Review: Fiskars Desktop Scissors Sharpener

I’ve been meaning to try the Fiskars Desktop Scissors Sharpener after spotting it in the scissors aisle during a monthly trip to Joann Fabrics…you know, stocking up on supplies and stuff. I keep looking at new scissors since the ones I have are the worst to cut with, probably due to the fact that they need to be sharpened. It’s pretty bad when you can only use part of the blades for cutting a straight line, since if you use the whole blade, you’ll end up chewing up the fabric you’re trying to cut. And since it’s tough to get to a fabric store when they have a scissor sharpening event, I’ve been S.O.L. on sharp scissors for a long time. Cutting out pattern pieces is not-so-fun.
Now I don’t have the nicest, or most expensive scissors in the world, just plain ‘ol orange-handled Fiskars. I long for a pair of Gingher dressmaker shears like my mom has, but in the meantime, I use the Fiskars I got as part of my sewing basket for my 12th birthday. And let’s see, I’ve had those scissors for over 10 years now, so I’m definitely overdue for a sharpening. So I picked up the Fiskars Desktop Scissors Sharpener and decided to give it a whirl.
According to the package:
Restore blades to precise cutting edges with the Desktop Scissors Sharpener from Fiskars. Its sharpening rods reshape worn blade edges, while its tuning rods smooth the inside of the blades for effortless cutting.

To use, simply insert the blades into the sharpening unit and make several gentle cutting strokes (four strokes are generally sufficient). The blades should be carefully cleaned with a cloth to remove any dust caused by sharpening.

The compact, lightweight unit accommodates most lightweight stainless steel scissors that have a 30° cutting edge angle. Although it is adaptable forright-handed or left-handed use, the unit is not intended for use with trueleft-handed scissors or scissors with different angles or specialty edges.”

I started with my least important, least expensive to replace scissors: paper scissors. They’re cheap, $2 scissors I got from CVS, so if this sharpener messed them up, I wouldn’t really care. Holding it stationary on my table, I inserted the blades, pulled them out in a slow, cutting motion, and repeated this the recommended four times. When I tested them on a piece of paper, I could tell they were definitely sharper.
Feeling pretty confident with the results from my paper scissors, I moved on to my Fiskar thread snips I use for clipping threads and trimming seams. Four strokes on the sharpener and presto, my snips were back in business. Ok, on to the major offender: my shears.
The shears were a little harder to sharpen because the blades were longer than the previous scissors I had tried, so it was a little more difficult to get the angle right when pulling the blades through the sharpener in a smooth motion. Before I tried to sharpen these scissors, there were all sorts of visible marks in the blades from pins I had accidentally cut into while cutting out fabric, making each cut of the scissors rough and uneven. After they were sharpened, they cut like butter. I couldn’t believe it! My 13 year-old blades that had never been sharpened before cut like they were brand new.
What I liked:
– The sharpener felt more sturdy and safer than this sharpener, which you hold steady in your hands
– It’s pretty small, and tucks away nicely in a drawer or sewing basket. Not too big, not too small.
What I didn’t like:
– This seems to work better with smaller scissors than with shears. I’m not sure how easily it could accommodate a pair of 9″ dressmaker shears, mine were only 6″
– If you’re left-handed and use true lefty scissors, this product will not work on your scissors. Same goes for pinking shears and other specialty scissors.
Overall:
I’m so glad I tried this out, because if I didn’t, I’d still be cutting away my garment fabric with choppy blades and muttering words of frustration at my raggedy edges. For the scissors I have, it was well worth the investment and I recommend it to all who suffer from jagged scissor syndrome.
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2 Comments

  1. January 17, 2013 / 12:47 pm

    i bought one. yes, you were right. it worked well with the smaller and thinner blades scissors but only so so with shears.

  2. Diane Younge-Barnes
    February 26, 2018 / 4:50 pm

    Bought the same scissor sharpener at Walmart, the blades on my shears would not fit into the sharpening holes, so back back to the store they went. Tried another brand Kitchen IQ diamond pro 2 stage knife and scissors sharpener, the
    blades fit into the sharpener, but still not a good result. I will try the foil, mason jar and sandpaper DIY method. Hopefully I will get some sharp scissors from one of them .

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