Monday, January 9, 2012

Sharpening Scissors with Aluminum Foil

I've wanted to try this for a few weeks. Fortunately I have a pair of scissors that are so bad that if it didn't work, the scissors were ready to throw away anyway.

I sharpened my quilting rotary cutter with aluminum foil and it worked surprisingly well! My friend told me that she had heard you could sharpen paper punches with aluminum foil as well.

That's a pretty small cut for those scissors!
A sheet of aluminum foil folded to 6 layers.
Cut aluminum foil before second try at cutting the bag.
Surprise! The scissors work again!
I was surprised! I wasn't sure aluminum foil would sharpen my scissors enough that they would cut much better.

I know, it's probably less expensive to go buy a sharpener.

Sometimes it's nice to be able to use what I have sitting around. Next time I have aluminum foil that is ready for the garbage, I'll use that instead of brand new aluminum foil.

In fact, I'll probably grab a pair of scissors and cut the old stuff up as I throw it into the garbage just to keep my scissors sharp.

6 comments:

Tonia said...

That is very interesting!!

TJ said...

Thanks :) I think if I had grown up a "hobby farmer" I would have already known that, but since I didn't .... well, it's one of those things that I've learned along the way. There is soooo much for me to learn!

Monday's Child said...

Rotary cutter sharpener? Brilliant!

TJ said...

Thanks :) I love being called brilliant! I'm not sure if it's accurate, but I love figuring out things that help me "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."

Unknown said...

Nice how to and photographic evidence! I will try this for sharpening biopsy punches we use for making microfluidic devices.

TJ said...

Thanks for your comment! My husband has a PhD in chemistry, so does my daughter. My kids grew up with a triple beam balance and a hot plate stirrer on the kitchen counter. I've learned to do as much as I can scientifically!