# Has anyone seen the \*good\* scissors? I can never keep anything nice. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 1, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442 "2009-09-01T03:34:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/21 "2009-09-01T16:55:09Z")
I used to buy pretty good scissors in the dollar stores around here - the orange handled ones. (Don’t know if they’re still available in those stores, useful stuff tends to disappear off the shelves to make more room for badly painted figurines from China.) And they come in other colors, so it’s easy to buy multiple pairs for multiple purposes. My two pairs of purple cloth-cutting scissors are hidden away. The three orange handled ones are scattered around, but I can always spot a pair. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/22 "2009-09-01T17:05:10Z")
This is probably better suited for IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/23 "2009-09-01T17:18:41Z")
> [@SP2263](#): > > The good sewing scissors were used to bend a paper clip or something and now have dents in their 40 dollar precision blade surfaces that cannot be sharpened out. > > The good kitchen scissors were used to cut chicken wire by my husband. He denies it but I came home one day and he was cutting chicken wire and the scissors were by him. They now have a dent similar to the sewing scissors. > > The good multipurpose garage scissors were left on the ground by my husband after I took the kitchen scissors away from him and the dog chewed the plastic handles until they can no longer be used without shredding skin. > > We now just hack everything apart with dull knives and plastic kiddie scissors. I’m still trying to train my spouse into putting the appropriate scissors for the job back where they belong when they’re done. This often leads to fruitless searches of the house, wondering where the proper place ended up being this time. At least he knows to keep away from my good fabric scissors. Growing up, we had different varieties of good scissors. There were good scissors for cutting hair, which were downgraded every few decade into all-purpose scissors. Then there were the fabric cutting good scissors, which were always hidden unless it was time to sew. We also had about 8432089 pairs of regular all-purpose scissors of different varieties strewn throughout the house; some were kept with the gift wrapping supplies, while others lived in the utility drawer, and still others ended up in my own junk drawer in my bedroom. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/24 "2009-09-01T17:35:46Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > The _good_ scissors are OK, I don’t worry about them so much. What really keeps me awake at night is wondering where all the _evil_ scissors are, and what they’re planning. :D:D:D ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/25 "2009-09-01T19:26:59Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Is it my imagination, or is the perforated strip with the inviting legend “Just Pull Here” giving way increasingly to the plain printed line with a tiny picture of scissors, meaning that once again you have to go raid the sewing basket to feed the cats? I think I’m having a stroke…sewing scissors to open a package!!! :eek:x1000 That’s what separate utility scissors in the kitchen drawer are for. My one Gingher pair got too dull and was consigned to non-fabric purposes, but I live in fear of mixing it up with the fabric ones. They’re labelled, but still. ::deep breath ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/26 "2009-09-01T20:03:00Z")
> [@Sateryn76](#): > > In a related fashion - where the hell is the scotch tape all the time? We’re pretty good with having crappy scissors available, but then the roll of tape is always gone. It leads to that frantic Saturday morning where you’re running late and the birthday party starts at noon, and it’s a half-hour drive, and you finally got the kids dressed and took a quick shower, and then you just have to wrap the present real quick…and then mom goes nuclear… Buy multiple rolls of tape, and multiple general-use sissors. Give one set to each member of the family and have them put it “away”. Warn them, those are “their” tape and sissors, when they needs more just add it to the shopping list. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/27 "2009-09-01T20:04:47Z")
:: sigh :: I miss The Scissor Man. There was this dude who brought his grinder to the local Joann Fabric store and set up a sharp thingy sharpening service. I’d see a sign out front “Scissor Man here next weekend!” and run home to collect every last sharp object I could think of: pruners, sewing scissors, everyday scissors, certain knives, etc. A couple months ago, I was at the Joann Fabric and asked the cashier when The Scissor Man was coming back because some of my scissors are growing dull once again. She informed me that he’d died a while back and now there is no Scissor Man in my fair city. :: sniff :: Incidentally, I keep all pairs of scissors in one of two cups on top of my kitchen counter. If you can’t put your hands on at least three pairs in 30 seconds or less in my house, that means a hurricane has blown the roof off and nothing is where it should be. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/28 "2009-09-01T20:10:21Z")
I tell my husband that if he plays with my tools \*I will play with his tools. \* That keeps him away from my Ginghers. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/29 "2009-09-01T20:22:58Z")
> [@SP2263](#): > > I’ll let him stay. He got me some “As Seen On TV” package opening scissors in my Christmas stocking filled with only “As Seen On TV” items. What kind of packaging did they come in? How did you get it open? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/30 "2009-09-01T20:29:04Z")
