Glass fibre shears / scissors

[Boathook]

I need some for cutting the stuff. I've got fed up with trying to cut with kitchen scissors that go blunt as they see the fibre. I seem to be doing more repairs recently on big boat and dinghy .....

I have seen these Glass Fibre Shears but are they worth the money ? Has any one else tried them or used something similar. Years ago I did try some fancy all material scissors but binned them as they were worse than my old scissors.

 

[Rum Run]

I use dress makers scissors (not stainless) from the local south Asian hardware shop, costing about £6 a go, and chuck them when blunt. Only used on woven though as I tear CSM just as god intended us to.
If cutting kevlar or other exotica you will need the proper ones though.

 

[Sneaky Pete]

Carbide scissors won't blunt as easy but cost a good bit more, or why not buy a scissor sharpener and re-face the edges yourself.

 

[William_H]

Yes it is easy to sharpen scissors. Open up and put in a vice cutting edge up. Observe the angle of the sharpened face Something like 30 degrees down from square to blade. Try to maintain that flat surface angle while grinding down with oil stone or fine file. Or just hold the scissors open onto an oil stone. Do the same with the other cutting edge. ol'will

 

[Neeves]

I use dress makers scissors (not stainless) from the local south Asian hardware shop, costing about £6 a go, and chuck them when blunt. Only used on woven though as I tear CSM just as god intended us to.
If cutting kevlar or other exotica you will need the proper ones though.

Same, big dress making scissors, ours are Chinese, and had them for a couple of decades. Only used on glass, nothing else and certainly not on exotic fibres. Cannot say they have gone blunt. I also use them when the resin is still 'soft' to cut off excess edges (rather than trim later when hard with an angle grinder).

Jonathan

 

[thinwater]

The way I see it, they get epoxy on them before they go too blunt.

 

[Boathook]

Ordered the 8" shears from East Coast Fibreglass. I will have a go at sharpening the existing scissors / shears but I never seem to be good at sharpening things. I'm covered for fibre glassing in a few weeks which is was my main concern.

 

[PCUK]

Big dressmaking shears, as already said. Couple of quid from the junk shop.

 

[Geoff A]

Big dressmaking shears, as already said. Couple of quid from the junk shop.

Along with a Stanley knife with a few new blades. Don't forget a facemask. When cutting CSM or Wovenroving's you get
microscopic partials in the air you are breathing.

 

[Daydream believer]

What about electricians scissors? I use them for dynema

 

[rogerthebodger]

I have used a goscut to cut molded glass fiber and kitchen scissors for cutting the glass woven sheets

 

[PCUK]

I've never considered this might be a problem. I just grab the scissors without a second thought and cut away. Chopped strand or woven or bi-axial cloth.

 

[Craigie]

Dress makers have worked for me. Run them across a chisel stone every now and again. You can pull out a thread where you plan to cut, if you're cutting woven cloth, that way you'll only be cutting cross cuts on the fiber.

 

[Boathook]

Thanks for all the comments.

The new shears arrived today and work very well. I have also sharpened my existing scissors that made a difference but they soon loose the edge.
I will keep an eye open for some dressmaking shears, but that type of shop is a rare thing in my area and not stocked by the charity shops.