Fiskars Premier No. 8 Easy Action Scissors - 10" Spring Action Fabric and Craft Scissors - Arts and Crafts - Orange/White

I recently purchased the Fiskars 9911 Softouch Multipurpose Scissors from Amazon. Due to my diagnosis of Lupus, using traditional scissors can tire out my hand and make it painful to cut whatever it is that I am working on (usually coupons, I admit it). After careful consideration, I decided to try this spring-loaded model.ConstructionThe Fiskars brand is almost always a high-quality product. These scissors are no exception; they are lightweight yet very durable. The "softouch" aspect to them is accurate; the grip is rubberized so that the scissors are comfortable to hold and use.In terms of sharpness, the blades of the scissors are extremely sharp and cut through both paper and plastic easily. I was able to quickly wrap a present by slicing through the wrapping paper with ease, not tearing or snagging any piece.UseThese scissors are easy to use, once you get used to them. Traditional scissors have both blades balanced to evenly rotate on the fulcrum point (the screw/weld in the middle of the blades). This means that the strength of the scissors, as well as the power of the cut, is determined by the hand strength of the user. This also means that for someone with arthritis in the hands, traditional scissors can result in pain after using them for a time.These spring-loaded scissors operate differently; only the top blade moves. When using these, you can rest the bottom of the scissors against your tabletop and "push" them forward across the surface of whatever it is that you are cutting. The spring-loaded lever action means you use much less strength to cut something than with a traditional pair of scissors. In addition, the softouch grip makes it more comfortable to use.The tricky part in using these scissors is learning to align the blades along the line that you wish to cut. In a traditional pair of scissors (at least for me), I used to open the blades and pull the piece of paper to the fulcrum point (where the blades intersected), resulting in a more precise cut along a designated line (such as with coupon pages). With the Fiskars 9911 Softouch Multi Purpose Scissors, it is not possible to pull the paper to the blade intersection; you have to start trimming further down the blade (I hope that this make sense, I am trying to explain this the best that I can!). This usually results in the cuts being "off" to one side or the other of the line by 1/8-to-1/4". Fortunately, it is easy to adjust to this and make precision cuts.OverallIf you need a durable pair of scissors which are comfortable to use, are sharp, and also lock closed (an added bonus that I forgot to mention above), then the Fiskars 9911 Softouch scissors are for you. For the price, they do what they are needed to do, and then some. For someone with arthritis, these scissors are a blessing. Consider these for either yourself or a gift for someone that uses scissors frequently (maybe a scrapbooker? coupon fanatic?). They will love you for them!

I've used Fiskar's spring-loaded shears for several years. I'm a sewing teacher and doll pattern-maker, which means I cut a lot of fabric! These shears are excellent for sewing, especially if you have arthritis in your hands, or are worried about repetitive strain injury. They're spring-loaded, which means they pop open on their own when you unlock them. All you have to do is close them to cut your fabric, and with every stroke, they'll re-open automatically. Easy peasy! (Just remember to lock them when you're done cutting, to avoid injury.)Just to be clear, these are fabric shears, not regular, everyday scissors. They're specially shaped for cutting fabric without lifting it off the table. The handles are slightly padded, so they're comfortable to hold, and the grip is wide enough that it doesn't pinch your fingers, the way some scissors do. I always recommend these shears to my students, and it's one way that I can judge how serious a student is about taking classes. If they're willing to pay a little extra for the "good" shears, I know they're dedicated. If not, they'll buy a cheap pair of shears, which are difficult to cut with.Last week, I borrowed one of my students' brand-new pair of shears to demonstrate proper cutting technique and was startled by how much easier they were to cut with than mine! Apparently, mine had grown dull and it happened so slowly, I didn't even notice. It would have been difficult to get to the shop to get them sharpened, so I simply ordered a new pair. It was the exact same Amazon listing as the first pair I bought several years ago, but the shears I received were different. Instead of being gray and black, with a small orange lock, they're bright orange and white, which is rather hideous. Even my students have commented on how ugly the new shears are! That's disappointing, especially since the photo in the description still shows the old gray and black version. (Or it did at the time of my purchase.)Even so, I cannot complain. These are excellent shears for cutting fabrics of all types, from heavy denim to fragile chiffon, and everything in between. I use them daily, and I will keep returning to buy them every time I need a new pair. I won't even consider other shears! I might even buy an extra pair to keep on hand in case anything happens to mine. They last a long time, too! I had my first pair of shears for at least seven years, without any problems. The only reason I replaced them is because they were growing dull. But if you have a sewing shop nearby, you can simply get yours sharpened once a year, and they'll last a lifetime!I was going to deduct a star for the awful color of my new pair, but that's superficial and I really shouldn't allow the color to bother me. All things considered, these are a GREAT pair of sewing shears! Spring-loaded, comfort grip, super sharp---all you could ask for in a pair of sewing shears. Five stars and highly recommended to anyone who sews, quilts, or needs to cut fabric for any reason. (Note: They aren't suitable for clipping, notching, or trimming seam allowances, or for clipping threads. They're just too large---you run the risk of accidentally cutting your main fabric. For jobs like that, I recommend a pair of 4-inch scissors, like the "lightweight embroidery scissors" made by Gingher.)

In the middle of sewing masks for friends and family, my trusted and loved Ginghers became too dull to be reliable. After giving kids and hubby the hairy eyeball, I started to look for someone to sharpen my sewing scissors. How could the scissors sharpening people be considered “nonessential?” Oh, that’s right. “In the time of Covid19, ...” I check Amazon, they have Fiskars#8s, I order, they show up in a few days, even saving packaging and an extra delivery, my brand new, always a wonderful sewing scissors and reliable, hardly changed at all from my last pair of #8s (except they don’t have the little latch thing on the end of the grips. Improvement! How had I never noticed what a bother it was to lock and unlock my sewing scissors all the time?) I love this particular Fiskars. The only thing I wish they came with is some type of sensor in the grips or blade. Just a little something to prevent anyone besides me from using MY SEWING SCISSORS! Or maybe it would prevent people from using these beautiful sewing scissors to cut up paper, cardboard, sheets of sandpaper (It has happened in this home, I kid you not!) But, anything that would have those safety systems would be beyond my price range. I’ll just install a keypad lock on the door to my sewing room. “You can have my #8s ( Fiskars most perfect general sewing scissors, in my opinion) when you pry them from...” Yep, I almost went there. Fortunately, for everyone, hubby arrived at the sewing room door with bowl of mint chip ice cream and the ten pair of new kitchen scissors he is putting in the scissors drawer. The marriage, family, the peace, maybe the entire western coast of the US, saved by a sharp, reasonably priced, ergonomically designed, reliable Fiskers#8s.