I buy the Fiskars for everyday stuff and batting. My Ginger's are in hiding. Since I have developed arthritis in my thumb on my left hand I have gone to using Fiskars Spring action scissors.

Barbara

A couple of years ago I bought a pair of small scisors at a sewing expo. I think the brand is Kai (sp?).

They are GREAT! Pretty pricey, but worth the money.

BethMI

I love my Gingher scissors but they do need to meet that sharpener back at the company! I have G. pinking shears I bought about 17-18 yrs ago. I hardly ever use them but they are so much easier to use than my mom's from the.... 50's maybe.

My sewing room is in the basement and many summers ago I found a sticky bright colored liquid on my scissors. :shock: Seems the dh (& kids, who really knew better!??) were getting freezer pops out of the basement freezer, cutting them open w/ my scissors!! They (he!) got reprimanded for that one. Them's fightin' actions!

Joyce

Padlock!!! Awesome!!!

Well, I haven't had to resort to that yet (but it's good to know!) -- but I recently bought a pair of Mundial shears and announced to my all-male household that the PINK scissors were ONLY for girls and they might turn into a girl if they dared use them! It's worked so far...
Florence

... put a padlock thru the handles to prevent those non-fabric uses of your good scissors! I attended a talk by Ms. Porter of Fons & Porter, and all she did was hold up a picture of a padlocked pair of Ginghers ... something sent to them by a viewer ... a picture worth a thousand words!

I haven't had to resort to this (yet) as the kids were trained from a young age to NEVER touch Mommy's scissors -- under penalty of a good nookie!

--CJQuilter

My favorite scissors are the two pairs I keep hidden from my DH and my three sons! They're both Fiskars and not expensive. It's only a matter of time before one of my guys finds them. Oh well-an excuse to go shopping! My other favorite is a pair of stork-type thread cutters. My mother used them for years and gave them to me last time we got together.

You know, I just might try that!! I'll report back!

I have my grandmother's old heavy pinking shears, the ones with the black metal handles. She always cut sandpaper with them to sharpenen the blades and then buffed them with machine oil. I wouldn't do it on the expensive scissors we have today but if you have an old pair it may be worth a try. Pinking shears are great to use when you need to clip curved seams.

Sewbug

I keep two sets... A few Gingher's. I really love them and as someone said, you can send them back for a tuneup. I've been lucky and found the more expensive ones half price a few years ago.

I also keep a small set of... discount shopping store cheapos. Great to take traveling, workshops etc. Hate it when my favorite disappears...

Helpful hint. A few years ago a group of old friends were togather for our annual weekend of sewing... well, and food, and chocolate, and wine. We discovered we all had the same Gingher's. The rule now, is that you tie a piece of ribbon on your sewing items, everyone gets a different color.

If memory serves me correctly, we were all at the same Gingher half price sale.

I have many differant sizes and styles of Gingher scissors, I love them all. I buy them on sale even if on don't need them. A nice gift for friends and family that use scissors, is to make a scissor fob with beads or buttons, and give them as gifts.

Sewmama

I have an ANCIENT (as in 1960's) pair of Weiss pinking shears - huge - heavy - and dull. I've been thinking I'll take them to the scissors guy who comes to JoAnns or Hancocks. Since they anren't Gengher (sp) I can't send them back to factory. I also have a 20+year old pair of Marks which I have been very pleased with (dressmaker.)

New for applique is a pair of tiny (1" blade from tip to pivot screw) by Omni which I love and were recommended by an applique teacher. They were relatively inexpensive and do a great, great job!

Hope that helps!

Areitzel what address and what information do you use to send the gingers sissors back. I am always looking for a good sharpener. Had a small pair sharpened once and he destroied the point and was unable to take back b/c he was in the fabric store only one day. I love the Ginger sissors.

I LOVE my Gingher scissors. I have two pairs of the 8" blade ones. I just sent the one back to the company to be sharpened. They only charge $7.50 to sharpen then and tune them up and I could swear that they send you back a brand new pair. I also have quick clips from them and they are the best. Again for $7.50 on those they do send you a new pair when the blades wear out. It took me years to wear those blades out. I have a small 5" or 6" embroidery pair that I just got from Christmas and love those too.