Once you’ve purchased at least one pair of quality scissors or shears, the next step is to take good care of them!  You want them to stay in like-new condition so they can do the job you bought them for.  It just makes good sense to take care of your purchase so they not only will stay in excellent condition and ready to use, but you also won’t have to waste money having to buy more scissors or shears to replace uncared for pairs.

The Main Thing Is The Main Thing

The number one rule to keep in mind:
Shears and scissors should ONLY be used to cut the materials for which they were designed.

This is very important, so I’m going to repeat it:
Shears and scissors should ONLY be used to cut the materials for which they were designed.

That means don’t pick up your good pair of dressmaking shears and use them to cut paper! That’s a no-no because using shears or scissors for something other than their intended purpose dulls the blade. Then next time you go to cut fabric, your shears won’t cut nearly as well.

To keep the blades sharp, repeat after me:
Shears and scissors should ONLY be used to cut the materials for which they were designed.

More Simple Sewing Rules for Scissor Care

Scissors and shears should be kept dry and dust free, with an occasional oiling at the screw. Keeping them in a safe place like a sewing box, or with higher quality cutting instruments, the box they came in, will help protect the points. Also, scissors should be stored in a closed position. Setting down scissors in an open position is the most common cause of dull blades.

High quality scissors and shears can be re-conditioned by the manufacturers or other companies providing that service.

Sewing Simple Summation of Scissors and Shears

Say that 10 times fast!

Bottom line on scissors and shears:

• Choose the right pair of scissors or shears for the task,
• Buy good quality for fabric cutting and other important tasks,
• Cheaper scissors or shears are fine for everyday use around the house, and
• Take care of your scissors and shears, and they’ll reward you with years of easy cutting.

And there you have it, the purchase, use and care of scissors and shears!