Scissor advice please?

[British Red]

I'm looking to get myself a couple of pairs of quality, second hand scissors. Probably six inch or so size. Not looking for dress making shears, but general use workshop scissors. Can anyone advise please on good makes and types to look out for?

 

[Jared]

Seen The Putter video? He's putting together 7" all purpose scissors in it.

[video=youtube;PWRw_6StpQQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWRw_6StpQQ[/video]

http://www.ernestwright.co.uk/catalogue/browse.aspx?breadcrumb=13_54&productId=338

 

[British Red]

Thanks, not looking for new items, or serrated. I guess I'm thinking there must be some good, old makes that can be hand sharpened out there?

 

[Toddy]

Any of the old 'Wilkinson Sword' ones sharpen up well. Modern-ish (I've been using mine for over twenty years now and they are still excellent) that say Fiskars, and not made in China, are worth trueing up.

Honestly BR, in competent hands, so long as the shears haven't been totally abused, the middling aged ones all are sound when renovated.

J. Rodger's and sons are good, and I have Wright's too, (they used to be marked Kutrite) and they are excellent, so are the older (not black handled) Singer ones, and they came in different sizes.
J. Nowill & Sons are another reputable company.

I can have a trawl through ebay for vintage ones that I'd buy if that's of any help ? Tom will probably have a fair idea of good ones to recommend too though

M

 

[Toddy]

These for instance are bog standard household scissors, I have two pairs that must be identical to this set, and they're unremarkably just 'the scissors', but that very unremarkability is underpinned by the simplicity of ease of use and utter reliability.
They work they always cut cleanly, and they do so right to the very tips.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCISSORS-..._DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cf4715150#viTabs_0

These ones 'should' be sound, but there's something off about the way the very tips lie might just be the photo.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-H...835?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item234c752483

M

 

[OurAmericanCousin]

There are scissors that haven't changed in design for centuries. The handles are drawn and curved; not cast.

They can be found in more than one size sometimes, but always on the smallish size. Being shorter, they have great leverage and can cut very well. Super sharp.

I can often find them at a reduced price, making them silly-ly affordable (yes, it's a word, I just invented it).

Small enough for my pack, but suited for big jobs...or fine work, as well.

I cannot post pics, but will try a link.

 

[Toddy]

Those drawn and curved ones are sore on the hands after any real use though.
They might be 'authentic' but good cast handles are much easier in use.
The good Victorian and Edwardian ones are really comfortable and supportive. Folks who sewed by hand day in day out appreciated good tools.
My rant agin modern carp needles is well known and it's the same for many of the modern craft tools; very much inferior to even the 'bog standard' ones of the not so distant past.

M

 

[Macaroon]

This is not something I've ever thought about, but I've just looked at my two pairs of (inherited) household scissors, which I take apart to sharpen now and then and which have never let me down; one pair is six inches, the other eight inches, and they have been my workshop and domestic general purpose tools for years and served the same purpose in my parents' household for years before that. They are both Richardson's of Sheffield, and have that unmistakable solid feel of the quality well-made tool..............I hope that helps

 

[British Red]

That's just the sort of input I wanted, thanks Mary and Mac. I sharpen knives and chisels, chainsaws and even spades....but do not own a pair of scissors worth sharpening . Those eBay links were great Mary! I really should get some larger ones too.....

 

[Teepee]

General use workshop scissors to me mean cutting everything from paper to sheet metal.

I have about 50 pairs of scissors and tin snips(scissor hoarder). All the above, plus some Gilbows, Sheffield Steel company and moderns.

For cutting everything, spring loaded tin snips work best, closely followed by a pair of old cast handle secatuers. They'll do paper through to 1mm steel and weldmesh. My Gilbows fit what looks like a pair of scissors should look like, again, a good pair for everthing but the lack of a spring make them more tiring to use for long periods.

 

[British Red]

Thanks Pete - Gilbows I have, its scissors I need - paper, cloth, thin foam stuff. The Gilbows are awesome I agree!

 

[Toddy]

Not generally a fan of the imported scissors but this pair are from a well kent American company…..also Wiss's of the same era are worth a look at.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-1...323?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item58c053301b

Both companies were set up by Swiss immigrants to the USA taking old world skills with them and trying to apply the prinicples of industrialisation to the mass production.

M

 

[Toddy]

Guess what….there's a pair of Wiss ones too

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-J...810?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item58c04324a2


and I have to stop looking, because I keep finding some good things.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-x-ANTIQ...067?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5b0ddc4bcb

(found a bad set too, but it seems uncharitable to name and shame….just that if the inner edges of the handles are very worn flat, then have a wonder why someone thought that grinding those down might help something work a bit better Vintage and antique isn't necessarily a guarantee of quality; they had Friday afternoon shifts then too)

This pair look kind of kicked to be honest….the rivet looks 'beaten' and they look marked as though they've been rummeled around in a toolbox for years :shocked: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pair-of-T...240?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27f692a928 but at the asking price they 'should' have been in good nick…I wouldn't buy them, put it that way. They might well clean up fine, but….hmmm
M

 

[Mesquite]

The trouble with you putting all these links up Mary is we never know who's going to be bidding on them and we might be doing so against fellow members

Send Hugh a couple private links by PM so he has a fair chance

 

[British Red]

It maybe helpful for others to see what Mary "rates" as well though (like needles ). I'm in no tearing rush (though I will "watch" some of those Mary has linked to), I am just sick of cheap rubbish scissors and wouldn't dare to use BBs dressmaking ones!

 

[Toddy]

I kind of thought that; and reckoned that you might see the kind of details that Mac and I would pick up on that you would notice on other tools that you are more familiar with, if we did it this way

Charity shops, car boot sales, all worth a looksee. Tell Tom what you're looking for; the man is a brilliant finder of good things

M

 

[tombear]

I've these in the pot of scissors the kids are allowed to use/wreck, not been used by them yet a they tend to go for the plastic handled ones, your welcome to them Red if they are any use.

Top ones ain't that hot, they are Richards Sheffield but bottom end, blades riveted to the cast handles.

second down are Humphreys Sheffield and have a nice crisp action

third down are government issue S Darwin and sons Sheffield, nice.

bottom are another Richards, much better than the top pair, snip-snap band.

when I see good scissors for under a quid I always pick them up, you never know...

ATB

Tom

 

[Toddy]

Third pair down looks the business Tom

M

Edit; p.s ooops, just read the details you posted….I agree

M

 

[tombear]

Yup, really neat cutters. I wouldn't normally part with them but I've i even nicer pair dated 1944 the dead same in my sewing box.

ATB

Tom

 

[British Red]

Blimey Tom you are a good man! I'd happily buy them off you and cover the postage, thanks!

Isn't the world a lovely place?