Who makes quality scissors

[LoneGunman]

My wife is getting into the craft thing again. The scissors in the house are absolute garbage (kids) so I'm looking to buy her a good pair or so. Looking for German or US made.

 

[Joe B.]

what application? Just cutting paper and the like?

 

[LoneGunman]

what application? Just cutting paper and the like?

paper, ribbon, light cardboard

 

[OccupantRJ]

My mother was a seamstress and liked Fiskars.

 

[ourkid2000]

I have a set of these.....

http://www.olfa.com/ScissorsDetail.aspx?C=53&Id=56

Love em, great product.

 

[metal1313]

you actually should have different scissors for different materials. my mom used to go ape when i used her sewing scissors to cut paper.

 

[a390st]

Case and Fiskars are good, among others.

 

[PCO6]

I string a lot of lacrosse sticks and these are the ones I've used for years to cut leather, string and mesh. I also use them for cutting nylon straps for helmet and equipment repairs.

http://www.olfa.com/ScissorsList.aspx?C=53

 

[Mickey O]

Sears used to carry their own brand that were German made and very nice, they even had a stainless steel pair if you keep them in the toolbox.

 

[newspeed]

I agree about OLFA. Most stuff is made in japan and the company has been around since the 50's. I have a ton of their products from scissors to various razors used for tinting windows. I have never been disappointed with their quality.

 

[Bolster]

I'd recommend GINGHER. Made in Germany, available at fabric stores. Easy to take apart for sharpening.

http://www.gingher.com/

 

[Merkava_4]

Clauss

http://www.acmeunited.com/acme_clau/index.php?did=1051

 

[nissan_crawler]

wiss makes good ones, also.

 

[mkdive]

Great thread.....my wife needs some also, never thought to ask here.

@Nissan.....I agree on the wiss.

Not to mention my wife robbed a pair of straight cut wiss snips out of my tool box. I noticed them in her sewing box the other day....she said they work great at cutting the really heavy fabric?! Owell I have a ton of Wiss, guess I could donate one pair to her hobby.

 

[chad s]

I'd recommend GINGHER. Made in Germany, available at fabric stores. Easy to take apart for sharpening.

http://www.gingher.com/

Ive had a few pairs of Gingher's for years, and they are excellent.

 

[d33pt]

my best ones are a pair of Durasharp's. made in USA

 

[jrj3rd]

I'd recommend GINGHER. Made in Germany, available at fabric stores. Easy to take apart for sharpening.

http://www.gingher.com/

X2

 

[35mastr]

X2 on Wiss. I have multiple pairs and have used them for many years. They are still as sharp as the day I bought them.

 

[2chipped]

Apperently ghinger makes the cadilac for fabric. Quick story,I was browsing a flea market and found a pair of ss ghingers for $2 moved them into my toolbox and loved using them to cut paper patterns for motor mounts, fuel pump gaskets, and water pump gaskets,. Everything was going great until my mom found and confiscated them,said they were to good for use in my shop Oh well when you're 15 that an argument that can't be won.

 

[allapanoo]

Kershaw makes great ones too.

 

[t100]

I use fiskars most of the time for household stuff. but when comes working on the fine cuts, surgical scissors are hard to beat.

 

[stewart]

I just went through this. I have fiskars (from home depot) around here. The steel for the blades is good, the grinding of the cutting edges is good and the blades bypass each other well, but the damn plastic handles cracked when cutting heavy cardboard.

 

[t100]

but the damn plastic handles cracked when cutting heavy cardboard.

that's what box cutters are for.

 

[G1K]

If you really want to drop some coin, have a look at these.

http://www.bestclippers.com/miedkmlsests.html


R

 

[american lockpicker]

Heres some I use. I have a pair of Fiskars I use but its missing at the moment so I included the unopened pair(don't bother getting fiskars unless you can get a pair of USA or Finland made pair or else your just paying for the name.)

 

[vssjim]

http://www.southstarsupply.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=u*s*a

This link is a sewing supply company I buy from named south star supply but they sell to anybody and the Gold Seal USA made shears are really good, well made heavy all steel scissors and they are made to last a lifetime and they are not pricey at all.

 

[nissan_crawler]

Here's the wiss ones I have.

I have 4 pairs of them. I paid $15 for the 4 of them. I had them sharpened, cost me more than the scissors did, but well worth it.

