TeachKidsArt

a resource for teachers & families

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Artist Birthdays
  • SHOP TPT
  • About
  • Contact
  • TIP Vault

4 Easy Ways to Sharpen Your Scissors

By Cheryl Trowbridge 7 Comments

Share
Pin
Tweet
Print

4 Easy Ways to Sharpen Your ScissorsScissors in the art room can get dull fast, with being shared by so many students, and cutting who-knows-what! But sharpening your inexpensive classroom scissors is easy to do and can add new life to dull scissors that you might otherwise just toss and replace. And the best part is that you probably already have all you need to do it!

One way to sharpen your scissors is by cutting strips of aluminum foil.
One way to sharpen your scissors is by cutting strips of folded aluminum foil.

1. Basic aluminum foil works great for cleaning scissors, straightening and aligning the blades, and smoothing away small amounts of rust and rough edges. Here’s all there is to it:

Tear off about 12” of foil, and fold it in half three or four times. (If you’re using heavy-weight foil, it won’t need to be quite as thick.) Then simply cut your foil into strips using long scissor strokes. Finish by doing the same thing with a piece of waxed paper to lubricate the blades. (I’ve heard that you can sharpen punches this way, too, although it’s never worked well for me. Maybe mine were just too far gone!)

Cutting sandpaper to sharpen your scissors
Cutting fine-grit sandpaper will also sharpen your scissors.

2. You can also sharpen your scissors by cutting through a piece of fine-grit sandpaper. This may be a little harder on your scissors, but it really does work! Cutting a piece of steel wool has a similar effect and is great for removing rust.

You can use a safety pin to sharpen scissors!
You can even use a safety pin to sharpen and hone your scissors.

3. Another method is to run the blades of your scissors against the edges of a safety pin. Use a reverse cutting motion, starting with the pin at the tip of your scissors and pulling it back toward you, as the scissors open up. (You can use a regular pin as well, but I find that a safety pin is a little easier to carry in my pocket!)

Repeated sharpening using these techniques can eventually wear away the steel of your scissor blades, but it’s worth considering if the alternative is buying new ones. Making your old scissors last a little longer and getting better use from them is the greener and more economical way to go!

But keep reading for the very best way to sharpen your scissors….

The Smith's 10 Second Knife and Scissor Sharpener
The Smith’s 10 Second Knife and Scissor Sharpener
The Smith's 10 Second Sharpener will sharpen both right and left-handed scissors!
Sharpen both right and left-handed scissors!
Sharpen knives and blades using the Smith's 10 Second Sharpener
Sharpen all kinds of knives and blades!

4. Finally, a great investment (for very little cash) is the Smith’s 10 Second Knife & Scissor Sharpener. For less than $10, you can quickly and easily sharpen both left and right-handed scissors, and it’s so easy to use that your students will want to do it for you! You can also use this sharpener at home to sharpen your knives and even get extended use from your X-acto blades. Check out all the great reviews for this sharpener on Amazon! (note: This is an affiliate link but not a sponsored post. I didn’t receive any payment or free products for featuring this sharpener. I’m sharing it because I love it and I think you will, too!)

 Of course, it goes without saying that any really expensive, high quality shears should be sharpened by a professional, or by the skilled use of a sharpening stone or wheel, to maintain the integrity and original angle of the edges. But most classroom scissors (like mine!) aren’t likely to be considered worthy of that level of care!

Do you sharpen your scissors or just replace them when they get dull? 

Share
Pin
Tweet
Print

You may also like...

Default ThumbnailAll You Really Need for Teaching Art to Kids… Default ThumbnailMy Favorite Eraser Ever Default ThumbnailTricks of the Trade – Wet Wipes! Default ThumbnailMarker Set Storage

Filed Under: Product Reviews, Supplies / Products, Tips for Teaching Art Tagged With: scissor sharpener, scissors

Comments

  1. lin b says

    at

    Thanks for this. Do you know how to sharpen pinking shears?

    Reply
    • Cheryl Trowbridge says

      at

      For pinking shears, it’s best to have them professionally sharpened. I have a good pair for sewing (that I only use for fabric!) that our local sewing supply store will sharpen for about $7 (as long as they’re not bent). For ‘pinking’ paper, though, I just use the cheap scissors with the decorative edges and replace them when they get dull. Most of all, don’t use sand paper or aluminum foil on your really expensive scissors. That’s a trick to extend the life of your inexpensive scissors that take such a beating in the classroom!

      Reply
  2. Cheryl Trowbridge says

    at

    I’ve found that these techniques can extend the life of budget scissors already in disrepair…. elementary classroom scissors being a good example! But sharpening expensive scissors is better left to the pros!

    Reply
  3. Eric Burns says

    at

    Thanks for the tips. But I think that we should buy tool for sharpening (if you use scissors a lot). These tips are nice but I use tools for both knives and scrissors sharpening.

