Sharpening Victorinox Scissors

Mike the JAG · Aug 25, 2004

Any suggestions on an easy way to sharpen the small scissors? Oh, by the way, they aren't designed to cut cable ties.

WadeF · Aug 31, 2004

You should be able to do this with a Spyderco Sharpmaker 204. Just watch the video and Sal will show you how to do scissors.

Are they dull, or are they bent out of alignment?

Mike the JAG · Aug 31, 2004

They were dull. I've used a stone and gotten them sharper, but still not sharp. Trying to maintain the proper angle on such a small blade is difficult. I don't have a Sharpmaker, but maybe I should. Thanks for the suggestion.

WadeF · Aug 31, 2004

I usually just do my best to match the edge angle and sharpen until I get a bur on the flat side, then I just run the flat side across the stone, flat, to take the burr off and I'm good to go.

Mike the JAG · Aug 31, 2004

That's what I tried to do, I just had trouble maintaining the angle.

Frank · Aug 31, 2004

It might take a couple of weeks but you could always send them to Swiss Army Brands (Service Center, 65 Trap Falls Road, Shelton, CT 06484). I sent them my Camper to have the saw sharpened and it came back sharp and all cleaned up.

WadeF · Aug 31, 2004

Frank said:
It might take a couple of weeks but you could always send them to Swiss Army Brands (Service Center, 65 Trap Falls Road, Shelton, CT 06484). I sent them my Camper to have the saw sharpened and it came back sharp and all cleaned up.

I wonder if they really take the time to sharpen the saw, or if they take out the beat up tool and replace it with a new one? I would think this would be a quicker, easier, and cheaper option.

WadeF · Aug 31, 2004

Mike the JAG said:
That's what I tried to do, I just had trouble maintaining the angle.

Well, you want to slide the scissors across the stone by laying the scissor's bevel flat on the stone and doing your best to keep it flat. Go really slow if you have to. Are there any noticeable dings or chips in the edge?

Tried to make a simple illustration as to how I'd try and sharpen it. Sharpen the bevel by laying it on the stone until you get a burr on the flat side, then flip and lay the flat side flat on the stone and remove the burr. The burr in my picture is exagerated but you should be able to feel it with your fingernail when you drag it across the flat side of the scissor towards the edge.

This would be similar to sharpening a chisel edge I guess.

Mike the JAG · Sep 2, 2004

I've gotten it about as good as I need it. Just takes time and it's fiddly trying to work on something small. Thanks for the help.

Frank - I guess I could have sent it back, but that is too close to walking into a gunsmith's with a box of parts and asking him to put it back together. I messed it up and if I can't fix it, I'd rather keep that to myself. Thanks for the contact info, though.

Frank · Sep 2, 2004

WadeF said:
I wonder if they really take the time to sharpen the saw, or if they take out the beat up tool and replace it with a new one? I would think this would be a quicker, easier, and cheaper option.

I suspect that's what they did. At first, I thought they had sent me a new knife but the main blade had some scratches that were still there. I think they pulled the knife apart, replaced the saw, sharpened the main blade, cleaned the knife and then put some new scales on. They were pretty quick; IIRC it was only out of my hands for 2 weeks.