Scissors Question
 

My kids knew never to use my sewing scissors for fear of my wrath. ( Being dramatic there) Now I feel bad because a friend of mine said she read that it is not true, that paper and other items cut with scissors will not dull them. Has anyone else heard this? I have several pair I use for different jobs, so I wonder if I am being too picky about my use of scissors.

I was taught the same thing and I do have very dull scissors but they are NOT my Ginghers!!

I've heard recently that cutting paper with a fabric scissors won't dull the scissors, even though I always thought differently. For myself, I've used the same pair of scissors for everything and I haven't noticed that they've gotten dull.

Here's what Snopes has to say about it:

http://msgboard.snopes.com/cgi-bin/u...2;t=000052;p=0

I found this when I googled "does paper dull scissors?"

found on an 'Ask the Scientist' forum.

"Various clays, and/or calcium carbonate, are a component of many papers,including cardboard. They are there to make the paper stiff, to adjust the absorption of inks, to keep the paper hard when it is wet (wet strength), and as a filler (Clays are less expensive than wood fiber in many cases, depending upon the quality of the paper.) These minerals are abrasive and dull the scissor." -Vince Calder"

I was always taught to guard my fabric scissors with my life as well - and I have. But have also heard that cutting paper with them does not dull them.

I do know that when I paper piece I am, at times, cutting paper with the same rotary cutter that I use for fabric cutting - and usually at the same time when doing the final trim on the block - and have not noticed that my blades dull any faster.

Just my 2 cents.

If you have ever papered a wall, you know you have to use razor blades of some sort to trim the paper. Those blades get dull, dull, dull, very quickly. My experience with scissors before I got picky was that cutting paper dulled my scissors. Woe to the person who uses my fabric scissors for paper. froggyintexas

All the comments below the answer are hilarious!!

I specifically remember my mom getting mad at my dad for trimming his toenails with her "good" scissors.

I've always had my sewing scissors and used other scissors for other tasks.

Not only do you need a sharp pair of scissors, you want the blades to meet in such a way that they cut straight. I've noticed that not all scissors (regardless of price) will cut straight. Also some scissors are too loose or too tight to cut well.

So as you can see I'm another picky scissors user!

My experience has been that paper definitely dulls scissors. It doesn't take much trouble to keep a separate pair elsewhere. I mark on them with a Sharpie "paper".