Scissors Care, Maintenance & Safety

Buy Several Pairs

Decide which scissors will accomplish what tasks and use them for only those purposes.

Wipe Blades After Each Use

This prevents build-up of lint and other debris that can get caught in the pivot area and interfere with the way your scissors performs.

For normal cleaning, wash your scissors with soap and water.  Wipe off and dry scissors before using or storing.

Oil Scissors

Oil your best scissors/shears every once in a while at the screw assembly and between the blades at the pivot area.  Wipe excess oil off the blades to prevent staining.

Don’t Force Cutting

This damages the blades and alignment.  If it’s too hard to make the cut, your scissors are too light or too dull to complete the task.  Cut heavy things near the pivot, NOT near the tips of the blades.

Cut Carefully

Hitting a pin can cause jags or nicks in the blades, making it difficult to cut.

Don’t Drop Your Scissors

Dropping can break or knock your scissors out of alignment.

Store Scissors

Keep scissors in a safe, dry, cool, clean place.  This will avoid damage to them and prevent accidents.

Sharpen or Replace Blades

Do this as needed to ensure optimal cutting performance. 

Test for Sharpness

Draw a five-point star about the size of a dime on a sheer piece of fabric.  Start in the center and cut out to the points.  If the star edges are clean, your scissors are sharp enough.  If the edges are jagged, you need to sharpen your scissors.

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