    Reply
  4. Kate E says

    at

    Thankyou for this at home easy way to revamp scissors… some may want the pros and pro tools to sharpen yes but this is good info when In a pinch and especially with child scissors, that arent very sharp anyways, but need to be able to cut paper at least lol

    Reply
    • Cheryl Trowbridge says

      at

      I’m glad this was helpful, Kate!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. tampa art classes | Colorful Painted Owl Art Project + MORE | TampaKidsArt: Tampa FL Children/Kids/Teen Art Classes and Programs says:
    at

    […] 4 Easy Ways to Sharpen Your Scissors […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Follow Me

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Never Miss a Post - Follow by Email

Find a ** FREE ** Lesson (Below):

  • Lessons Inspired by Famous Artists
    • Britto, Romero
    • Burch, Laurel
    • Calder, Alexander
    • Carle, Eric
    • Cezanne, Paul
    • Chagall, Marc
    • Chihuly, Dale
    • Dali, Salvadore
    • Da Vinci, Leonardo
    • Delaunay, Robert & Sonia
    • Escher, M.C.
    • Goldsworthy, Andy
    • Haring, Keith
    • Johns, Jasper
    • Kahlo, Frida
    • Kandinsky, Wassily
    • Klee, Paul
    • Klimt, Gustave
    • Matisse, Henri
    • Miro, Joan
    • Mondrian, Piet
    • Monet, Claude
    • O’Keeffe, Georgia
    • Old Masters
    • Picasso, Pablo
    • Pollock, Jackson
    • Pompon, Francois
    • Posada, Jose
    • Remington, Frederick
    • Renoir, Auguste
    • Seurat, Georges
    • Seuss, Dr.
    • Van Gogh, Vincent
    • Van Honthorst, Gerard
    • Wood, Grant
  • Lessons by Holiday
    • 100th Day of School
    • Chinese New Year
    • Christmas
    • Day of the Dead / Dia de los Muertos
    • Earth Day
    • Easter
    • Father’s Day
    • Halloween
    • International Dot Day
    • Memorial Day
    • Mother’s Day
    • New Years
    • Other
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Lessons by Culture
    • Africa
    • America
    • Chile
    • China
    • Europe
    • Haiti
    • Japan
    • Mexico
    • Middle East
  • Lessons by Process
    • 3D / Sculpture
    • Bookmaking
    • Calligraphy
    • Collage
    • Drawing
    • Embossing
    • Folding
    • Lettering
    • Micrography
    • Mosaic
    • Origami
    • Painting
    • Paper Cutting
    • Paper Folding
    • Printmaking
    • Quilling
    • Recycling with Art
    • Sketching
    • Stitching / Embroidery
    • Weaving
  • Lessons by Medium
    • Acrylic
    • Clay
    • Colored Pencil
    • Crayon
    • Digital / Computer
    • Fabric / Fiber
    • Markers / Pen and Ink
    • Mixed Media
    • Oil Pastel
    • Paper
    • Pencil
    • Tempera
    • Watercolor
  • Lessons by Style
    • Abstract (Non-representational)
    • Abstract (Representational)
    • Cartoon
    • Cubism
    • Expressionism
    • Fantasy
    • Impressionism
    • Op Art
    • Orphism
    • Pointillism
    • Pop Art
    • Post Impressionism
    • Realism
    • Surrealism
  • Lessons by Subject
    • Abstract Design
    • Animals
    • Birds
    • Buildings
    • Butterflies
    • Cityscape
    • Color / Color Mixing
    • Creatures / Monsters
    • Cross
    • Faith
    • Elements of Art
    • Fish / Marine Life
    • Flowers
    • Greeting Cards
    • Hearts
    • Imagination
    • Landscape
    • Mandalas
    • Masks
    • Math with Art
    • Misc. Subjects
    • Names
    • Nature
    • Ocean / Seascapes
    • People
    • Portraits / Self-Portraits
    • Religion
    • Quilts
    • Scripture
    • Seasons
    • Sky
    • snow
    • Stars
    • Still Life
    • Trees
    • Words / Letters
  • … and More!
    • Bulletin Boards & Displays
    • Classroom Management
    • Elements of Art
    • Imagination
    • Inspiration
    • Middle School Art
    • News & Announcements
    • Philosophy
    • Portfolios
    • Product Reviews
    • Quotes & Stories
    • Supplies / Products
    • Teacher Workshops
    • Tips for Teaching Art

Follow me on
Teachers Pay Teachers

Support Teach Kids Art When you shop Amazon.com

TEACH KIDS ART IS AN AMAZON AFFILIATE. I earn a small commission when you visit Amazon.com by clicking through my site and make a purchase of any kind. This supports Teach Kids Art at no extra cost to you.

Click here to shop Amazon.com!

Related Posts

  • Review the Elements of Art with a Beachball Scavenger Hunt
  • Make a Crazy Crown Craft
  • Use Art Postcards to Teach or Review
  • How to Have an Elements of Art Scavenger Hunt in a Painting
  • Colorful Paper Flowers for Cinco De Mayo

Copyright © 2023 Cheryl Trowbridge / Teach Kids Art · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy · Design by Laugh Eat Learn



We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT