|
Sewing Scissors
|
|
Scissors are sharpened according to the angles shown below.
Unless the scissors need to have a really honed edge, honing is not recommended for scissors. Stop after the sharpening step (but with a high grit level - 1,000 or so).
Some scissors have differing angles for the Thumb Blade (shown in red on the picture below) vs. the Fingers Blade (shown in blue on the picture below). In those cases, separate angles are shown in the table below.
The picture to the right shows a sectional view of the cutting blade.
General Guidelines
|
Type
|
β
Thumb
|
β
Fingers
|
Notes
|
Recommended
Tormek Jigs
|
General Scissors |
120°
|
|
SVX-150
|
|
Clayton 7 inch |
110°
|
|
DaVinci - 2 1/2 inch blade |
120°
|
135°
|
|
Delica - 3 1/2 inch blade desk scissors |
130°
|
|
Embroidery scissors |
115 - 120°
|
|
Fabric shears, 7 inch & longer |
125 - 130°
|
|
Fiskars dressmaker |
120°
|
|
Gingher 'Knife Edge' dressmaker |
115°
|
135°
|
|
Gingher snips resharpened |
125°
|
|
Gingher thread snips |
105°
|
|
Industrial shears, 7 inch & longer |
125 - 130°
|
|
Italian pinking shears |
105°
|
|
Kleencut |
110°
|
|
Pinking shears |
90 - 95°
|
|
Tailor shears, 7 inch & longer |
125 - 130°
|
|
Wiss dressmaker |
115°
|
120°
|
|
Wiss pinking shears, old style |
105°
|
|
Wiss thread nippers |
100°
|
|
Notes & Comments
When sharpening scissors, use the vertical position with the grindstone rotating towards the blade. This keeps the SVX-150 properly aligned to the grindstone. (If you use the horizontal position, the grindstone will pull the scissors away from the jig.)
However, if you are sharpening left-handed scissors and they cannot be disassembled into the two pieces, you will need to sharpen from the horizontal position as the piece not being sharpened would interfere with the process otherwise (it would hit the Tormek machine).
Use of diamond wheels is not recommended. The sharpness of the angle for sharpening can damage the wheel. (And the SG grindstone works quite well.)
More Information
Books & Papers
- Steve Bottorff has been kind enough to let me present information that he has gathered from many years of expert sharpening experience. His web site (SharpeningMadeEasy.com) contains additional information that could be useful, including instructional videos and manuals.
- One of his great documents is Scissor Sharpening, and this page really offers great instructions for the sharpener.
Videos & Presentations
Tormek is a copyrighted logo of Tormek AB. Its presentation on this site is used to help the user quickly understand when specific Tormek tools, jigs, or setting are being used. For specific information regarding Tormek AB, or its products, please refer to the www.Tormek.com.
About this site
Remember : The goal of sharpening is to produce sharp tools, and these tools can injure you if mishandled. Safety measures should be followed to protect yourself and those in your shop. Be sure to read and follow all instructions from the manufacturer, and and utilize proper safety equipment. Never consume alcohol or anything that could impair your judgement before sharpening tools, or using sharp tools.
Comments can be sent via eMail to me at SharpeningHandbook@Gmail.com.