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265921 RH <rhhutchins@h...> 2018‑05‑25 Sharpening Scissors
With woefully inept sharpening skills, I find myself in need of 
sharpening an old pair that belonged to my mother.  If she were still 
with us, she'd be 116; so these are, indeed, old ones - at least 75 
years old by my own observation.

Can anyone point me to a good wiki or online article that describes the 
appropriate process?  There is a screw holding the 2 arms together.  Can 
this be removed?  Is the thread right or left handed?

Thanks for any help.  I want to get this pair sharp and give it to my 
daughter as a gift from the grandmother she never knew.

Bob Hutchins
Temple, TX, USA
265923 John Ruth <johnrruth@h...> 2018‑05‑25 Re: Sharpening Scissors
Bob & Assembled Galooterati:


At the risk of OLDTOOLS opprobrium, I want to mention recently encountering a
Fiskars manual scissors sharpener, which the owner said she'd purchased at Wal-
Mart.  (There, I've gone and done it! Mentioned Fiskars and Wal-Mart in the same
sentence!)


While buying some heavy fabric to make a tool roll, I was astounded at how
easily the lady cut my order from the bolt.  I asked her who sharpened her
scissors, whereupon she produced the Fiskars device from under the counter and
explained that this is all she uses now.


I think diamond or carbide abrasive is in the act here - you just push the
blades into a slot and make snipping motions.


Can't argue with the results !


John Ruth

Metuchen NJ


________________________________
From: OldTools  on behalf of RH 
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2018 1:21 PM
To: oldtools@s...
Subject: [OldTools] Sharpening Scissors

With woefully inept sharpening skills, I find myself in need of
sharpening an old pair that belonged to my mother.  If she were still
with us, she'd be 116; so these are, indeed, old ones - at least 75
years old by my own observation.

Can anyone point me to a good wiki or online article that describes the
appropriate process?  There is a screw holding the 2 arms together.  Can
this be removed?  Is the thread right or left handed?

Thanks for any help.  I want to get this pair sharp and give it to my
daughter as a gift from the grandmother she never knew.

Bob Hutchins
Temple, TX, USA

------------------------------------------------------------------------
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OldTools@s...
265924 Kirk Eppler <eppler.kirk@g...> 2018‑05‑25 Re: Sharpening Scissors
On Fri, May 25, 2018, 10:23 AM RH  wrote:

> With woefully inept sharpening skills, I find myself in need of
> sharpening an old pair that belonged to my mother.  If she were still
> with us, she'd be 116; so these are, indeed, old ones - at least 75
> years old by my own observation.
>
> Can anyone point me to a good wiki or online article that describes the
> appropriate process?  There is a screw holding the 2 arms together.  Can
> this be removed?  Is the thread right or left handed?
>
> Thanks for any help.  I want to get this pair sharp and give it to my
> daughter as a gift from the grandmother she never knew.
>
>
>
Don't take them apart!

Tom Conroy has written up something a few times.
http://www.swingleydev.com/ot/get/217759/thread/
http://swingleydev.com/ot/get/252798/thread/#252798
http://swingleydev.com/ot/get/252803/thread/#252803

He also recommends a book called Scissors Sam Says Be Sharp, which is
stupid pricey online right now, I found mine in a used brick n mortar book
store

https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/isbn/0912020288/

If you can't find one, I can loan you my copy if you promise to return it.

I send my good (bought used) pairs to Burrbenders (As recommended here by
someone) for initial rehab, then try not to foul them up.

http://www.burrbenders.com/Burrbenders-Scissors.html

They do mail in service, and I like their scissors work.

Paul Sellers has put together a YouTube thing, as someone else recommended
here.
http://swingleydev.com/ot/get/252813/thread/#252813

Kirk from the Droid , hoping to get some more garage time this long weekend.
265925 Erik Levin 2018‑05‑25 Re: Sharpening Scissors
This has been a topic here before, and, IIRC, the reference of choice is
_Scissors_Sam_Says_Be_Sharp_ .


