How to Sharpen Kitchen Shears? 5 Different Ways

Did you notice that your kitchen shears have dulled down? Do you want to sharpen them to their original sleekness?

Then you’ve found yourself at the right place. Not only is it possible to restore the glory of kitchen shears, but you can also do it on your own.

In this article, we will share 5 different ways that you can sharpen your kitchen shears at home.

You can try any or all of these methods to see which one works best for you.

The results of all these methods are impeccable, and you’ll never have to get your shears sharpened from a professional ever again.

Let’s dive right in and walk you through the methods!

Table of Contents

Sharpen kitchen shears with Aluminum Foil

This method is very simple and doesn’t require lots of stuff to get started.

All you need is aluminum or tin foil.

Here are the steps that you need to follow:

Take a sheet of aluminum and cut out a piece that is 10 inches long. Fold it multiple times along its length to create a thick foil strip. This thick and layered folding will sharpen the edges of the shears.
Now, use the shears to cut foil along its full length at least ten to fifteen times, ensuring that the shears run across each layer properly. The more you cut, the sharper your shears will be.
Lastly, take a clean towel to wipe away the residue from the surface of the shear blades before you clean and store your sharpened kitchen shears.

This method is another simple way you can sharpen your kitchen shears without much trouble.

You’ll need a paper towel and a sandpaper sheet with a grit of 150 to 200.

Here are the steps that you need to follow:

Fold the sandpaper sheet in half in a way that the smooth sides are inside and the coarse sides make the external surface.
Now use the kitchen shears that you want sharpened to cut through the sandpaper ten to twenty times.
Then, grab your dull kitchen shears and cut through the coarse side of the sandpaper across its length ten to fifteen times. You can decide the number of times you want to cut based on how sharp you want your shears.
Now, use the paper towel to wipe the shear blades before storing them in your kitchen or using them.

For this method, all you need is any type of glass bottle or a mason jar along with a paper towel.

Here are the steps that you need to follow to sharpen your kitchen shears:

Grab the glass bottle or jar with your left/non-dominant hand
Use your dull kitchen shears to cut the jar or glass bottle’s top. Make sure the entire length of the shear blades runs through the glass. The movement will feel a little disoriented at first, but it will show promising results.
For completely sharpening the edges, make sure you cut through the glass at least twenty times. You can cut even more if you’re not satisfied with the sharpness yet.
Once you feel like the shear blades are as sharp as you want them, wipe them with a paper towel.

Kitchen shears can be efficiently sharpened with a whetstone.

The whetstone is also known as a bench stone or a sharpening stone.

Here are the steps to follow to sharpen your kitchen shears with whetstone:

Place the whetstone on a towel with its coarse side facing up.
If it’s more convenient for you, you can also separate the blades of the shears from the plastic handle and each other.
Now, grab one blade and slide its beveled edge flat across the coarse surface of the whetstone. Make sure that you move it steady and in straight lines.
Do the same process for the non-beveled edge. Make sure you repeat it for each side at least ten times or until you’re satisfied with the sharpness.
Then, flip the stone with the fine side up and stroke each side of the blade on it five times or until you’re satisfied with the finishing.
Lastly, wipe the residue off the blades with a clean paper towel.

The last method on our list requires a rotary tool to sharpen your kitchen shears. Rotary tools are easily available at hardware stores.

You’ll also need a vise or an extra pair of hands to help you with this method.

Here are the steps to follow:

First, hold your kitchen shears upright with the blades pointing in an upward direction.
Assemble and plug the rotary tool into an electric outlet.
Now, take a closer look at your blades to identify the beveled edge. You’ll need to sharpen that slanted side at an angle that doesn’t disrupt the original of the blades.
Turn on the rotary tool and begin sharpening the two blades, one at a time. Make sure you sharpen each side the same number of times.
Finally, take a think cardboard piece and run your shears through it to smoothen your sharpened kitchen shears.
Use a paper towel to clean the shears before storing them in your kitchen.

Sharpening kitchen shears is not as complicated as you might think.

As you can understand from the methods that we discussed, it is quite simple and doesn’t take too much time.

Based on the material available to you, you can sharpen your kitchen shears with any of the methods above.

Be careful while you’re following the steps and prioritize your safety.

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