New 2nd Hand Wiss No. 6

[Thom Bennett]

Just bought these from eBay for a snip  at £49 including delivery.  I wasn't expecting them to be in good condition but they are incredibly sharp cutting through several layers of thick scrap cloth, some bits with heavy seams, as though it were a piece of Italian silk.  Not sure whether I should get them cleaned up/reconditioned before I start using them, Hutch?

This is a picture of my old shears which I am relegating to be my new paper scissors, my old ones are rubbish.
And my new ones, much nicer!

[hutch--]

If they are working well Tom, I would just keep using them. In time they will need sharpening but that may be years. Don't worry about if they are pretty or not, its a lot of work and they don't work any better. It is worth your effort to pull the hinge apart, clean it and grease the thrust faces, then put them back together and learn to adjust them properly. Normally you just get the tips to touch but make sure you don't over tighten them.

[Henry Hall]

Excellent buy. Yes, when the sharpener sent my shears back a few weeks ago they were too tight. The bolt doesn't even have to remove all play from the two blades; there is a tiny bit of play in my large shears and they cut perfectly. They don't work properly when tightened.

Tom, don't demote your previous shears to paper scissors. They'll go all blunt. Make them trimmers. I have some similar ones, though the points are a bit narrower, and I use them as trimmers and for snipping out pockets and buttonholes before working.

[hutch--]

Tom,

Henry is correct here, the pair of Solingen shears you have shown under you big Wiss ones will make a very good pair of trimmers so if you are cutting things like collars or other fiddly bits, a lighter more nimble pair will be very useful. Over time most people tend to use larger shears than when they first started as you get a lot better with practice with big shears but there are always times when you need a smaller more nimble pair.

I normally use a pair of Wiss #7 14 inch shears as they are the natural size for my hands but I keep a 10 inch pair of Wiss dressmakers shears handy all the time to do the odd fiddly bit or tight radius.

When I cut out normal pattern board I use a $10.00 pair I bought from a local supermarket.

[Thom Bennett]

You're both correct: I need to sort out a notch I managed to create when cutting into a hidden pin.    My very old wilkinson sword dressmakers' scissors are okay for cutting paper,and manila board.  I need to have a look at Hutch's sharpening post for those, I wouldn't sharpen my Wiss myself.  I'm now on the path to collect antique things.  I really want an old chalk sharpener box, missed one on eBay a while back so I have decided to make my own.

Forgot to take a picture of all my scissors, top to bottom:
Cheap thread cutters
Mum's old Fiskars Snippers
Antique snipper with guard, need reconditioning. Picked them up off eBay cheaply, just for fun really but if I can get them to work nicely I will use them.
Wilkinson Sword Dressmakers' scissors These also were my dear old Mum's which over the years seem to have lost their edge so I have used them for paper since I started this new journey into sartorial pastimes.
Solingen Shears which I need to sort out, they're cheap so I will do the repair myself.
And my new antique Wiss no.6 shears which are absolutely fine.  I have taken them apart and cleaned and re-greased and reset, not used them on good cloth yet.

[Thom Bennett]

Just ran my kitchen steel over the blades on my cheaper shears and they are almost as good as new.

[Thom Bennett]

Hutch, I've started to use my new shears but am experiencing a problem with the tip.  Basically, it seems to hold on to the cloth instead of snipping cleanly through.  Is this a set up fault or dos you think they need looking at by a professional sharpener?

Thanks,
tom.

[hutch--]

Its a common problem with wear, I know how to fix it but I am on the other side of the world. I would take them to a pro who know how to slightly bend the ends of both tips. You also may need to slightly shorten the tips by a couple of milimetres and re-match the ends. Have a look at the inside face of the two tips and see if they are worn. The other test is hold them up to the light looking at the gap between the blades, they should touch only right up near the tips.

[Thom Bennett]

I wonder if I have slightly over tightened them, I have been playing with that.  I'm going to ring the knife sharpener in Bristol get him to have a look at them, he can show me what to do.  On the lookout for a smaller pair too!

Actually having a really good look the tips are very slightly out of alignment with a slight bend to one tip.  I think I will follow your advice get the tips redone.

[Schneiderfrei]

I just got my pair of Wiss 22 W 12 inch shears back from Butlers sharpeners, Adelaide.  Hutch, they are very competent.  The scissors look and work brilliantly.  He put a tiny hollow on one side but has obviously taken off the least metal.

It really late here,with a talkative wind in the night.  A lovely second shot of Russian Standard Vodka - Gold.  Goodness.

[hutch--]

You will really enjoy a good nick pair of Wiss 22w shears, they are grunty, accurate and not all that heavy. When you get old enough to turn into a cranky old fart you can hunt up an antique pair to speed up your cutting. 

[Thom Bennett]

I am currently using them and they are lovely, just cut out a nice piece of medium flannel for a new pair of trousers. I'm going to send them over to the sharpener on Monday.  I have a couple of pairs that need looking at, so I will do the lot at one go.