How to Sharpen Serger Blades

A serger allows you to finish the edges on a garment you're making. The serger's looper blades work together to loop threads to create the overlock stitching. A third blade on the outside trims away any excess or uneven fabric along the edges, but over time, the blades can become dull and will no longer work well together. It's possible to sharpen serger blades to keep them fresh and maintain your serger for even longer.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sharpening stone
• Small screwdriver (check your machine for the kind of screwdriver you will need)
• Blades

1. Open the front panel of your serger to expose its inner workings.

2. Take the looper blades out of your machine using the small screwdriver. The way to do this will vary based on your serger. Make sure to take note of how you took the blades out.

3. Lay your looper blades down on a flat surface. Run the sharpening stone along the top and bottom of the blades (see Resources).

4. Replace the looper blades one at a time, and screw them back in as they were. Do the same for your outer blade.

5. Replace the blade on your serger if sharpening does not work. Blades run between $30 and $40.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure your serger is no longer under warranty. Unscrewing pieces from your serger can void the warranty.

References

• Sharpening Serger Blades at PatternReview.com

Resources

• How to Sharpen a Knife
• Serger Blades and Loopers at Sew4Less

[jaylynrichards]

on 6/24/2009 Thanks.