If you're a seamstress, tailor, quilter, embroiderer, upholsterer, leatherworker, costume designer, or simply someone who enjoys sewing at home, mailing your scissors for sharpening can feel intimidating, especially if you've never done it before.
We completely understand. Many of our customers in the fabric and sewing community are mailing tools for sharpening for the very first time. Unlike professional dog groomers or hair stylists, who often have their shears sharpened several times a year and are familiar with the process, many people who use fabric shears only sharpen them when they become noticeably dull or sometimes not for many years.
One of the most common questions we receive is:
"Should I buy the mail-in kit, or should I just package my shears myself?"
The answer depends less on the type of scissors you own and more on how many you have and how often you plan to sharpen them.
When You Should Use Your Own Box
For most people, using your own sturdy shipping box is the best choice.
If you're sending:
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1-3 pairs of fabric shears
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A pair of embroidery scissors and thread snips
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Your old reliable Gingher fabric shears
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Fancy Kai fabric shears
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One or two dressmaker shears
...there is usually no need to purchase one of our Mail-In Kits.
Simply:
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Complete our order form.
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Wrap each tool individually with bubble wrap, kraft paper, newspaper, paper towels, or other protective padding.
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Place everything inside a sturdy box.
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Fill any empty space with packing material so nothing shifts during shipping.
That's it.
Many customers use a sturdy box from a previous online order (such as Amazon, Walmart, or another retailer), which works well as long as it is clean, dry, and structurally sound. Another great option is one of the free USPS Priority Mail boxes available at the post office. As long as the tools are individually protected and cannot move around inside the package, they travel very safely.
Once everything is packed, the hardest part is over. Seal the box, attach a shipping label, and take it to your local post office, or, if available in your area, purchase postage online and schedule a USPS pickup right from your home. Once your package is on its way, we'll take care of the rest and notify you when your tools are ready to head home.
For someone sending one or two pairs of shears once every year or two, this is almost always the most economical option.
When the Mail-In Kit Makes Sense
Our shear mail-in kit was designed for customers who plan to build an ongoing sharpening routine.
It works best if you:
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Own 4 to 12 pairs of shears
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Operate a sewing business or upholstery shop
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Have a handful of specialty scissors
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Want a permanent storage and shipping solution
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Plan to have your shears sharpened on a regular basis
The kit is a reusable mailing box with padded slots designed specifically for transporting scissors safely. The mail-in kit comes with a prepaid label, an order form, and a return mailer bag. You simply load your shears into the kit, fill out the order form, put both in the return mailer bag, then put the prepaid label on the outside and take it over to your local post office or schedule a pickup if available.
Unlike a normal shipping box that has no built in protective material and wears down quickly, the mail-in kit is meant to be used again and again. After we sharpen your tools, we return them in the same padded box. You simply keep it until it's time for your next sharpening.
Many professional customers treat it almost like a storage case. Their scissors stay organized and protected between sharpenings, and when they begin noticing a decline in cutting performance, they already have everything they need to ship them back. You simply take the mail-in kit back to the post office and get a new label to place on the outside.
Why We Usually Don't Recommend the Kit for One or Two Shears
Sometimes customers purchase a mail-in kit because they assume it's required. It isn't.
In fact, if you're only sending one or two pairs of shears, buying the kit often adds unnecessary expense.
Our goal has always been to make professional sharpening economical enough that maintaining quality tools costs far less than replacing them.
If purchasing a mail-in kit plus shipping plus sharpening puts you close to the cost of buying a new pair of scissors, we'd much rather help you save that money by simply using a box you already have.
Good fabric shears are meant to last for decades.
Whether you own Gingher shears, Kai fabric shears, Mundial scissors, Wiss shears, tailor's shears, embroidery scissors, or heirloom sewing scissors that have been in your family for years, professional sharpening should almost always be much less expensive than replacement.
How Often Should Sewing Scissors Be Sharpened?
This is probably the biggest surprise for first-time customers.
Many people have never had their sewing scissors sharpened. Some inherited them from parents or grandparents. Others have used the same pair for ten or twenty years without ever considering sharpening.
While every user is different, we generally recommend sharpening:
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About twice per year for professionals at a minimum
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Whenever you notice the scissors beginning to drag through fabric
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When clean cuts become more difficult
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If you find yourself squeezing harder than you used to
If you're a full-time tailor, upholstery shop, sail maker, leatherworker, costume shop, or alterations business, your scissors may benefit from sharpening much more frequently.
If you're a hobby quilter or occasional seamstress, once a year, or whenever performance noticeably declines, is often appropriate.
The important thing is not waiting until the scissors become extremely dull. Regular maintenance removes less material during sharpening and helps preserve the life of your tools. Dull shears can also ruin fabric, cause unnecessary fraying and pulling, and lead to inaccurate and frustrating cuts.
We Sharpen Much More Than Fabric Shears
Customers are often surprised by the variety of tools we sharpen. On top of dressmaking shears and fabric shears, common items include:
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Upholstery shears
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Embroidery scissors
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Thread snips (thread nippers)
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Duckbill appliqué scissors
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Pinking shears
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Industrial shears
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Buttonhole scissors
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Micro-serrated scissors
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Leather shears
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Craft scissors
Whether you're looking for Gingher fabric shear sharpening, Kai dressmaker shear sharpening, buttonhole scissor tune-up, or embroidery scissor rust removal, the shipping process is exactly the same.
Your Scissors Are in Good Hands
Whether you're mailing one treasured pair of Gingher shears that has been with you for twenty years or an entire collection of professional tailoring scissors, every order is handled individually and with care by a trained sharpener.
Upon arrival, you’ll get a text to your provided phone number to let you know we’ve checked in your order. Your tools stay together throughout the sharpening process, are carefully inspected, professionally sharpened, cleaned, adjusted when appropriate, and packaged securely for their return trip. Once work is completed, you’ll receive another text with a paylink to collect payment or you can call to pay over the phone. Finally, your scissors are returned in their original case (if you sent one), or protected in heat-shrink plastic and wrapping.
If you've never mailed scissors for sharpening before, you're certainly not alone. We work with first-time customers every week, and we're always happy to answer questions before you ship your tools, just call or text 208-701-9191 during business hours.
Remember: all work is guaranteed. If something isn't right, we'll make it right. Our goal is to help you get the longest possible life out of the tools you already love, while making professional sharpening simple, affordable, and something you can confidently return to whenever your scissors need it again.
