Photos I love good quality scissors !

[roaduck]

I just got another pair of cheapie OXO Good Grips - kitchen and herb scissors because I think they have a good value / performance ratio for £14.
They're a bit light at 113 grams (4 1/2 ounces approx) but they're strong, serrated and are equally good for cutting fish, meat and veg and opening the dreaded plastic blister packs and cardboard boxes.

Now I can use one pair for exclusive food use and the other for opening packages and parcels - the OXO ones are the two black-handled bottom ones.
In the same vein the Richardson utility scissors (middle left and right) are great too but the blades are thinner than the OXO ones.

The four big Kent and Stowe 10" serrated garden scissors (grey and red handles) are heavy - 7 1/2 ounces and I stocked up because I use them in the kitchen and garden and nothing fazes them - they can go through half inch branches and many layers of plastic and cardboard packaging and most foods (apart from hard nut shells)

The top left yellow ones are also serrated and are Olfa brand - very strong and sharp and the top right yellow ones are CK tools serrated electricians snips are very strong and sharp as well.

The big bottom set are Wilkinson 3119 CP-12 - handmade industrial 12 inch scissors - made in Sheffield - England - they weigh 721 grams (25 ounces approx) and are precision made but strong enough for 24/7 commercial use - my GF who does sewing and upholstery loves them as much as her Japanese KAI 7280SE 11" serrated shears and the Sheffield Whiteley 1920NP-12 - twelve inch industrial shears which are very similar to the Wilkinsons.

I love good quality English industrial scissors from Whiteley and Wilkinson - I even have composite scissors for kevlar and glass fibre (bottom all black ones) - my GF collects good tailor scissors lol.

 

[Ernie1980]

I definitely agree on good scissors being super useful! My wife keeps buying and using the cheapest scissors she can find and they struggle with even basic paper and packaging. I have restored some nice vintage ones and she ignores them and reaches for the cheap pair
Nice collection you have there

 

[roaduck]

I definitely agree on good scissors being super useful! My wife keeps buying and using the cheapest scissors she can find and they struggle with even basic paper and packaging. I have restored some nice vintage ones and she ignores them and reaches for the cheap pair
Nice collection you have there

Thank you very much Earnie1980 and well done with the restoration - I used to collect knives and the Dragon collected scissors but we had to put the brakes on because the little house got full up haha !

My children used to try and cut paper and packaging with expensive carbon steel tailor scissors and it used to drive me nuts - as long as your good lady just reaches for the budget ones - you're lucky haha !

I'm ashamed to admit that's only a bit of the scissor mountain - I have over a hundred more of various types - I overdo things haha !

I'm just getting the occasional oud, essential oil and fragrance compound (I do bespoke frags, soaps and candles) nowadays.

I have plenty of razors, soaps, tucks and commercial frags and got no more space to store them 'cos the other hobbies all got maxxed out as well lol !

 

[Tsujigiri]

Very cool collection! I've been looking around for high-quality general purpose scissors and am considering getting fabric shears due to the higher quality standards they seem to have. I've been seeing a lot of recommendations for Kai and Ernest Wright, your post is the first I've heard of the Whiteleys but they look promising as well. What made you gravitate towards that brand?

 

[roaduck]

Very cool collection! I've been looking around for high-quality general purpose scissors and am considering getting fabric shears due to the higher quality standards they seem to have. I've been seeing a lot of recommendations for Kai and Ernest Wright, your post is the first I've heard of the Whiteleys but they look promising as well. What made you gravitate towards that brand?

Thanks Tsujigiri - erm the Dragon does clothes alterations and upholstery for the needy so she loves good snips.

I have been using William Whiteleys scissors since the late seventies - side by side with the Kai's and Ernest Wrights - they blow them both out of the water - the cutting performance is better, the steel is harder and the finish is comparable to both; plus they're heavier and better value - and that is not just my opinion.

They cut better than Japanese ARS Industrial, TOTR Kai scissors and artisan Japanese carbon scissors (I've owned them all) - you're talking the difference between very good steels and literally cutting edge supersteels; no comparison.

I also have Mundial Brazilian forged professional serrated tailors, Elk forged tailors, 20" 3lb Indian handmade carbons plus Brass handled bespoke Indian 12" carbon tailors - weight - 699 grams.

I just got some Guggenheim IX - 9" tailors in the post today for my lady because they're excellent value/performance, Carbon and lightweight at 221 grams - which saves her wrists - only £23 to the door - bargain - They're even better than her Kai 7000 series - smoother and better performance - especially at the tip - I know this because I've bought a few pairs of Guggenheims as gifts and tried them side by side with the TOTR Japanese Kai scissors.

