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".

Here is just one example, which isn't enough for a real conclusion, but, I gave my granddaughter a nice pair of scissors and a basket of fabric to play with, and cautioned her about using the scissors on anything but the fabric. Fast forward a few months and we were going to play with her fabric and she couldn't find her scissors and found them in the craft basket. And, then they wouldn't cut the fabric anymore. So, that is our sample of one.

Having been a hairdresser for 35 years, I noted the purpose for every pair of scissors/shear in the house and still do.

I was raised this way as well , Back when we did a lot of cutting with scissors because we made a lot of our own cloths . people did not have rotatory cutters and you did not just run to Walmart and pick up a new pair lol. I have never had fancy scissors but still always guarded my fiskers lol. I still have my old scissors I so proudly got for home ec from the Murphys 5&10 store , I use those for paper .

This post also reminded me of my mom screaming " Do not ever touch the tension " I still cringe when I adjust the tension on my old Kenmore lol

Yes, I thought so, too and really didn't answer the question.

We use Fiskars for cutting everything with and my good Gingher's are guarded by me or my bird at all times!! No paper for my good scissors!!!

I am like you.. my kids know better than to touch my sewing scissors :) I have been keeping my sewing scissors separate for so long I don't remember if I experienced the paper dulling or if I am just going by how my mother handled her scissors :)

Oh yes! I have my sewing scissors, and then there's the every day scissors that cut everything else that needs to be cut.....paper, tape, plastic, thin wire, anything sticky, you name it. Those are some of the reasons nobody else touches my sewing scissors! :hunf:

Thou shall not cut paper with my good shears, so said my Great-grandmother, Grandmother, and Mother.... and the same goes for me. Dressmakers shears for fabric, hair shears for hair, paper scissors for paper and a junk pair for everything else.

I'd been borderline obsessed with keeping my scissors just for fabric. Then one day I was busy sewing away and didn't notice that my dad was stood in the doorway of my sewing room hacking away at some thick plastic with my special scissors! And I couldn't even get too mad at him because he was trying to fix something for me! When I told him they were my special scissors he said "I thought they were pretty good scissors!" I can officially confirm that thick plastic dulls scissors!

I use whatever pair of scissors is handy for whatever I want to cut. I have the same brands of scissors in the kitchen and desk drawers as in my sewing room. Quality scissors take a very long time to get dull cutting paper.

Good scissors use to be a one time purchase because they were hard to find in stores and expensive. Usually a household had one pair of good sewing scissors. Now quality scissors are inexpensive and easy to find. . Why not have good scissors for everyone to use.

As for Snopes, 20/20 did a expose on them. It is a man and woman who started it from their home, decides on their own if something is true or not by searching on the internet or just their opinion. They are wrong more then they are right.

Years ago when my daughter was in high school she had some friends over...no problem. Until I walked into the kitchen and found one girl standing at the sink cutting up an aluminum Coke can with my good sewing shears!!! She just wanted to see how sharp they were!!!! They soon became my kitchen scissors. Wonder if she remembers this??

I too grew up with the theory that anything but cloth dulled scissors and as such we were not to touch my mother's sewing scissors. My husband on the other hand grew up that it was fine to cut anything with any scissors. It was so hard to break him and later my kids of this. They always had the reasoning that they didn't know those were my sewing scissors. I finally tied a yellow ribbon on the handle and to this day the scissors with the ribbon on them are mine and need to be left alone no matter where anyone sees them in the house. Since there is now no question as to which scissors are my sewing scissors there is no longer a problem with them getting used for other things.

It actually has nothing to do with the question, or the answer. The fact is they are my scissors and there is no reason why anyone other than myself should ever be using them.

The die cutting machines uses blades much like scissor blades. It takes years for a die to become dull cutting all types of paper.

I took a class from Anita Grossman and she said that it does not matter

This has ALWAYS been the rule. I don't think it was the paper that was so bad for our scissors, but all the OTHER stuff that gets cut along with the paper. I have seen the little plastic line from tags, take a DENT out of scissors. Also when someone picks up your scissors to cut someones bangs (you can end up with gunk on your scissors), hair products can make your scissors sticky. Cardboard (is a paper), but it will dull your scissors. So the RULE still stands in my house.

ANYONE in my family who picks up a pair of scissors in my house for something they are working on, ALWAYS comes to find me to see if that is a pair of MY sewing scissors. And my children, by way of osmosis (I guess), have their OWN special pair of scissors in their homes. I must have made an impression on them at some point in my life, but I can't remember when it was specifically.

Snopes gets their info from the internet like everyone else.

I think it matters,because what they MAY cut my scissors. If I say don't touch my scissors, I'm protecting them from the potential of being abused.I have fiskars all over the house for whatever else they need to cut, my ginghers are off limits to everyone but me.

I've heard that too, that paper, etc. will not dull your fabric cutting scissors. My fabric scissors are for fabric and may Heaven help anyone that uses them for anything else. Talk about dramatic, I'm with Sandra P on this and I don't care what anyone says. I'm 74 years old, have been sewing for fifty plus of those years and my mom told me fabric scissors are for fabric and don't use them for anything else. I've done that and it has served me well.

I heard that cutting paper with the scissors you use for cutting fabric will dull the scissors.

Yes, they are funny! I couldn't find the actual answer, just the funny comments. I think what Debra shared makes sense:


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"

Just from personal experience I know the scissors I use in the kitchen to cut paper are much duller than the ones I reserve for food.

Janet Pray also says that it doesn't matter - paper won't hurt your scissors. The best reason to keep them separate though, is that you know where to find them! I don't cut up chicken or anything with mine, but will cut paper if the opportunity presents itself.

Well, I would say you can't believe everything you read, and would still not let my fabric scissors or shears be used on anything but fabric