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Can I Sharpen Scissors With Kitchen Foil? Leave a comment
{Spoilers} Short Answer: no, Longer Answer: Kind of, yes
For years we have heard this rumour that scissors and rotary blades can be sharpened by cutting/running them over tin foil, but does it work. The answer is not a simple as it seems. As sharpening implies that a new clean edge has been formed on the blade, technically, no cutting kitchen foil will not sharpen your blades. But before you throw away the foil and blades, it should be said that tin foil can extend the life of a dull blade.
But, if tin foil does not sharpen your blade, how does it help it cut when it’s dull? That is a good question.
As we use our scissors, rotary blades and even kitchen knives, each cut creates small divots and rough edges that increase the friction of the cutting edge making it slightly harder to cut each time. This results in the blade not cutting well and feeling dull. However, much like our kitchen knives, our sewing blades can have these rough edges removed through a process called ‘honed’ (or more accurately, ‘stropping’). Imagine the cutting edge of a barber’s razor, before the barber uses their razor on a new client, they grab a leather strap and with a fluid motion, they rub the edge of the razor back and forth over the strap. This removes any rough surfaces and ensures that the razor edge is just that. Additionally, this method removes any micro rust that can build on a blade.
When it comes to blades, tin foil can be used in a similar process. But cutting layered tin foil, the foil brushes against the edge of the removing any rough sections and blemishes allowing the blade to cut with less friction. While not a replacement for a new blade, this can extend the life between sharpening / replacing a rotary cutter blade or sewing shears by several more uses. Great for those late-night sewing projects when ducking to the shops is not possible.
It should be noted that this technique should not be used on soft steel blades (such as the Fiskars Spring Sewing Shears).
So, how do you extend the life of your Rotary Cutter Blades and Scissors with Tin Foil?
What you will need:
- Tin Foil (up to 6 pieces with a minimum of 1.5 times the length of the blade that you are sharpening)
- A rotary cutter with a dull blade / dull sewing shears
- A cutting mat or cutting surface
- A piece of test material
For Rotary Blades:
- Layer the kitchen foil and fold the edges to keep the layers in place.
- Place the layered foil on top of the cutting mat/surface
- Run the rotary cutter lengthwise over the tin foil, avoiding the folded edges. Remember to only cut in one direction.
- After several cuts, try your blade on your test material and repeat until you are satisfied with the blade.
Did you know that you can sharpen rotary blade multiple times?
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For Scissors & Shears (including Pinking Shears):
- Layer the tin foil so that there are no two pieces of foil starting at the same point. This will significantly reduce the chance that the blade getting ‘caught’ and creating a divot.
- From the edge cut the tin foil with the shears, completely closing the shears with each cut.
- After several cuts, try your blade on your test material and repeat until you are satisfied with the blade.
This will remove the small burrs and help with giving your sewing blades a better cut.
Eventually, you will need to have your rotary cutter blades and shears professionally sharpened or replaced, but this will ensure that you are getting every cuttable minute from your cutting surfaces.
If you do need a new blade or pair of dressmaking shears, we have a wide selection on sale in our store and online.
Happy Stitching!