Kai sais they do aramid/kevlar etc but they're not true Industrial scissors like the Whiteleys and Wilkinsons - my 7280SE's went blunt in less than three years with moderate home use - the Whiteley's are meant for 24/7 service on a shop floor.

Please excuse the cheapie junk scissors - they're just disposables or for beater duties haha !

Here's a tip - never use good tailor's scissors or shears for paper / card / cardboard / packaging - ever - because you'll ruin them - cloth only !

Whiteley's and Wilkinson's range goes from £6-£7 all the way up to £6700.00 for their normal range and the sky is the limit for their bespoke scissors.
They do scissors for F1 teams, the military, the Royal Family, M.I.T. , Cal-Tech, NASA, N.H.S , M.O.D. - various governments - you name it - they're a bigger company than Ernest Wright and collaborate with Sheffield Hallam University plus Damasteel - Sweden for powdered metallurgy supersteels etc.
They have been making scissors since 1760.

 

[Tsujigiri]

Wow, incredible post, roaduck! That's a lot of info and very valuable experience condensed there. Now that I'm looking up Whiteley it looks like they're very highly regarded, but not as heavily promoted online as the other two. I saw a few sources say that the Ernest Wrights use outside blanks, as well, while the Whiteleys are all in-house. I think I've found what I've been looking for, now to narrow down the models and find an importer.

Thanks Tsujigiri

Here's a tip - never use good tailor's scissors or shears for paper / card / cardboard / packaging - ever - because you'll ruin them - cloth only !

I've seen a few mentions of this on sewing forums, but would a pair specifically for paper/cardboard make sense? I can't tell if people are saying that cutting paper just ruins the scissors for cloth, or if tailor shears really aren't made to hold up to paper products. I am thinking that a dedicated pair for paper would be a good move considering what I usually use scissors for, but the scissors marketed for paper don't seem to have as much care into their manufacture as the tailor shears. I might be getting pulled into a new collecting craze....

Edit: nevermind on that last point, I've been reading up and found that apparently the grinding angle is different on fabric shears. Don't know if it's different enough that it couldn't be used effectively for paper, but might be better to go with a general purpose model.

 

[roaduck]

Thanks very much Tsujigiri - you're most welcome.

Erm the reason why paper ruins tailor's shears is because it contains silica, abrasive binding constituents and much harder elements than in any fabric - when I was younger I did joinery plus worked in a paper warehouse so know how tough wood and paper is.

I also worked in a village blacksmith's forge making knives, tools and horseshoes from age 14 onwards in Yorkshire and did it as a hobby much later in Hong Kong and Macau to de-stress from high-pressure sales at night and weekends.

Personally I would get some 9" - 12" forged Whiteley, Wilkinson or even the pro forged Mundial or Finnish ELK brand tailor scissors - they are all good value and quality - they eat modern Ginghers and Fiskars for breakfast !

If you don't mind lightly oiling scissors occasionally the Guggenheim IX 9" carbon taylors are reasonably lightweight, incredible value and highly reviewed plus have a good warranty.

If you're cutting silk, satin and chiffon etc I would go for one serrated bottom blade on shears to grip the fabric and stop it moving - much more accurate - Mundials do them (SR) and they are mega !

Obviously if you are cutting leather, denim, batting, hessian etc; the heavy shears are best.

Before KAI got taken over and bought out - the quality was better unfortunately - like a lot of brands these days - cutting corners haha !.

I would get lighter stainless ones for paper only and even the cheap $15 serrated Kent and Stowe 10" garden scissors are fabulous for paper, card and tough blister packs plus can be used in the kitchen very successfully for allsorts of foods.

Even a good pair of second-hand forged Wiss (pre 1940's) all steel scissors would be fine for paper as long as they are straight, mesh together properly and have been sharpened by somebody who knows what they are doing.

Carbons are much easier to sharpen than stainless and can be the very best but require diligent maintenance.
Unfortunately most stainless scissors suck - too soft or not annealed, tempered and heat-treated properly.

If you PM me with your budget and requirements I can get you some buying links - I have a VPN so can use local to you search engines to find scissors in person and bricks and mortar shops near you like taylors and haberdasheries so you can hold them and compare them before buying.

Whiteleys and Wilkinsons are buy for life heirloom scissors but with the stupid import tariffs they would be prohibitively expensive unfortunately so personally I'd go for the pro serrated Mundials or Elks - both highly regarded and available locally for tailoring and some good second-hand forged American ones for paper / card etc.