I have sharpened a lot of scissors over the years, but I am not an expert. I
have never removed the screw for to do sharpening, and on many makes, removal is
not intended. The screw is upset to keep it from moving or other holding means
is used. I generally hold one blade in a vise (wood face, match the angle of the
existing grind, and stone (conventional or diamond) the edge. Depending on
intended use, I may stop at course, or go quite fine to a mirror polish.


DO NOT cut sandpaper with scissors. It will ruin them. Work the edge (narrow,
touches the paper or cloth being but, not the other blade), not the faces
(slides in contact with the other blade) of the blades. On many older scissors,
the faces are slightly hollow ground, an many better makes still have the blades
slightly curved toward each other to keep a good shear contact over the entire
cut. The contact point between the blades should happen on its own, not require
the help of you hand to maintain it. This is different than, say, sheet metal
shears, where the blades tend to be looser.


The profile of the edge (curve and rake) varies beased on make and model. I have
a set of Wiss editors shears with about 10 degree rake (made for trimming flimsy
paper for layout... Circa 1930)  and a set of Wiss sewing shears with a rake of
45 degrees.... you could use one blade as a knife. And many between these.


If the business edge in nicked, it can take a lot to get it back. DO NOT succumb
to temptation and work the face of the blade. You will regret it.


A previous thread that was helpful to me is http://swingleydev.com/ot/g
et/122289/thread/#122289">http://swingleydev.com/ot/get/122289/thread/#122289
*** This message was sent from a convenience email service, and the reply
address(es) may not match the originating address
265926 <gtgrouch@r...> 2018‑05‑25 Re: Sharpening Scissors
Polish the surfaces that slide against one another and dress the small flat
surface with a fine stone.

Most of my scissors have the little cutting flat surface at almost ninety
degrees. A couple have them at about eighty degrees or so. I would just try to
duplicate the angle they already have. I remove the screw where I can, but in
some it appears to be staked in.

Hope this helps. Your mileage may vary. Void where prohibited by law.

Gary Katsanis
Albion New York, USA

and for all involved in celebrating, please enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!


---- RH  wrote: 

=============
With woefully inept sharpening skills, I find myself in need of 
sharpening an old pair that belonged to my mother.  If she were still 
with us, she'd be 116; so these are, indeed, old ones - at least 75 
years old by my own observation.

Can anyone point me to a good wiki or online article that describes the 
appropriate process?  There is a screw holding the 2 arms together.  Can 
this be removed?  Is the thread right or left handed?

Thanks for any help.  I want to get this pair sharp and give it to my 
daughter as a gift from the grandmother she never knew.

Bob Hutchins
Temple, TX, USA

------------------------------------------------------------------------
OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.

To change your subscription options:
https://oldtools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools

To read the FAQ:
https://swingleydev.com/archive/faq.html

OldTools archive: https://swingleydev.com/ot/

OldTools@s...
265930 Brent A Kinsey <brentpmed@c...> 2018‑05‑25 Re: Sharpening Scissors
Bob, as someone mentioned, Paul Sellars has a tutorial, or, Heritage Homestead
is just up the road from you in Waco and I would bet there are people there who
can and would sharpen them.

I use a fine triangle file to sharpen all of my old Wiss scissors, the learning
curve wasn't very steep.  And I am able to get a fine edge on any old inlaid
steel scissor now.

BUT...doing anything to the inside face of the scissor halves is fraught with
peril.  Trying to hone that face may do far more damage than good.  The two
haves are in many cases gently curved towards each other and messing up those
inside faces may cause the two haves not to meet any more. I don't mess with the
inside faces at alll.

Brent A Kinsey
265931 Thomas Conroy 2018‑05‑25 Re: Sharpening Scissors
Kirk Eppler wrote:

"Tom Conroy has written up something a few times.
http://www.swingleydev.com/ot/get/217759/thread/
http://swingleydev.com/ot/get/252798/thread/#252798
http://swingleydev.com/ot/get/252803/thread/#252803

He also recommends a book called Scissors Sam Says Be Sharp, which is
stupid pricey online right now....
Paul Sellers has put together a YouTube thing, as someone else recommendedhere.
http://swingleydev.com/ot/get/252813/thread/#252813"


Thanks for posting these, Kirk, since it means I don't have to write it all
over. I had forgotten my eulogy of Scissors Sam, and was pleased to find I'd
done a pretty good piece of writing there.
I have one point of disagreement with Paul Sellars---well, I'll put it stronger,
Paul is dead wrong in one point: he flattens the inside of the scissors on a
flat stone. JeffGorman, in one of the old emails, said to do this too. Maybe
English shears are different, have a different blade geometry, and are actually
flat on the insides. But good American shears are curved in both directions,
hollow-ground across the blades and bowed along the blades. You can see the
bowing by closing the blades and looking between them: the are in contact at
only one point, the tip when they are closed. When fully open they are in
contact only right next to the handle. As you close the scissors that single
point of contact will move alongl so all the pressure of cutting is focused just
where the cut is happening. If you flatten the blades out you ruin the blade
geometry and the cut cannot happen properly. Maybe you can get away with lightly
stoning the flats of the blades once or twice, but pretty soon you will ruin a
good pair if you do this. When I have to clean heavy rust off the insides of the
blades, I do it with emery cloth over a findertip to give a bilatterally convex
sanding pad, and I'm careful to stay well away from the edge. Rust near the edge
will come off on the paper you use for doing test cuts. Don't worry about the
burr: take it off by closing the scissors on air a few times, and then cutting a
few pieces of paper.
Tom ConroyBerkeley
265932 Claudio DeLorenzi <admin@d...> 2018‑05‑25 Re: Sharpening Scissors
I can only speak for big upholstery type scissors.  These are fairly easy
to sharpen with a regular triangular saw file,
-as someone already mentioned, don't take them apart,
-clamp a side in an appropriate vise, then draw file the narrow face with
nice even strokes
  The small Burr on the wide faces comes off with first use, (as already
mentioned, don't need to risk stoning it).
It's really not that difficult to do.
Cheers
Claudio
265933 Dwight Beebe <dwb1124@g...> 2018‑05‑25 Re: Sharpening Scissors
What does one do with loose blades?  I have a pair of Wiss scissors that
don’t make contact as you close them.  Is there something  that I can do to
restore the cutting contact or is it time to move on?
265934 Kirk Eppler <eppler.kirk@g...> 2018‑05‑25 Re: Sharpening Scissors
On Fri, May 25, 2018 at 1:15 PM, Brent A Kinsey  wrote:

>
> BUT...doing anything to the inside face of the scissor halves is fraught
> with peril.  Trying to hone that face may do far more damage than good.
> The two haves are in many cases gently curved towards each other and
> messing up those inside faces may cause the two haves not to meet any more.
> I don't mess with the inside faces at alll.
>
>
I go here, cautiously.  When I first started woodworking, I learned about
making sharp, so had I bought a blue DMT hone.  About a year later, I was
involved with an arts n crafts project for the then dwarves (now in their
20s), and was given a pair of modern scissors to use by the host parent.
Huge dings on the cutting edge, bending material into the inside face, like
someone had cut steel wire.  After a few minutes of cursing and swearing
under by breath (I was surrounded by 6 yrs olds), I took my DMT hone to the
inside face, just to remove the damage.  I then gave the correct edge a few
passes.   Oh my, they had an epiphany when I handed them back.  I did the
other 6 pairs in the room too.  Most used pairs I purchase get that face
looked at before I buy.

So yes, you can touch the inside face, but only if they are fouled up.
Don't touch them to make sharp.


-- 
Kirk Eppler, getting out after the crowd on a long holiday weekend.
265937 bridger@b... 2018‑05‑25 Re: Sharpening Scissors
was it this device?
<https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81QhcQmXGSL._SX569_.jpg>
265938 "Stager, Scott P." <StagerS@m...> 2018‑05‑25 Re: Sharpening Scissors
Yup, that is the scissors sharpener

And if you hold it in the right hand it will sharpen a left handed scissors.  A
real left handed scissors, not one of those that claims to be left handed by
putting a left hand handle on a set of right handed blades.  Saw one of those
the other day.  Deplorable.

