I’m aware that the plastic handles probably disqualify these from being true “buy it for life”, but the exciting thing for me is that they are relatively cheap and can be found on the shelf in most stores with an office supply section. It’s an unfortunate reality that the vast majority of BIFL items are special order and cost several times more than their mainstream equivalent, so I wanted to shout out Scotch brand for maintaining such good serviceability on an item you can literally pick up at Walmart.
I just pulled apart a pair of these which was cutting horribly, gave each blade a couple passes on an oil stone, then reassembled and tightened them up with a drop of oil in the joint. They cut as well as the day they were bought, and the handles are still in good shape so I could see doing this several more times before I even have to consider replacing them.
I am an industrial seamstress and have been using the same pair of scissors for 20 years. Not everyday as I’ve had some other jobs here and there, but they are still my go to for anything sewing. They are Wiss 10”. Under $100 bucks and very much worth it.
That being said, if you can take these apart and sharpen them then that’s a good deal!
I have Wiss and like them. I have Mundial and like them. I bought some Kai and freakin’ love them. Way, way lighter (to abate that repetitive stress) and super sharp. A little harder to sharpen because the steel is so hard and when they chip they chip bad, but they are amazing. Highly recommended.
Also an industrial seamster
I used Kai for the sew shop, but they also use them to cut carbon fibre pre-preg.
Yes! I have a smaller pair of the Kai and you are not wrong about them. So damn sharp. I use those for small precise cuts. I’d like to get a bigger pair but then I’d feel like I’m cheating on the Wiss. Which is ridiculous lol.
Also, what kind of seamster? I’m a sailmaker, but I’ve “retired” from that and just sew for myself now.
Another boat industry professional! I make marine canvas and upholstery!
Nice!! I never got too much into canvas, just the stuff that goes with sails. Sailcovers and stack packs, winch covers, that kind of thing. Nothing with frames. That’s some 3D wizard magic right there! Always so impressed with beautiful canvas. Really cool the 3D modeling stuff some of the guys near me are using for patterning, so precise. I do need to make a new dodger, bimini and enclosure for my boat so I’m going to be doing it whether I like it or not soon! Also cushions… lol
There’s certainly a mystique around canvas. Some of it is deserved, there is a lot to learn. Patterning is definitely the hard part. I use paper, I make a big paper bag and draw seam and zipper lines on it. There’s a thousand ways to skin a cat as they say. I’m not sold on the 3D modeling. $100k to get started and in the end you still throw it a sewer, all your precision can get lost at the last step. It’s only really worth it if your doing production, manual patterns are way faster for one offs. I’d suggest spending money on scissors and materials and learn from your screwups. You’ll be way further ahead than the learning curve involved in the modeling.
Oh wow! That is sharp! Beautiful work! Patterning definitely seems to be the secret ingredient. And yes, from my looking into it everyone has a different way. Way back in the 90s the shop I worked in had the sail service and canvas in the same area so I would help the guy that did all the patterns and frames sometimes. He used heavy poly for the patterns. Very cool to watch and learn from. Unfortunately I never did more after that to cement it in my brain. I’ll be patterning for mine, not worth all the fuss with the 3D stuff for just my own job. Also I want to make a hard Bimini so everything is going to get changed up anyways.
The guys I know do know how to pattern but they’re young uns and very tech savvy so they have modified to suit their needs. Use a camera they already have and take a bunch of pictures, run that through the modeling software and then flatten it and send it to their plotter. I don’t think they spent more than 15k for plotter and software? Also one of them is the sewer so already informed of the project. Works for them but I feel that you should know how to pattern first as well. They are trying to get set up for people to send their files to them and then they can cut and send back.
Sorry for the late response, whole family got hit with Covid, just surfacing now.
I like these scissors but I feel like the screw works itself loose far too quickly.
Loctite.
Wouldn’t that prevent the scissors from opening?
Because no one has explained it, loctite comes in different strengths. Red is supposed to be permanent, blue is supposed to be able to break free again. For this application, you’d want blue to hold the nut in place.
There are a hundred different types of loctite. Some for small bolts and some for large. Just because it’s red doesn’t mean it’s permanent.
No.
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Way to miss the point. These scissors have a screw so you can sharpen them. Red loctite would hold it until it’s time to sharpen. Break the bond, sharpen, put it back on.
Remember what sub we’re in.
Some loktite on the threads maybe?
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Just going full circle huh?
You should really get scissors with higher quality hard steel so you don’t need to sharpen the soft easily dulled steel cheap scissors. Your advice is not bifl but frugal at the cost of time effort
In the UK or EU, Whiteley is the brand to look for
If you need something a bit more bulletproof, Kershaw makes a fantastic set of general purpose scissors. They come apart without tools for cleaning and sharpening and it’s proper knife steel as well.
I have Wusthof scissors that come apart without tools also. I think it’s common in higher end kitchen shears because you’ll need to clean them pretty thoroughly and sharpen periodically.
Thanks anon, I love my Kershaw pocket knives, but never thought of them for scissors.
All but one of my scissors has a screw to take them apart for cleaning/shaprening. The one that doesn’t is a super old pair of barber shears like from the 50’s and is also rusted as fuck. Do they even still make scissors held together by rivets?
If you want truly buy it for life scissors, you want hand forged Japanese scissors.
If by “buy it for life” you mean “use several lifetime’s scissors budgets”.
I got these for hunting/cooking:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001DINYHE
I really, really like them.
What would you recommend for more general purpose scissors?
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I’m talking scissors that cost hundreds to thousands of dollars, so I myself have not purchased any at this point. Maybe someday.
Like mall ninja scissors? Or are hand forged scissors a real thing?
Hand forged by the Gods in the depths of Hades over a live volcano, using meteorite metal that fell from the sky and imbued with divine cosmic magic.
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I’m not sure what you mean by mall ninja scissors, but yes, hand forged scissors by expert blacksmiths is a real thing.
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I have maybe 5 pairs of these scissors across various rooms in my house. They are cheap and decent.
Just wanted to point out there’s scissor sharpening tools that don’t require the scissors to be taken apart
