We're pretty good about keeping our favourite kitchen knives sharp using a knife sharpener and also the trusty ole sharpening steel. But people often forget these knife sharpeners can also be used to sharpen household items like scissors, pinking shears, toenail and cuticle nippers, and swiss army/utility knives also. We're able to revive our scissors every few months with some pretty simple steps. And this Mayer and Thiele Knife Sharpener not only looks noticeably better than any sharpening device we've seen, it's angled just so for a precise sharpened finish.

A couple tips on how to sharpen scissors:

1. Hold the beveled edge of one blade against a sharpening stone, which you can find at most large hardware stores.

2. Match the angle as closely as possible and slide the blade forward diagonally along the stone, moving from the end toward the screw (point to pivot).

3. Repeat with the other blade, again matching the angle.

4. Open and close the scissors a few times to knock off any burrs that might be left.

You can also sharpen scissors in a pinch with some aluminum foil. Cut a folded sheet of foil with your scissors to give it a quick edge and then finish it off with a couple single sheets for a more precise edge.

Others recommend using a screw driver, a whetting stone (we've used this before a few times, to great results), and even using a glass cup.