How to Sharpen a Seam Ripper | Easy Steps to Follow

Around 80% of users throw away their old seam rippers when they get dull and replace them with new ones. But if you can put in a little bit of extra effort, you can easily get rid of the dullness and sharpen the seam ripper. There are two main ways that you can sharpen a seam ripper. The first is with steel wool, and the other is with a bead reamer.

To sharpen with steel wool, cut a long strip of steel wool and wrap it around a pencil. Then rub the steel wool against the blade of the seam ripper in an upward motion. This should have a sharpening effect on the seam ripper. The process is almost the same with the bead reamer as well.

How Does a Seam Ripper Get Dull

When you use the seam ripper over a period of time, it can get dull after a certain amount of use. How often it becomes dull will depend on how much the seam ripper is used. Using the cover while not in use will protect the seam ripper and help it to stay sharp for longer. Keeping it clean will also improve it’s lifespan.

For many, the seam ripper is an essential sewing tool that allows you to remove stitches easily and quickly. Though a seam ripper is a simple tool, it can become dull or blunt over time.

How Do I Sharpen a Seam Ripper

Having a blunt seam ripper can slow you down and may even ruin your work too. Replacing it with a new one incurs a cost and might not be easy if you are not near a shop to buy a new one. You can instead put in a small effort to sharpen your dull seam ripper and be able to continue reusing, breathing new life into your existing tools.  

But why does a seam ripper require sharpening and how can you sharpen a seam ripper? 

Let’s first look at the different parts of the seam ripper. Usually, a seam ripper consists of a handle, a point, a J-curve, a red ball, a neck, a handle, and a cover. The point here is very sharp, though it is not the part that cuts your threads. To cut the thread the sharp edge of the J-curve is used.

1. Sharpen a Seam Ripper With Steel Wool

For this particular process, you will need some 000-grade steel wool and an ordinary pencil. Here is how to do it:

Step 1: Take your steel wool and cut a long strip.

Step 2: Now Wrap the steel wool around the pencil tightly and hold the seam ripper firmly in your hand.

Step 3: After that, hold the steel wool-wrapped pencil in your other hand.

Step 4: Now that you have held the pencil and the seam ripper in your both hands, start moving the pencil’s wool-wrapped part against the blade in the J-curve in an upward motion.

Step 5: Then keep rubbing the blade with the pencil for five minutes on both sides. This should make the seam ripper nice and sharp.

2. Sharpen a Seam Ripper With a Bead Reamer

A bead reamer looks like a pointed round file. And this little object is used for sharpening small tools like bead edges and holes. However, beam reamers are very useful in sharpening seam rippers as well. Following are steps for sharpening seam rippers with a bead reamer:

Step 1: First hold the seam ripper on one hand and on the other hand, and take the bead reamer.

Step 2: just like the previous procedure, rub the bead reamer against the blade on the J-curve of the seamer in an upward motion.

Step 3: Keep rubbing the blade on both sides by the bead reamer until it gets sharp enough like before. After a while check if the seam ripper is sharpened or not. And if it requires more sharpening, keep continuing.

Some Useful Tips For Sharpening a Seam Ripper

Just like we said before, using the protective cap that comes with the seam ripper will protect the seam ripper, keeping it sharper for longer. This cover protects the pointed section from falling and getting dull.

Here are some other tips regarding your seam ripper as well as the sharpening process that might come in handy in all of your sewing projects:

1. Oiling the top of the seam ripper before sharpening can provide a good result. It will not require too much oil, just a small drop would be more than enough.
2. Emory boards for nails is a third option for sharpening a seam ripper. However this can be very difficult due to the small angle inside the J curve of the seam ripper.
3. Instead of pencil and steel wool, you can also try using sandpaper wrapped around chopsticks or a pencil to sharpen the seam ripper. This may be an option if you do not have any steel wool on hand.
4. A sharpening steel that is used to sharpen kitchen knives in the kitchen might also work on a seam ripper but will also be difficult due to the small size of a seam ripper.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

What is the red dot for on a seam ripper?

You will see the red dot on almost every seam ripper and it helps you to get into a stitch that you want to cut off. So when you try to slide inside the stitch, the red dot makes the process quick and keeps the ripping process simple.

What can I use instead of a seam ripper?

Embroidery Scissors are an option as an alternative to the seam ripper. With their pointy tips and long slender design, they can go through the stitches and cut off the thread effortlessly.

How can you get rid of unwanted embroidery?

When it comes to removing unwanted embroidery, using a seam ripper is an easy option. Just slide the pointy end into the stitches and pull upwards to break the stitch. Once you have a broken thread use your fingers or a pair of fine tweezers to remove the broken threads.

Conclusion

The cutting edge of seam rippers can become blunt or dull over time. Careful use and using the cover provided can lengthen the life of your seam ripper.

If it does become blunt there are a number of ways to sharpen them, including using steel wool wrapped around a pencil, or a bead reamer. Other options include using sandpaper, or a kitchen knife sharpening tool.