For detailed work like buttonholes, zips, finishing off etc I'd get some 3" - 4" stainless forged Mundials or Elks - something you can locate locally to avoid import tariffs.

If you really wanted the handmade English Whiteleys or Wilkinsons I could perhaps, send you some as a gift/present or something - it is definitely doable Tsujigiri - there's more ways than one to skin a cat lol !

 

[jeffbird]

Roadduck,

this is one of the most interesting threads in a very long time.

You piqued my interest, especially in Whiteleys, but there website is not showing any for sale. How/where may we review their offerings? Is there one in particular you recommend as a first pair, especially some of the larger heavier duty models?

 

[roaduck]

Roadduck,

this is one of the most interesting threads in a very long time.

You piqued my interest, especially in Whiteleys, but there website is not showing any for sale. How/where may we review their offerings? Is there one in particular you recommend as a first pair, especially some of the larger heavier duty models?

Thank you jeffbird - much appreciated.

I've always been into sharpies because there was hardly any farriers or blacksmiths in my Horsey town in the seventies so I rolled my sleeves up and got very hot haha !

Erm if you just wanted one pair of heirloom tailors shears I'd go for either the Whiteley or Wilkinson forged 12 inchers that vary from 721 grams to 754 grams for the chrome or nickel plated Industrial carbons.

Look at the specs - confirm from the seller that they are over 700 grams minimum per pair.

Only trouble is they are both rare, expensive and you might have to wait months - I think they're well worth the wait for buy once shears.

Shoot Whiteleys an email and ask if they have any Whiteley 332 12" industrials in stock.

The trouble is they go like hotcakes and the tiny workforce can't get them out fast enough and have back orders etc.

Look on DIY-foam-upholstery-supplies in Ince, Wigan, Lancashire, England on ebay UK jeffbird - they do Whiteley 1920's and the Wilkinson 3119's both are World class scissors - not sure if they ship Stateside though; I think it's UK only.

Good luck mate !

 

[Tsujigiri]

This is a wealth of information, thank you so much for sharing! I'm scrambling trying to learn as much as I can about these scissors. It does seem that the 12" ones are pretty hard to get here, but I think I might have a line on the classic 10" sidebent ones; would you say those are a solid choice for general cloth use? It looks like there are a few stores in the US that specialize in sewing and tailoring, so they carry a limited selection of Whiteleys. The household models and paper scissors and EXO's don't seem to have an importer here, though. Also as Jeff mentioned, the Whiteley website seems to be having issues, so I'm trying to piece together the full breadth of what they make.

Haven't had a chance to look at the other ones you've mentioned, but they're next! Also, I just ordered a pair of the Baryonyx Humboldts to start along with a knife order; it sounds like these are more like industrial shears for heavier materials. That way, I can dedicate these to things that would mess up the other nice scissors, like leather, and get comfortable caring for carbon steel scissors.

 

[roaduck]

Brilliant - that sounds like a plan Tsujigiri the 10" Whiteley sidebents are more than good enough for tailoring - also look for Wilkinson extra sharps (with the serrated lower blade) in the 10 inch or 12 inch versions - with the red handles.

The EXO's are more for style and looks - personally I'd go for the bigger, heavier 12" Wilkinson 4120BS-12 at Rubio or Prosharp UK - not cheap though lol !

The Sheffield Shop does Whiteleys or Wilkinsons 12 inchers and they ship Worldwide.

Whiteleys are snowed under with back-orders and bespokes - they only have 19 staff so there's nothing to sell on their site at the moment.

Have you thought about approaching your local chamber of commerce or phoning an Industrial sewing supply place near you or phoning up taylors and asking them where they get good artisan shears from ?

I've seen these Wilkinson new old stock military 12" carbon taylors scissors on ebay UK for £100 - I'd get them if I didn't have plenty already - they look amazing.

I could source you some as a stated gift and we can sort out bank transfer / paypal whatever if you like.

If I'm sending them as a gift you shouldn't have import duties and custom taxes etc - PM me if are you interested okay.

I've heard that Baryonyx Humboldts were initially heralded as mega but got bad reviews down the line unfortunately because of rust - they don't get a grey carbon patina.

The price must have dropped - they started out at $100-$150 a pair at first - change of supplier/design ? No idea.

I love my Brazilian 12" Mundial Serra Sharp serrated professional forged carbon taylors shears - they are 630 grams, sharp and tough as hell and look gorgeous if you can find them Stateside.

