I remember my mom being livid when she found out one of the kids borrowed her fabric scissors to cut paper. She felt it immediately when cutting fabric, as the blades were dull.
Today I know my mom’s frustration. However, this time I know how to sharpen scissors… with stuff you already use at home!
So, before you toss your scissors or cutters in the trash and rush off to buy new ones, there’s actually a couple of easy and fast tricks to sharpen the blades.
Believe it or not, but two of the easiest, yet effective ways involve using sand paper or aluminum foil. Just cut the sand paper or aluminum foil a couple of times using full scissor strokes.
Sandpaper
Contrary to common belief, sandpaper actually sharpens blades, not make them dull. A relatively fine 150 or 200 grid sandpaper sheet will do the job. Cut through the sandpaper a couple of times with the rough side on the bottom.
Aluminum Foil
It might seem strange at first, but regular household aluminum foil is one of the simplest ways to sharpen not only scissors, but cutters as well! Tear a reasonably sized sheet of aluminum foil, fold it a few times to get a thick piece. Cut thin strips of the aluminum foil with the scissors. It produces solid results.
Test the sharpness of the blades on a piece of paper or fabric that you don’t use. If it’s not sharp enough, repeat the process, until you’ve reached the desired sharpness of your blade.
Howcast.com brought out the following excellent video: