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Running with scissors

4xdog

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We don't often talk about scissors, as noted in the thread on tools that don't come up on the forum. There have been some interesting scissors discussed on the Tools of Japan thread, and one or more of those might make it into my accumulation someday.

Since almost all of us have scissors -- by the handful, likely -- and they get used all the time, it's probably worth having one on the scissor subject.

To get things started, here are some of mine.

Among my favorites are these Clauss scissors. They're comfortable, sturdy, and the several pair I have have been top-notch for the nearly forty years I've had 'em. And one pair was old then. My semi-vintage models are US made; the same style seems to be in production still, but I can't speak to COO.
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Fiskars are a pretty common brand, and they're generally pretty good. At least my older US-and Finland-made ones are. New ones in our USA market are always from China, as far as I can tell. On my shopping list for my next trip to the Nordic countries is to pick up a couple of new ones -- Fiskars are still made in Finland for the EU, as far as I can tell. My favorite pair aren't here. These larger US-made scissors have been on my desk at work or home since the mid 1980s, but a friend absconded with them (without asking) when she visited a few weeks ago. Grrr. Those are gonna make it back here.
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For pure function, the tiny scissors included in many Victorinox Swiss Army Knives are excellent. I've been using these since my first SAK, a gift from a favorite aunt when I was nine or ten years old. I probably have ten of these knifes around here, including the Victorinox credit card-sized multitool and its tiny scissors.
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Wiss is a pretty well known US name in scissors. I have several pairs, including some nice old pinking shears which believe it or not get used from time to time.
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This cheapo pair of quick-disconnect kitchen shears are from the Costco Business Center a few years ago, although as a generic Chinese item I'm sure they're available from many sources. They're quite good, easy to clean, and get used daily. I have a second pair in my camping gear.
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This pair of Knipex (non-German) electrical scissors were a buy after someone noted a hot deal on here. They're OK. I don't love them though -- the handles are kind of small for my big paws and the "leverage" notch in the blades usually causes more trouble than it helps.
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A particularly interesting pair came in the mid 1980s from a tiny cutting tools shop in Japan just outside the (old) Tsukiji fish market, back when gaijin like me could just walk through in the pre-dawn hours and have the place almost to myself and the traders. This pair is still dangerously sharp.
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Scissors tend to accumulate around my house, sort of like cameras used to. There are a number of old German, Italian, and miscellaneous US-made scissors around here. Here's a quick grab. There's probably two or three times that number if I went hunting.
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Bubba Fett

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I like Clauss scissors a lot. Klein also makes some great scissors under their Klein Cutlery subsidiary. Wiss scissors are pretty good as well. I have some other various brands that are decent, but not really comparable.

I also like to use medical scissors, with handles similar to hemostats. There are various designs, some with short blades that can be handy for cutting things that are hard to reach.
 

Tostal

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A particularly interesting pair came in the mid 1980s from a tiny cutting tools shop in Japan just outside the (old) Tsukiji fish market, back when gaijin like me could just walk through in the pre-dawn hours and have the place almost to myself and the traders. This pair is still dangerously sharp.
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^^ Reminds me of manual sheep shears
A few years ago, I picked up a similar pair?/set? in a Lidl discount store - they were being sold as a gardening shears presumably for trimming small areas of grass or pruning shrubbery?

~Tostal.
 

engineer2

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As a road cyclist, I find them pretty often along the side of the road.
Well if you find a Craftsman deep well 10mm with flaking chrome along I-70, it might be mine. I dropped it changing spark plugs and it went to engine compartment Narnia. Never saw it again.

For scissors, I found the 8-pack from Harbor Freight to be a good value.
My shop favorites are the heavy duty scissors with the triangular blades. Fiskars used to make them but the style has changed.
 

cjarvis

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The two "good" pairs I have are a vintage Singer pair that I got from my grandmother, who was a phenomenally good seamstress, and a pair of modern Wiss scissors that live in my tool box. The Singer scissors are kept in the house and padlocked closed because my darling bride has no respect for good scissors and is more than willing to take any available pair out in the yard for gardening chores. :flamethro
 

GeoBruin

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Man, thanks for starting a scissors thread. Definitely underappreciated. My little Klein electricians scissors get used for everything (more than they should) but my most useful pair are those in the Leatherman Micra attached to my keys. And this is coming from someone who carries a folding pocket knife 24/7.
 

Tostal

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I have a few, L to R:_
Ist Pic. - C.K. 8078 7" ; ERN, Solingen; Betakut;
2nd Pic. - C.K. 8080; No maker's name, just a symbol of 2 palm trees on an island?; Recoso, Solingen, Germany (Hairdressing Scissors, Recoso one is for thinning out hair).
3rd Pic. - Some kind of nail scissors, concave cutting edge, seems good quality, possibly stainless steel? Named: reversed B and E (a bit like the Bugatti symbol :)).
4th Pic. - A pair of little folding scissors made in C****, but they work quite well.
5th Pic. - Not really a scissors. more like a small shears or secateurs but have found it to be very handy, (bought in a Lidl discount store)

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~Tos.
 

jmf535

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I have a couple pairs of Joyce Chen's that my go-to's in the garage, and around the house. Unfortunately it looks like that they are no longer made in Japan, so I'm not sure what the quality is like nowadays (mine are all 5-10 years old). I have been meaning to get something a little more robust to add to the tool box, as well.

Then I have several pairs of Gingher shears and nips, that I use for work (I own a chef apron/bag company). The are good, but far from great. I've been eying the Kai's for awhile now, but since I deal with a lot of heavyweight waxed canvas I've always been werry of getting them, as it's tough on scissors.
 