I like big knives - the bottom one is a 10 inch slicer lol !

They are definitely worth considering, not that expensive either - I have Mundial forged knives and scissors and they're all fabulous value, weight and quality.

Whatever you decide - the best of luck to you searching for your grail scissors lol !

 

[Tsujigiri]

I was actually looking at those exact surplus ones, too! I couldn't find a lot of details on it since it doesn't have the normal markings. I hate to impose too much, but that sounds amazing. I don't think you have PM on your account, though?

I'm in Southern California, so it's a dry enough climate that I'm thinking that rust won't be so much of an issue, especially if I take the care to oil them. I shave using exclusively carbon steel straight razors and haven't had rust yet.

Side note, those long slicers are for meat? I'm a sucker for unusual kitchen knives, I'll have to keep an eye out for those.

 

[roaduck]

I was actually looking at those exact surplus ones, too! I couldn't find a lot of details on it since it doesn't have the normal markings. I hate to impose too much, but that sounds amazing. I don't think you have PM on your account, though?

I'm in Southern California, so it's a dry enough climate that I'm thinking that rust won't be so much of an issue, especially if I take the care to oil them. I shave using exclusively carbon steel straight razors and haven't had rust yet.

Side note, those long slicers are for meat? I'm a sucker for unusual kitchen knives, I'll have to keep an eye out for those.

No got no PM but am on hotmail Tsujigiri erm and had a friend in Livermore - loved visiting 25 years ago.
The top long wooden-handled knife is a Sabatier 21" carbon brush cutter.
The second one down with black handle is a Dick 22" stainless kebab knife.
The third one down is 15" double-handled commercial cheese knife.
The white one is a 10" Granton commercial slicer - I have quite a few genuine Granton edged knives that are to the edge - unlike all other Granton edged knives - lovely.
Granton has been making knives since 1601.
Get in touch and I'm sure we can work something out !
All the best and good luck with your sharpies !

 

[Tsujigiri]

Get in touch and I'm sure we can work something out !
All the best and good luck with your sharpies !

I think I sent an email to the right address, let me know if it doesn't come through! Thanks again

 

[roaduck]

Just for a laugh I weighed some of the scissors in the kitchen - I'm ashamed to say it's over 70 lbs - 140 pairs - mad !

 

[roaduck]

I think I sent an email to the right address, let me know if it doesn't come through! Thanks again

It's roaduck hotmail - can't say no more lol - nothing yet - try again please buddy !

Do you want me to get you those new old stock big Wilkinson 12" carbon military taylors - £100 ? - nearly gone - have to get 'em tonight !

We'll get there in the end haha !

 

[Tsujigiri]

It's roaduck hotmail - can't say no more lol - nothing yet - try again please buddy !

Do you want me to get you those new old stock big Wilkinson 12" carbon military taylors - £100 ? - nearly gone - have to get 'em tonight !

We'll get there in the end haha !

Hmm that is the email address I tried, maybe it went to spam? Or try sending to my email, which is EDITED

 

[roaduck]

Hmm that is the email address I tried, maybe it went to spam? Or try sending to my email, which is my username + 01 + gmail

Brilliant - I'll do it now - Thanks mate.

Let me know if it's landed yet buddy - nothing from you yet lol

Do you want the Whiteley 3119 or the Wilkinson 1920 - they are both chrome plated carbon 12 "and excellent but the Wilkinsons are an ounce heavier - I have both plus the 10 inchers in both ranges.
If you want the serrated 12" Wilkinson Extra Sharps - they are mega for slippy cloth like silk and satin.

If you want the big military ones above I have to phone up tomorrow - better deal that way lol

Please let me know your preference because I'm really busy feeding the homeless in the Winter - Cheers

username + hotmail - no numbers required haha !

 

[roaduck]

The military Wilkinsons are probably the best available and rare as hen's teeth - but sharper - so I've emailed the company and will follow it up on the blower tomorrow plus ring the foam company in Wigan about the two normal weight twelve inch (25 ounce) English shears.

From experience the military ones will be 800 - 1000 grams ( 28oz to 35oz ) plus - I hope you've got strong wrists haha !

 

[roaduck]

01Hmm that is the email address I tried, maybe it went to spam? Or try sending to my email, which is EDITED

Still no reply from you mate - tried +1. +01
I did your username + 01 L/C to gmail
I'm roaduck > hotmail
Join B&B and I'll see you there Tsujigiri - got same moniker.
If you don't get back today - I'll just leave it.
Too busy - all the best.