Works in Progress

Storing Scissors

I have not yet hit on a good system for storing my scissor collection because they come in such a range of sizes and shapes. This shabby crate is my current method. If anyone out there has a better system, please let me know :)

Phoenix

Scissor Art

Not quite finished. Hopefully you can kind of see what it is meant to be.

New Shredder Scissors

This is a brand new set of scissors but I found the design interesting. It would certainly be more labor intensive than a shredder but a good alternative for someone who just wants to destroy receipts and other personal documents before discarding them. Available from the Container Store.

#21: Wiss Equity No 39

Maker: Wiss Equity
Model: No 39
Materials: Steel
Year: Unknown
Length: 23cm/9"
Description: as shown
Estimated value: $1

#20: German Sheath scissors

Maker: Unknown
Model: Unknown
Materials: Unknown
Year: Unknown
Length: 33cm/13"
Description: Slightly warped example. Stamped 'GERMANY'.
Estimated value: $15--$25 if undamaged

#19: Compton U-Set

Maker: Reliance Compton, Newark NJ, USA
Model: Unknown
Materials: Unknown
Year: 1941+, vintage
Length: 28cm/11"
Description: As shown. Remnants of black paint. Stamped with a 1941 patent. These are tailor's shears.  They have a very pleasing design, in my opinion.
Estimated value: $5 up to $30

#16, #17, #18: Patterned-Handle Scissors

Maker: Eversharp
Model: Unknown
Materials: Steel
Year: Modern?
Length: Unknown
Description: As shown. Blade marked 'CHICAGO MAIL ORDER CO'. Handle very faintly stamped 'Eversharp, FORGED STEEL, USA'.
Estimated value: .50c

Maker: Unknown
Model: Unknown
Materials: Steel
Year: Modern?
Length:
Description: As shown. Stamped 'STEEL, U.S.A.'.
Estimated value: .50c


Maker: Unknown
Model: Unknown
Materials: Steel
Year: Modern?
Length:
Description: As shown. Stamped 'FORGED STEEL, U.S.A.'.
Estimated value: .50c

#15: Equity Shear Co Shears (Wiss)

Makers: Equity Shear Co, Newark (Wiss)
Model: Unknown
Materials: Unknown
Year: Unknown
Length: 30cm/12"
Description: As shown. Remanants of both green and black paint on the handles. The makers stamp is very faint but seems to read 'EQUITY SHEAR CO NEWARK'.
Estimated value: $1

About collecting scissors

It is still relatively uncommon for people to collect scissors and this gives the hobby many advantages. The key advantage being that interesting antique (100 year old +) and vintage (50-100 years old) scissors can be acquired for very little money. Almost all of the scissors shown on this blog were purchased cheaply, about $5 for a vintage pair, about $10 for an antique pair--for a mixed lot the per scissor price is often only about a dollar. As I am not interested in museum specimen quality, but actually prefer tools that have seen use, wear and even repair, I have acquired a large and interesting collection primarily of larger vintage linear design scissor--the kind I find most attractive.

There are many interesting types of scissor to collect. Some people prefer the ornate designs, medical scissors, or very early examples. Foldable scissors are fascinating and take up very little space. Candle snuffers are no longer useful to most people and so even very old examples may be purchased for a few dollars. And for the more macho collector there are many models of scissor that doubled as daggers, for a lady's self-defense. If you are more interested in creating scissor art, modern scissors can be bought cheaply in bulk secondary to airport seizures.

If you also collect scissors or even just have a few interesting or rare example, I would love to see pictures and to link to any related blogs.

#13: Wiss Model A Pinking shears [vintage]

Maker: Wiss
Model: Model A
Materials: Unknown
Year: Design begins 1934, this model 1940s
Length: 26cm/10.25"
Description: As shown. Marked with patent 1955443 (1932), 1970408 (1931) and 1959190 (1934)
Estimated value: $1

Catalog: A Henkel 1959 Surgical [modern]

Click images to enlarge. Includes surgical scissors, bandage scissors, dissecting scissors, microscopic scissors, nail nippers, barber sheers, light sheers, safety scissors and heavy trimmers.

