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How to Sharpen Sewing Needles

by Stella Alex, Last Modified: October 13, 2022

how to sharpen sewing needles

Sewing needles are a crucial piece of equipment for any sewer, but they can quickly lose their sharpness. A sewer cannot achieve his/her goal when the needles are not sharpened enough so they used to sharpen needles and pins first. It is easy to sharpen the needle. The two most common varieties of needles are straight and curved needles. Compared to curved needles, which have sharper points, straight needles are easier to grasp along needle sharpener. 

Can the needles on a sewing machine be sharpened?

If you have heard that you shouldn’t sharpen your machine sewing needles, then don’t worry most people have heard it. The reason why they think is that sewing needles shouldn’t be so pointy that they can cut the fabric. When threading through the fabric, it merely needs to be able to push it aside.

The sewing machine needles are made of metal. These needles can easily be smoothed. The methods listed above are simple to apply and accessible in any home. As a result, it’s not difficult to find supplies like an emery board, oil, sandpaper, soap, etc.

Don’t try to sharpen a needle that has already bent. Any attempt to straighten and then sharpen a bent needle would be ineffective and a waste of time. Some sewing machines could be picky and refuse to use that kind of needle.

If you are a sewer and want to know how to sharpen a blunt needle, keep reading this article to know about different methods because You may save money in the long run by learning how to sharpen a sewing needle and using the right sewing needle sharpener for your project. 

10 Easy Ways To Sharpen Sewing Needles

Method 1: Emery Board

The majority of us have one of these sewing needle sharpener  in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. For this function, a finer grit is far superior to a coarser grit, since it will produce a smoother, more honed metal surface at the needle’s point, which is greatly desired.

Emery board needle sharpener
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Emery board an emery needle sharpener  has a very fine grit, rubbing needle over rough part of emery board will leave a smooth and sharpened needle, the entire metal surface of the needle will be exceedingly smooth, which is highly desirable for fixing any form of a dull needle.. The entire metal surface of the needle should be exceedingly smooth when finished.

Method 2: Sandpaper

How to sharpen hand sewing needle in the absence of an emery board, sandpaper can also be used. Scratching the needle with sandpaper of about 800 grits will produce the desired outcome. Any undesirable finish or rust on the tip will be eliminated. Use sandpaper with higher grit crystals for thicker needles.

sand paper as needle sharpener
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Method 3: Oiling

how to sharpen a syringe needle with hair coconut oil? It becomes silky by dipping the needles in cooking oil. Use foil paper to remove any extra oil from the needle’s surface as well. Additionally, coconut oil like  needle sharpening pad is a popular home cure for sharpening needles among tailors. Simply cover the needle’s tip with oil and rub some foil paper with it. Once you’ve repeated that a few times, simply clean the needle with a fresh cloth.

oil the needle

The stitches must be clear and the end of stitches should be strong for sewing to provide the desired results. Having access to smooth and sharp needles is a need. Additionally, these needles need to be maintained. Even if one has the means to occasionally purchase new needles, maintaining and mastering the art of sharpening a sewing needle takes skill.

Method 4: Candle Wax

The needle’s eye should be moved back and forth over the candle’s top flame, heating the needle’s tip until it turns red. After allowing it cool, rub a rock or brick/ sew whetstone three times on each side of the needle, taking care not to dull the point by rubbing it against your work surface or anything else. Try your newly sharpened needle on some paper or fabric to see how it performs.

Candle wax

Method 5: Steel wool cushion

Some metals’ surfaces or sew whetstone can be buffed with steel wool quite frequently. steel wool pin cushion should easily smooth out the needle because needles are made of metal. Simply push and draw the needle a few times to make it sharper; you don’t need to store it in the steel wool.

steel wool cushion
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Method 6: Pin Cushion Needle Sharpener

Another method that you can use to sharpen your needles is to do it using a strawberry or pincushion needle sharpener. No, not the fruit, use the strawberry cushion with emery sand. pin cushion filling materiall can be used to sharpen your sewing machine needle if you don’t have an emery board.

pin cushion needle sharpener
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Put the emery pincushion on a level surface to keep it steady. After inserting the blunt needle into the cushion, flip it over several times. Check the needle’s sharpness after removing it.

