Metal Shears Care

by Judy Larson

Here's a tip for keeping your metal shears sharp and functional.

Instructions

Cutting metal shapes is a tedious chore, especially when doing production work. All the shears shown work well and two have a good spring system for opening the blades and handles after a cut. Shears that look like scissors usually do not have a spring for opening them back up after a cut. Hand strength can become an issue when many pieces are to be cut, especially without a spring. Frustrations sets in when the shears do not open as easily as when first purchased. It could be that the hinged portion of the shear needs to be lubricated. More often than not, just the blades need a bit of lubrication. 3-in-1 oil works well, but then oil gets everywhere and needs to be removed from all the cut pieces before they can be used.

Judy Larson's Metal Shears Care - , Tools For Wire Jewelry, Tools, metal shears care

A great solution to that problem can be found in the kitchen-waxed paper! Tear off about a foot of waxed paper, jelly roll and then flatten the piece. Paper clip the center to keep it from unrolling. Cut a narrow piece from one end of the waxed paper with metal shears when the blades start sticking and/or the handles do not spring out as fast as they should. There is an added benefit of cutting waxed paper with shears. Just like using cut lube on a saw blade or disc cutting punch, the cutting edges of the shears stay sharper longer.

Materials

24 Gauge Dead Soft Sterling Silver Sheet - 6 Inches

H8-24SM6

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1 Inch
Price: $44.43
Gold Club Price: $33.32

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Tools

7 Inch Jewelers Metal Shear - Pack of 1

G35-4

G35-4
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $7.97
Gold Club Price: $5.98

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Metal Cutting Shears

SHR-536.00

SHR-536.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $14.97
Gold Club Price: $11.23

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Pro Shear

SHR-544.00

SHR-544.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $12.95
Gold Club Price: $9.71

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Xuron Sheer - Non Serrated

SHR-691.81

SHR-691.81
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $24.95
Gold Club Price: $18.71

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Category: Tools
Technique(s): Tools

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!

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