#12: Red eversharps

Maker: Eversharp
Model: Unknown
Materials: Unknown
Year: Vintage?
Length: 18cm/7"
Description: As shown

#11: J.A. Henckels shears

Maker: JA Henckels
Model: Unknown, heavy duty
Materials: Unknown
Year: Antique?
Length: 12"
Description: As shown, marked with the number '5'.

101 Things to do with Scissors: #3

Don't like spiders? What about birds?

From the Bent Objects blog.

#10: Unknown Red & Black Handled Scissors

Maker: Unknown
Model: Unknown
Materials: Unknown
Year: Vintage?
Length: 22.5cm, 9"
Description: Lower blade slightly serrated. Heavy construction. Possibly metal snips.

101 Things to do with Scissors: #2

When life gives you scissors, make spiders.

This one pretty much speaks for itself. From Christopher Locke, a.k.a. Heartless Machine (homepage here)

A little hard on scissors, I guess... but a cool end result.

<--See also this example by Shannon Couture.

101 Things to do with Scissors: #1

A Scissor Mobile

Made by Lisa Congdon, found via Jenny Ryan.

I don't know if it is the idea that mobiles hang over cribs or over-effective scissor safety training, but the commenters seem a little over sensitive about the potential dangers of this creation. It's not like you would want any kind of large mobile or chandelier to bounced off your head, but closed scissors are really just lumps of metal, really.

I am having some thoughts about my lamp with the broken shade and that bulk lot of airport-seized nail scissors I bought on the assumption I'd think of something to do with them.

Scissor art in progress

So I have a bunch of cuticle scissors and a ribbon. I figure I should be able to do something with this. But I am bit stumped on how to do the arms...

#9 (a-c): Unknown Red-Handled Scissors

Maker: Unknown, Taiwan
Model: Unknown
Materials: Unknown
Year: Vintage? ~1960s.
Length: 20cm, 8"
Description: As shown. This model seems to be very common.
Value: ~$5
3 examples in collection

Scissor Reading

Everything you do can say something about you, even your choice of scissors. With this in mind I offer 'scissor readings' where you send me a picture of your scissors and I read what they say about you. This is obviously for entertainment purposes and I make no promises as to accuracy.



What I see in these scissors is a person with a focus on getting the job done and works hard at any task she takes on. She is reliable both in completing a project and sticking by a friend. I see a woman who definitely appreciates comfort, but has no time for unnecessary girly frills and froo-froo. The owner of these scissors is probably known as self-assured and confident but in a calm and relatively quiet way. Some who is doesn't sing her own praises and possibly under appreciated except by those who know her well.

#8: Spear Brand Ordinary Scissors

Maker: Spear Brand
Model: Ordinary Scissors, JD611-JD616
Materials: carbon steel
Year: Modern
Length: various
Description: Spear Brand is a modern makers of scissors based in China. The scissors are listed here for two reasons. One is that they are functional, attractively designed and inexpensive. If you want small-bladed scissors with a slightly different look these might fit the bill. The other reason is that the style shown here might easily be mistaken for/sold as vintage rather than modern, so be aware.

#7: Over-Sized Novelty Scissors

Maker: unknown
Model: N/A
Materials: unknown
Year: unknown
Length: 57cm/22" long
Description: These over sized scissor are marginally functional, but do not appear to be intended for use. They may be a theatrical prop or for a store display.

#6: W. C. Heimerdinger

Maker: Heimerdinger Cutlery (founded 1861) is still trading although they no long manufacture.
Model: unknown
Materials: unknown
Year: unknown
Length: 27cm/10.5" long
Description: As shown.

#5: Ernst Holtgrave adjustable scissors

Maker: E. Holtgrave?
Model: Pat no 841690
Materials: ?
Year: 1907--?
Length: 18cm long
Description:Subject to a 1907 patent these scissors have a device that varies how tightly the blades are screwed together. This example has two-tone red and yellow painted handles.

#4: J Wiss & Sons J-7

Maker: J. Wiss & Sons
Model: J-7
Materials:
Year: unknown modern
Length: 17.25 cm long
Description: The company was founded in 1848, however these scissor are clearly far more modern--probably mid to late-twentieth century. [The model is mentioned but not pictured in catalogues from 1950: catalogue 1, pricelist].