The vast majority of paper crafters would answer "scissors" when asked what is the most basic, important tool you must have to paper craft (No, I'm not counting paper as a tool!). I know I would -- I am a scissors collector! I have at least one pair of scissors in most every room and closet in my house.
Without a doubt, there are going to be TONS of people who disagree with the techniques in this post! However, these things work for me, so here goes!
None of my scissors are the expensive, really nice kind that really need to be sharpened by a pro or sharpened on a stone, though I do have some for purposes other than paper that are the "ginsu" type that are not supposed to need sharpening. So, for most of my scissors, I use do-it-yourself methods to keep them in good working order.
Every so often, I pull out the aluminum foil, the wax paper, and the nail polish remover and go to town on my collection. I ususally do this while watching TV - but never a scary movie or a football game! Making multiple cuts through the foil sharpens the scissors, cutting through the wax paper seems to help keep them from getting gummy, and nail polish remover takes off the sticky gunk when the wax paper doesn't work. Once cleaned and sharpened, I try to keep my cutterbees in their plastic shields.
I've heard some people use sand paper instead of foil, but it seems to me that might nick your blades and once you have a nick, all the foil in the world won't get rid of it! It is time to toss those babies, have them professionally sharpened, or use them for things other than paper crafting. Better yet -- get yourself a pair to cut wire and any other material that might nick your paper scissors!
Now if I could only find that favorite pair of pink cutterbees -- if I had put them back in the shield where they belong......
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