I’ve been wondering about my scissors all morning. The ones in my desk disappeared, and so I had to snip something with a paper cutter. The kitchen _two_ pair are also awol. My solution a while back was to simply buy lots of the things at a back to school sale. Guess I’ll have to do that again. As to the packaging, yes more things are scissor-demanding, but I like that. The trend in certain foods, such as sliced ham, where you tear and then open with a double-stripped zip-lock, has failed. The zippers seem to separate or jam, leaving you with a dripping bag impossible to close. Better a bag with sufficient slack to allow cutting and folding over. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/31 "2009-09-01T20:57:44Z")
I think I saw Johnny using it to trim his nose hairs. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/32 "2009-09-01T21:06:20Z")
Remember double-knit polyester? Polyester thread is hard enough to dull old-fashioned scissors, so Fiskars and other companies jumped in with stainless steel scissors. They don’t look as elegant as Grandma’s scissors, but they’ll cut anything but wire, and still stay sharp. My wife worked in the fabric store during that time, so we got several great pairs at employee’s prices. In the kitchen, we have my wife’s 38-year old Cutco kitchen shears, **and** her Mom’s 65-year old Cutco kitchen shears. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/33 "2009-09-02T02:57:25Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Yep. And the good scissors were kept in the sewing kit by the sewing machine. The crappy scissors were kept in the kitchen drawer along with a box knife and twine. It was the drawer of otherwise homeless items that contained matches, keys, bread twist ties and tape. Do you live here? > [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](#): > > If you can’t use the good scissors for any of these chores, what do you use them for? The only use I have for scissors is to cut paper, and I generally use single edge razor blades for that. I’m not allowed to use sharp objects. Only by the grace of Og do I have all 10 digits in place to this day. > [@AskNott](#): > > In the kitchen, we have my wife’s 38-year old Cutco kitchen shears, **and** her Mom’s 65-year old Cutco kitchen shears. According to Amazon, [these little puppies](http://www.cutco.com/products/product.jsp?itemGroup=77) are $180.00. :eek: For that price, I won’t live long enough for them to be a good value. ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/34 "2009-09-02T07:06:17Z")
When we were cleaning out my parents’ house to sell (after they’d both passed on), I took my mom’s sewing stuff. My sister felt compelled to remind me not to use the scissors on anything but cloth, even though I’m over fifty years old, have heard that every time in my life I’ve picked up scissors in front of the womenfolk, and they were now **mine to ruin if I wanted**. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Promethea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Promethea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Promethea)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/35 "2009-09-02T07:33:10Z")
To find your missing scissors, just walk do what everyone else does and walk slowly around the house making ‘scissors’ gestures with your fingers. This presumably lures them out of their hiding place as they mistake your hands for one of their own scissory brethren. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/36 "2009-09-02T10:41:28Z")
**cornflakes** , we have a dozen pair of those “EMT” scissors (also called trauma scissors and burn scissors) all of which might as well be made of wet leather they’re so dull. I have several pairs of very sharp surgical scissors that no one but me is allow to use. Hubby gets all the old trauma scissors since he’s the one that made them dull. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/37 "2009-09-03T02:24:00Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > **cornflakes** , we have a dozen pair of those “EMT” scissors (also called trauma scissors and burn scissors) all of which might as well be made of wet leather they’re so dull. > I have several pairs of very sharp surgical scissors that no one but me is allow to use. > Hubby gets all the old trauma scissors since he’s the one that made them dull. Wow! I thoght that they never wore out. I guess that I need to cut up more stuff. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/38 "2009-09-03T06:10:02Z")
-Scissors -Tweezers -Pen -Twine -Writing Paper -MY Estwing hammer -Spatula Just a few of the “good” things that have gone missing in the Grizz household. It seems I can always find the “less than favored” of any above item, but the “good” one always seems to be somewhere other than where it’s to be kept. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/39 "2009-09-04T02:08:17Z")
> [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](#): > > If you can’t use the good scissors for any of these chores, what do you use them for? The only use I have for scissors is to cut paper, and I generally use single edge razor blades for that. Cutting paper will ruin the blades of a good pair of sewing scissors, and as someone else pointed out, very few people actually sharpen scissors any more. It’s a waste of money to buy a new pair of sewing scissors every time one wants to make a new garment, so only those people who actually sew are allowed to use the sewing scissors. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442/40 "2009-09-04T15:45:25Z")
> [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](#): > > If you can’t use the good scissors for any of these chores, what do you use them for? The only use I have for scissors is to cut paper, and I generally use single edge razor blades for that. Fabric scissors are for fabric only. All-purpose scissors might be for paper, gift wrap, ribbon, non-fabric crafts. Kitchen shears are for cutting food, stubborn packaging, anything tough. Then there’s the tin snips. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-seen-the-good-scissors-i-can-never-keep-anything-nice/508442.md?page=3)