With modern manufacturers’ breakneck product release cycles fuelled by consumers’ vapid demand for the latest and greatest technological trends, there’s very little incentive to build anything to last — why bother when it will be replaced in six months anyway? However these steel shears don’t abide such wasteful notions. They’re built to cut through everything but your workbench and outlive your kids.
What Is It?
A love-child borne of your grandma’s kitchen shears and Wolverine’s Adamantium claws.
Who’s it For?
Industrial crafters, DIY enthusiasts, home makers and anyone needing to cut through Kevlar.
Design
If Darth Vader were a pair of scissors, he’d look a lot like these. The high-carbon steel shears measure 10 inches (25cm) overall with 4.75-inch (12cm) cut length, weigh half a kilo, and are protected by a Xylan non-stick coating.
Using It
Outside of wooden dowels and aluminium ribbon, I’m having trouble finding materials these shears can’t cut. Canvas, double-stacked cardboard, carpeting, old shirts, leather, nylon cord, upholstery and the SF Chronicle Sunday edition were all halved by these mighty blades.
The Best Part
This is some old-school quality craftsmanship right here. In an era when gadgets and tools alike are designed to be cheaper, lighter and effectively disposable, these Kevlar shears are sturdy in the hand and feel solid enough to endure decades of use.
Tragic Flaw
The offset handle is unpadded and unforgiving on your fingers, especially when dividing tough materials.
This Is Weird…
They’re scissors. They do one thing and one thing only, an unheard-of practice in this day and age.
Test Notes
- These shears made in Sheffield, England.
- Left-handed models are available but require an extra 3-4 weeks for delivery.
- No, seriously, these scissors were initially designed as industrial shears for cutting through ballistic nylon
Should You Buy It?
Absolutely. $US66 for the last pair of scissors you’ll ever need seems a fair price.
Sheffield Kevlar Shear
• Length: 10 inches (25cm)
• Cutting Length: 4.75 inches (12cm)
• Weight: 450g
• Price: $US66