From Kevlar cutting scissors to household multipurpose shears, scissors are a tool we all have in our home or office in some form or another. They are a tool we can’t live without.
Scissors are not a modern tool; they have been in existence for many thousands of years. Popular myth has their inventor being Leonardo Da Vinci; however they actually pre-date Da Vinci as they were in use in ancient times.
- The term “scissors” comes from the Latin word for “cutting instrument”, cisora. The word “shears” comes from the German/Teutonic “sker” which became “scear” in Old English.
- The first scissors with a pivot between the blades were being used by the sixth century AD.
- The first scissor blades were constructed from bronze, with iron being used later. Modern scissors are generally made with stainless steel blades.
- Scissors larger in size than approximately six or seven inches are called shears. While scissor finger holes are the same size, shears have a smaller round hole for the thumb and a larger oblong hole for at least two fingers.
- Japanese scissors have very sharp blades with honed edges that taper to a sharp point. The edges are very thin. German scissors have flatter edges called bevel edges. The bevel is not angled (honed).
- All scissors must occasionally be sharpened by a professional in order to keep them performing at their best. They should also have a drop of oil placed between the blades at the point of the pivot screw so that they work smoothly.
- The world’s largest pair of scissors was presented by Indian Neerja Roy Chowdhury at the Airforce Auditorium in Delhi in August 2009. Made of steel, they weighed fifty-five pounds and measured more than seven feet long. They were fully functional!
It is only worth purchasing scissors and shears of the highest quality. Multipurpose shears and Kevlar cutting scissors are just a couple of the varieties of premium scissors we sell at Vampire Tools. While quality does cost more, it will last a lifetime if cared for appropriately, and they are a pleasure to use.
Explore our website here at Vampire Tools to discover more about what we offer and why our scissors and shears are the best in the world.