They will cut anything. Cut through carpet, canvas, leather, rubber, fireproof blanket, then you can go cut a single strand of fine thread while dangling it from your fingers.

 

[ricleh]

Cutco makes some very good all purpose shears.

 

[american lockpicker]

Wiss is good its the only brand my grandfather would use.

 

[atlinwi202]

Cutco makes some very good all purpose shears.

he is right. cutco scissors will cut through pennys and not get nicked or dulled.

 

[mtwaterguy]

In the upholstery shop I use Wiss, made in Newark N,J. for general cutting. On the cutting table I only use Compton Reliance, also made in Newark. I have two pair that have been in use since the late 40's. Best scissors for the job.

 

[J.P.]

The Wiss all-metal scissors like the ones Nissancrawler has pictured above. We've had two pair in our shop for over 20 years and they mostly get used to cut a LOT of heavy twine. Twine will take the edge off scissors and knives in a hurry and these things have held up like no other.

 

[Bolster]

Slightly OT but...

for general shop/garage use, kitchen shears work really well. They are also designed to be taken apart and cleaned...

I have several pairs of these...workhorses!

 

[malibu101]

In the upholstery shop I use Wiss, made in Newark N,J. for general cutting. On the cutting table I only use Compton Reliance, also made in Newark. I have two pair that have been in use since the late 40's. Best scissors for the job.

Since you're using them in a shop enviroment I assume you've had them sharpened, probably even regularly sharpened. Is that true?
Getting to my point, for anyone to answer- I fully understand that a blade is a wear item and therefore requires maintenance (sharpening) that is dependant on what it's being used for. Again, using the tool only for it's intended purpose should not cause huge wear that a fine dressing cannot take care of. But, all in all, material is being removed to take care of the edge.
Even with the neccesary dressing of the blade edge I find it awesome that a tool can be used like this for so long. That says alot for the tool, proper use and care of it over it's lifetime.

What do the scissors geeks (you know I mean that in a good way) on the board have to say. What is your holy grail of scissors?
I have a few that are far form great. Everytime I need one I say "self, get a good pair or two of scissors sometime" This has my mind on it and I will be upgrading a part of the tool collection soon.

Why do we say a pair of scissors when the tool is only 1 item that, if seperated in a pair of blades would be unusable?

 

[russlaferrera]

+1 for Wiss. Fiskers are OK...but the blades are too thin. Scissors operate by a shearing action. If the blades are thin they separate. Blade sharpness can not do its job if that happens.

Thicker blades cut better, last longer and plastic handles are for light duty only.

 

[american lockpicker]

Wiss really is the best even though I no longer use them.

 

[dede2897234]

Clauss

http://www.acmeunited.com/acme_clau/index.php?did=1051

Like Merkava, I love my 2 Clauss model # 3218 scissors. They cut through any thin material (including leather), easy to take apart for sharpening, and constructed entirely of steel. Here is a link to MSC for the Clauss 3218 scissors:
http://metalworking.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=2316&PMITEM=05871272&PMCTLG=00.

Instead of buying the Clauss scissors for between $25 to $35, be on the lookout for them at flea markets. The last pair of Clauss scissors I purchased was only $6 at a local flea market.


Dave

 

[PassnThru]

This forum never ceases to amaze me. I mean really - 36 posts to a forum about scissors?
I mean that in a good way in case there is any confusion

 

[tube_guy]

Years ago, Wiss was an excellent pair of scissors. I have some that are 35 years old or more, and they have all provided me with a lifetime of high quality service. However, Cooper tools have purchased the Wiss brand name and they have really cheapened out the newer Wiss scissors to the point where they are no longer worth their price. Most are no longer made in the USA. Right now, the best bargain in really high quality scissors are made by Mundial. They are forging and hand finishing them in Brazil and they are very high quality for their price. A lot like Wiss was years ago.

http://www.mundialusa.com/


The German made Gingher scissors are also very high quality, but they are also very expensive. Not all of the Ginghers are made in Germany. The smaller Gingher scissors usually are.

 

[ImportTuner]

Case and Fiskars are good, among others.

+1 on the Fiskars .. I have a Blue Point (Fiskars) that I bought in 1990 and it is still as sharp as it was the first day ..