We’ve talked in depth in our last few Blog articles about why Vampire Tools electrician scissors and shears are the best in the world.

Today we’re going to take a very light-hearted look at some of the strange superstitions that surround scissors, as well as some other fun facts about these integral and very common tools we use every single day…

First of all, what is a superstition? It is any belief or notion that is irrational and often is triggered by a belief in supernatural forces, good and bad luck and omens. Perhaps because they are sharp and can cut, there are some definite, if uncommon, superstitions that relate to scissors and their use.

  • A native African superstition states that opening and closing a pair of scissors during a wedding ceremony would cause the groom to become impotent.
  • In Egypt, opening and closing scissors without cutting anything is taboo – you are cutting airborne evil spirits and they will be angered. Leaving scissors open is also very bad luck.
  • Not directly related to scissors, but to cutting: in India, it is bad luck to wash or cut hair on a Thursday or Saturday, and to cut nails on Tuesday, Saturday, or in the evening.
  • It is considered to be very, very bad luck to drop a pair of scissors. Some people believe that to do so means that one’s lover will be unfaithful. Even worse is if the scissors land with one or both blades or tips stuck in the floor. Some people believe that a dropped pair of scissors sticking into the floor is an omen of Death. Yet it’s not always a portent of doom. In some parts of the world, a single tip or blade stuck in the floor signifies a funeral will happen soon, however if both tips stick in the floor, a wedding will soon follow.
  • If you do drop scissors, superstition dictates that you should never pick them up yourself – instead, have somebody else do so for you. If nobody is around to help, the scissors need to be stomped on before touching them. Just don’t do it barefoot! Warm them between your hands before using them again.
  • Breaking the blade of a pair of scissors is a bad omen, predicting arguments and general discord. If both blades break together, catastrophe is looming.
  • It is also considered to be bad luck if a pair of scissors falls apart while you are using them. (Fortunately, the best shears and scissors available from Vampire Tools will never do this!).
  • Scissors don’t always represent danger in the arena of superstition. They have traditionally been perceived as a protective amulet and deterrent against witchcraft and from mediaeval times, scissors were placed under doormats to ward off evil and keep macabre spirits at bay. When they were used in this way, they were kept open and in the shape of a cross.
  • Dreaming of scissors has its hidden meaning too. If you see or work with scissors in a dream, it is a warning to not interfere in arguments between others – they will both turn on you. To dream of broken scissors, on the other hand, is a good omen, signifying that you will have success and good luck in business.

There are superstitions about literally everything – from shoes to weddings to hair. That there are superstitions relating to scissors should be no surprise.

When you buy the best scissors from Vampire Tools, you know that you are getting a durable, superior product, with no concerns about them falling apart or breaking – just in case you are a little superstitious!