but I'm clueless how to
> proceed.  No great loss if they are wrecked in the attempt, but I thought
> someone here may be able to guide me and up the possibility that I may end
> up with a useful tool. Any one with a knowledge of proper techniques,
> angles, etc?
> 
> Phil
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I've used the method James describes with success as well.   I'm sure that
I learned it here on the Porch,  probably from James.

Doc

Lots of great stuff in the archives from Tom Conroy and the Millrat

On Sat, Jan 3, 2015 at 9:32 AM, Phil Schempf  wrote:

>  Any one with a knowledge of proper techniques,
> angles, etc?



Kirk in HMB, CA, about to take the beasties for a walk, after putting the
hardware back on my Sargeant 1080 box.

Kirk Eppler replied to Phil Schempf's query : "Any one with a knowledge of
proper techniques, angles, etc?"

with

"Lots of great stuff in the archives from Tom Conroy and the Millrat"



I do seem to remember writing a lot about this, though I don't know the message
numbers. But in brief:

The best source on sharpening scissors is a strange, crude little book published
on a shoestring in the 1970s called "Scissors Sam says Be Sharp." Its no good
for any other kind of sharpening, but for scissors its bang on. It is,
remarkably, readily available used (Amazon lists 21 copies right now.)


Never touch abrasives to the flats of the blades except to remove crusty rust,
and then be careful. Sharpen only on the edge. There's no need to take the
scissors apart, and good reasons not to. With most good scissors (including
almost all Wiss) a file will be the best sharpening implement; I rather like an
6" mill bastard, but I have used much coarser. Follow the bevel defined by the
thick, unsharpened part of the blade. Brace the tip on something if possible,
and hold the loop of the blade you are working on in the left hand, edge up.
Take the burr off by cutting air, then paper.

As Jim said: works for me.

Tom Conroy

Thanks, Tom.  I got a note from Kirk with advice to check the archives.  A
quick search gave 260 hits, some penned by your capable hand.  He was
hoping to save you another monumental effort.

Somewhere along the line my new shears had its screw peened and it would
likely cause more harm than good to try to undo that.  I see casting marks
on the handles so these may not be worth the effort to rehabilitate them,
but it will be a good learning experience either way

Phil

Phil,

If you can't get them apart, use the same technique without taking
them apart.  I've always sharpened mine that way, and while probably
not as good as Jim's, the process still works.  Just a little better
is better than throwing them out.

Bruce Z.
Des Moines, IA


>

Oh yes, I will give them a shot.  I just plan to use them around the shop.
I'm a little concerned about the amount of rust on the inside faces of the
blades, but looking at the edges, I think they are meeting well along most
of their length.

Phil

Phil Schempf wrote:

>Oh yes, I will give them a shot.  I just plan to use them around the shop.  I'm
a little concerned about the amount of rust on the inside faces of the blades,
but looking at the edges, I think they are meeting well along most of their
length.<

I've cleaned more damned rust off the insides of scissors blades... I seem to
have an eye for fine scissors under a layer of red rust. I used to do the whole
process with emery cloth and a little bit of oil, being careful no to change the
blade geometry in the cleaning process. That's the problem with sharpening on
the flat, you change the blade geometry. The oil keeps the rust from going up
into the air and getting the whole room dirty; it makes your hands dirtier, but
I find the trade-off reasonable. For oil I like using Liquid Wrench because it
evaporates in a day or two, and when it evaporates any remaining red rust goes
back to red colored, so that it is easy to see if the job isn't yet done. The
area near the screw, sort of half under the other blade, is the most tedious,
but it needn't be perfect and it gets done well enough with patience.
At this point I do the heavy lifting with citric acid, get rid of most of the
rust that way. But citric won't clear out a pit or remove a proud lump of
corrosion (sort of the same thing, those two) and if you persist with citric you
pit the whole blade lightly. So in the end there is often a bit of cleaning to
do with emery cloth anyway.

Virtually all the good scissors I come across have the rivet peaned over in the
factory. In cases where the blades can be unscrewed, it is often clear that they
were already un-peaned by a previous owner. I prefer not to monkey with it
unless there is really something wrong with the fit. Scissors Sam has guidance
for when the screw is too loose, and for other situations like tips of the
blades not meeting and blades bent incorrectly and so on. (On good pairs the
blades are supposed to be curved inwards a bit, which is a problem if you try to
flatten the "flats" of the blades with stones).

But all of that is cleaning and repair, not sharpening.


I have a drawer full of scissors, overfull, but I can't seem to resist buying
them and bringing them home if they are in bad condition. Then its lie waking up
with a hangover: "Whyever did I do that yesterday?" and a lot more oil and rust
on my hands. My latest pair, early Wiss from before WWI, is too hard for a file
and has a section of an inch or two in the center that won't cut cleanly, and I
can' figure out why. They sit there sneering at me. Bah, humbug (got a few of
those left over from last month).

Tom Conroy
venting

Roll the film : Scissor Sharpening - with Paul Sellers
  
             
Scissor Sharpening - with Paul Sellers  
View on www.youtube.com Preview by Yahoo

On Jan 4, 2015, at 9:35 AM, Keith Mealy  wrote:

> Roll the film : Scissor Sharpening - with Paul Sellers
> 
> 
> Scissor Sharpening - with Paul Sellers  
> View on www.youtube.com Preview by Yahoo  

I had to go looking or the url:

https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=4rVt6ZLB9Wg

Seems that Sellers is of the same mind as I. He also puts the inside flat of the
blades against a fine stone to refine the edge. And he draw files the narrow
edge.

It is worth watching because pictures are better than
words.------------------------------------------------------------------------