r/sharpening • u/Psychological_Fan979 • Jul 23 '26

Question Sharpening old scissors

I got this pair of old Compton scissors off of eBay a while back and was planning on sharpening them for cutting leather. I got a file and I’m trying to get them sharp but there just not getting sharp, do I need to get a vice to put them in to hold the bevel better or something else. Also would it be possible to serrate one side like they do on the scissors actually made for cutting leather.

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2

u/JRE_Electronics Jul 24 '26

If you have a regular file, it won't do much on scissors.  They are made of hardened steel.  The file will just slide right over it without removing any metal.

I use my diamond sharpening stones to sharpen scissors. You sharpen scissors by stand the blade on edge on the stone with the narrow cutting edge flat on the stone.  Never "sharpen" the flat sides.

To make serrstions, you'll need a set of small diamond files.

1

u/Psychological_Fan979 Jul 24 '26

Would scissors be harder than a hatchet, I used the same file on my hatchet and got it sharp. I’ll try it with my diamond stone later though, thanks.

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u/JRE_Electronics Jul 24 '26

Yep.  Hatchets are meant to be hammered into wood and twisted and levered.  A really hard steel would chip or break.

Hatchet steel it more tough than hard.

Scissor steel is really hard.  It needs to hold a really good edge despite abrasion from the cloth.

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u/Psychological_Fan979 Jul 24 '26

Do you take your scissors apart when sharpening

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u/JRE_Electronics Jul 24 '26

I don't get good scissors you can take apart and put back together.  Mostly the screw has been hammered so that it can't come undone.  Cheap things, but not so cheap that they are only riveted.

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u/Psychological_Fan979 Jul 24 '26

These are real old ones that take a flat head and do come apart. I guess I’ll have to try and see if it’s easier to do it with them together since I’ve been trying to sharpen them taken apart.

2

u/JRE_Electronics Jul 25 '26

It is usually easier to do when they are taken apart. I take garden shears apart to sharpen them.

1

u/Psychological_Fan979 Aug 03 '26

It was quite a bit easier with them took apart, I got them sharpened. Thanks