How to Sharpen a Seam Ripper Using a Bead Reamer
Nicki LaFoilleDescription
With extended use over time, a seam ripper blade can dull to the point that it becomes useless. If you have a sentimental attachment to your seam ripper or don’t want to buy a new one, learn how to sharpen your seam ripper using a bead reamer tool. Nicki LaFoille shows you how!
What is a Bead Reamer and Where to Find It
A bead reamer is a jewelry-making tool found at hobby stores in the jewelry section. Bead reamers come in different shapes and sizes, but to use it to sharpen a seam ripper, choose the long, thin variety. The conical shape of this tool and its roughened surface, similar to a file or sandpaper, will allow it to scrape against the edge of the seam ripper blade to sharpen it.
How to Sharpen the Seam Ripper Blade
Nicki demonstrates how to align the bead reamer against the seam ripper blade. Try to replicate the angle of the seam ripper blade with the angle you place the bead reamer against the blade. Be careful not to use too wide of an angle, as this will further dull the seam ripper blade. Using too narrow of an angle will not effectively sharpen the seam ripper.
Sharpening Technique
Using a firm upward motion, push the bead reamer along the seam ripper blade, then pull it away. Repeat this motion several times on each side of the blade, then test the seam ripper on some thread. If necessary, repeat several more times on each side of the blade.
Additional Tips and Resources
For tips on using a seam ripper effectively, watch the video “How to Use a Seam Ripper.” For tips on other sewing room tools, including quickly sharpening scissors and rotary cutter blades, check out “Top Sewing Tools.”
A seam ripper is an essential sewing room tool. And with extended usage, the blade will get dull. And if like me, you have a sentimental attachment to your seam ripper or if you just have a really nice one, or if you just don't want to buy a new one, you can sharpen the blade of your seam ripper. And you do that by using a tool called a bead Remer. A bead dreamer is a jewelry making tool. So you'll find it in that section of the hobby store. It is a long, they come in different shapes. But the one we want to use for this has a long conical shape. So it's like a cone, but it's very skinny and the edges are rough like sandpaper or like a file. So we can use that to push against the blade of our seam ripper to sharpen it. So you wanna be careful with this. You want to try to match the angle of the blade of your seam ripper. So look at it closely and you want to try to match the angle of the blade with the angle that you place your, your bead reamer against the blade. So you don't want it to be too far out. You're just gonna doll it even more and if you have it too far in, it's not really going to help. So try to match the angle of the blade and then you're just going to push up and out a couple of times on each side and test it on some thread. And if it's still feeling dull, you wanna try to sharpen it even more, just go a couple more times on each side and you can extend the life of your seam ripper.
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