Method 7: Soap

If you are still having some problem in methods used to sharpen needles and pins, I have another the simplest sewing needle sharpener method for you. So, you just need to rub your needle over a soap bar. We would suggest you rub or poke the needle point into the bar of soap more often just before sewing it will keep giving your fabric a smooth surface while you work. The fabric is not harmed by the soap.

soap

Method 8: Sharpening Wheel

You can sharpen your dull needle using a sharpening wheel if you have one. Simply rock the blunt needle back and forth against the side of the wheel until the point is razor-sharp. While employing this procedure will take a little longer than using a sharpener or sandpaper, it will be worthwhile.

Method 9: Nail Filer

How to sharpen a sewing needle? You might be able to find a nail filer at home. An emery board is included with every standard filer. Just rub the needle’s tip over the filer and there you have smooth and sharp needle for your work. Make sure the needle is soft all over.

nail filer

Method 10: Macaron Magnetic Needle Sharpener

This is most likely the simplest method to sharpen your needles if you have a needle sharpener. All you need to do is put the needle into the emery needle sharpener and spin it a few times. You will get a fine, sharp tip very quickly, which will make sewing much simpler.

magnetic needle sharpener
Options Available

When to sharpen your sewing needles?

There are so many hints for you to know that your needles have become blunt. You just need to focus on that and how to sharpen sewing needles. Dull needles are the primary cause of broken threads. Replace your needle with a sharp one if you discover that it breaks your thread during stitching.

A dull needle can produce crooked stitches and seriously harm the fabric. Additionally, a blunt needle may leave holes in the fabric. The holes will be misplaced by a dull needle, appearing in undesirable locations on the fabric.

The fabric will often pucker because of a dull needle. Sewing machine needles should be sharpened or, if necessary, replaced with new ones to prevent puckering. So whenever, you notice these problems with your sewing needles just sharpen up your needles and you are good to go.


Frequently Asked Questions

The cheapest approach to maintain your machine operating efficiently is to routinely replace the sewing needles, which are inexpensive. As soon as you realize your needle is no longer shiny and smooth, it’s a good idea to replace it. 

It will be problematic if it is bowed, dull, or has a flat surface. Every time you begin a new sewing project, you should also change the needle. Additionally, learning how to fix your sewing issues can be of interest to you.

Over time, sewing needles may become dull and rusty. Remove any rust by using steel wool or an abrasive soap pad. Leave a piece of thread in a pincushion before placing a needle inside. The needle will be less likely to snag within the pincushion and will be easier to see.

 It is not advised that you use normal scissors. The blades could harm your needles because they are not intended for sharpening. Use a diamond file, honing steel, or sharpening stone instead.

There may be several causes for this. First, make sure you are sharpening using the proper technique and pay close attention to the directions. Your needles may be constructed of inferior metal and not be able to be sharpened further if they are still dull. In this situation, you will have to swap them out.

Examining the needle will reveal whether it is a dull sewing machine needle. The sewing machine’s needle becomes dull and begins to make a popping or thudding noise as it is struggling to make a hole in the fabric. By shutting off the machine and putting your finger against the needle, you may also verify the needle’s sharpness.

Wool pincushions have the added benefit of the wool’s natural lanolin, which keeps pins sharp and smooth in addition to holding a lot of pins. In order to never be without pins when working in the sewing room, some people like to wear their pincushion around their wrist.

Final Words

Sewing needle needs to be sharpened occasionally and they are always good to go again. You don’t need to just throw away a blunt needle, you just need to sharpen needle with any of the methods we have discussed in this article. If you are a professional sewer or a person who sews a lot, then this article will help you avoid spending a lot of money on constantly sharpening needles and getting full insight on how to sharpen sewing needles . 

It is very easy to sharpen  sewing needles at home, you just need some tools that you can find at your home. So, we would suggest that you should sharpen your needles at home rather than purchase it again and again. Hope this article will help you. So, Good Luck and Happy Sewing.


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About Stella Alex

Hello and Welcome to my Website! My name is Stella, and I have been an embroidery enthusiast for over 6 years. My interest in embroidery machines came in my teenage from my mother. I hope my efforts will help you a lot to get the best one. Thank You!

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