RTM

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I have a set of scissors from these guys. Bought a bit ago, so price may have gone up. Best modern scissors I own. There’s a great video out there of how these are made. Will try to add in a minute, tho I thought i saw it here.
Wolff® Ergonomix® 9" Scissors × 1
$25.19​



Will post some vintage ones later.


oh, and

 

Iridium rand

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Great thread idea!

speaking of pocket knives/multitools, the scissors on the leatherman surge are surprisingly beefy and cut very well, use them all the time and can’t believe after 12+ years they haven’t bent sideways or dulled out at all really


for full size scissors/shears, I’ve never been disappointed by a fiskars product. Have a range of them laying around at home, at my job where I work on medical equipment I regularly need to cut 2” wide velcro strips to replace mangled strips holding stretcher mattresses to the frame, a surprisingly difficult task and most are not able to get through more than a few mm before they stop cutting or clog up with the hairs and adhesive backing. These fiskars “powerarcs” are the only pair I’ve found that consistently and cleanly slices through in one pass. Seems like overkill since they’re massive and made for metal (which they also do very well with) but I can assure you it’s what’s necessary 😅



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4xdog

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…for full size scissors/shears, I’ve never been disappointed by a fiskars product… These fiskars “powerarcs” are the only pair I’ve found that consistently and cleanly slices through in one pass…

I’ve not seen those Fiskars shears before. They look interesting. The small pointy bits at the tips of both blades are for precision in the cut, yes? COO China?

 

Iridium rand

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I’ve not seen those Fiskars shears before. They look interesting. The small pointy bits at the tips of both blades are for precision in the cut, yes? COO China?

Yea forgot to mention that you can get into some pretty tight areas and make really precise cuts the small tips, turned out to be really nice they put them on there, and also unlike any other metal shears/snips I’ve seen you can easily change the blades on them with two philips screws each if/when they get banged up. Not sure about COO.
 

Jim_No_Garage

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So I'm a "broken" lefty so I have been using "righty" scissors in my left hand since 1970 . . . I tend to buy decent scissors at sales when I see them. Below is my collection after a recent purge.​
  • Left side top to bottom:
    • Fiskars made in Finland - these are the cut anything scissors . . .
    • 10" Wiss Trimline scissors - these are in the computer desk
    • Stainless Japanse "Lefty" scissors my daughter bought me for my birthday - I have trouble with them since I am used to using rightys . . .
  • Right side top to bottom:
    • Betacut made in Italy
    • 12" Caframa made in Italy
    • 10" Compton U Set Inlaid made in USA?
    • 12" Wiss Inlaid made in USA -These belonged to Mrs_No_Garages Grandmother - a professional seamstress in Millburn NJ for many years.

      I need to have some of them sharpened but haven't found someone to do it . . .

      Cheers

      Jim
 

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RTM

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.​
I need to have some of them sharpened but haven't found someone to do it . . .​

Here is where I have stuff sharpened, using their mail in service. They get the good scissors, sewing, pinking, barber, etc. , and the kitchen knives every few years. Quick and minimal hassle vs drop off and pick up locally.

The garage quality rehab projects I do myself.



There is a little pamphlet book called Scissors Sam Says Be Sharp that will tell you how to do it yourself, really not that hard on big ones.


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jmf535

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All this scissor talk made me go out and get a new pair...Silky 165mm.
They're similar to the Joyce Chen's that used for years, but they are still made in Japan, while JC has moved to China. First impression: I like 'em (y)

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qdvuu

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My main shop scissors are a pair of old barber shears made by D. H. Lory, Solingen, Germany. I got them from my grandmother and suspect they're pre-WWII, and they're still very sharp. I bet she gave my dad a lot of haircuts with them when he was little back in the pre-war days!

I recently did a project that involved cutting lots of tape in which I was accumulating a lot of residue on the blades so I bought a pair of non-stick Teflon scissors designed for the purpose. They do indeed work great, with little-to-no tape residue buildup. Here's a link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YNI688/?tag=atomicindus08-20
 
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4xdog

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My favorite Fiskars (made in Finland, in almost daily use since 1980) made it home the other day. I reach for this pair for some reason. The quality is good, yeah, but frankly not exceptional. I just like 'em.

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RTM

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Here are some of my garage vintage scissors. The first picture is is all Wiss Inlaid scissors, all bought for a dollar or two. The middle pair aren't Inlaid. All are self sharpened.

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In the next pic are a mix of brands, top to bottom, small Wiss Inlaid, Xxrgeplay and Sons Sheffield, forget why the blunt tip, but too avoid snagging I think, Sword & Shield, Solingen, Clauss, Fremont Ohio, Henckels Solingen, and finally, I think it's Dorko, Solingen.

PXL_20220313_204055792-X4.jpg


Next time, some better in the house scissors.
 

Catcher1984

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Los Angeles
I know this thread is a few months old but I was looking to get another pair of scissors for shop use and noticed Olfa wasn’t mentioned.

I’ve had these for a few yrs, made in Japan and I believe were like $10 each. I use them everyday and I use a pair of small Midwest shears as well for mostly garage use.
 

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LesserSon

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I think every household in America has 2 or more of these lurking in junk drawers. They go back generations! I remember my grandparents squabbling about which was the “good” pair.
This particular pair came along in some mixed flea market tools recently, but I know I have more. I tidied up for a particular project a few weeks ago, and can’t recall what I did with my scissors, or I’d have posted them…
 
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