—Scott

On May 25, 2018, at 6:43 PM, bridger@b...<mailto:bridger@b...> wrote:

was it this device?
<https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81QhcQmXGSL._SX569_.jpg>




---------------------------------------------------
Scott Stager
Columbia MO
573-474-5955 home
573-424-4764 cell
stagers@m...<mailto:stagers@m...>
265945 "yorkshireman@y..." <yorkshireman@y...> 2018‑05‑26 Re: Sharpening Scissors
picking up on Tom’s comments…

> I have one point of disagreement with Paul Sellars---well, I'll put it
stronger, Paul is dead wrong in one point: he flattens the inside of the
scissors on a flat stone. JeffGorman, in one of the old emails, said to do this
too. Maybe English shears are different, have a different blade geometry, and
are actually flat on the insides. But good American shears are curved in both
directions, hollow-ground across the blades and bowed along the blades.


Speaking for the English - our quality scissors are hollow ground and curved
too.  Our not so quality modern plastic handled instant scissors seem to be flat
steel, so maybe these mass produced versions are the ones being referred to.

I happen to have one of the few tools from my maternal grandfather here at the
desk - a pair of scissors.  They seem to have flat blades, but a ‘proper’ check
shows a very slight hollow ground.

They're  marked ‘Champ…  & co Sheffield’  I think it will be ‘Champion’ but the
mark is almost gone.  I can’t find a reference to Champ, or Champion’

And the reason - as I was once told, for not stoning the face is because you are
unable to stone back the bearing surface at the joint.  If you could do so, then
I would guess no harm done.
Someone mentioned removing gross damage and distortion to the cutting edge.  I
deem this not to be tampering with the face of course.

A long way riund to say ‘I agree with Tom.  Face stoning not allowed. 


More excitingly, and informatively, I came across this video of hand making
scissors.  It’s a good watch

https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=IitTC4PqcOI ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IitTC4PqcOI>



Richard Wilson
Yorkshireman Galoot
In Northumberland
265961 Michael Parrish <michaelparrish@o...> 2018‑05‑29 Re: Sharpening Scissors
May I divert the thread a smidge and ask what, if anything, can be done 
for scissors that are too tight?  I have a vintage pair that cuts fine, 
but is just tiring to use, since it takes greater than normal effort to 
open and close them.  Unfortunately, the screw is peened over, so it 
won't loosen.

Michael, who's partial to stainless-inlaid scissors from Sheffield.
265966 <gtgrouch@r...> 2018‑05‑29 Re: Sharpening Scissors
Among other things, this is why I polish the surfaces that slide against one
another.

I am clearly in the minority, so your experience may vary. 

Good luck, Gary Katsanis
Albion New York, USA

---- Michael Parrish  wrote: 

=============
May I divert the thread a smidge and ask what, if anything, can be done 
for scissors that are too tight?  I have a vintage pair that cuts fine, 
but is just tiring to use, since it takes greater than normal effort to 
open and close them.  Unfortunately, the screw is peened over, so it 
won't loosen.

Michael, who's partial to stainless-inlaid scissors from Sheffield.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.

To change your subscription options:
https://oldtools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools

To read the FAQ:
https://swingleydev.com/archive/faq.html

OldTools archive: https://swingleydev.com/ot/

OldTools@s...
265973 scott grandstaff <scottg@s...> 2018‑05‑30 Re: Sharpening Scissors
> May I divert the thread a smidge and ask what, if anything, can be done
> for scissors that are too tight?
   First use your your hands as a prybar.
  Grab the scissor blades at both ends, and pull them apart forcefully 
as you open and close them repeatedly.       Many times this makes a 
great improvement.

If this doesn't work
  Support the scissors body very near the rivet.  A small socket works 
pretty well (but its going to show after you are done.)
    Just drive the rivet back through a little. A large pin punch is good.
   yours Scott

-- 
*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html

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