Sunday, January 25, 2009

Can we talk scissors for a moment?


Do we really need all the scissors we have? In my search to find one pair that I wanted to use, I found all these others. Naturally, they're all necessary and used for very specific things.
The blue handled "children's" scissors are kept by the computer so I can quickly cut out any coupons that needed to be printed out. The pair right next to them is an old pair of Ginghers that are in the kitchen and used to cut everything from roasting string to coffee bean bags. I especially like using them to cut paper covered wire 'twisties.' They're a mess. But they work.

Then I have my sewing scissors. The pair of Ginghers with the fabric tied around one finger hole are the ones that I most often use because they're very sharp and I love the way they slice through fabric. The fabric is there to let anybody else know that if they use these scissors on anything other than fabric, they will be tied to a post and lashed. Directly next to them is another pair of Ginghers - this pair gold handled - which are just there until my other sewing scissors become dull and I can move them into the "most sharp and most often used" category. That's when they will get a piece of fabric tied around them. Until then, they just lie there, waiting. Next is a pair of Ginghers pinking shears - I hardly ever use them. Okay. In all honesty, I've NEVER used them. I don't know why I own them. I guess because everybody who sews has pinking shears and I figured I needed them. They're now about 20 years old - and brand new. Next is a smaller pair of Ginghers which I use to cut fabric with any kind of metallic threads running through it. That way I don't dull my "good" scissors too quickly. I like these scissors, but have no idea why I bought such a small pair ... I must have not looked too carefully at the box. And then there's that tiny Victorian bird embroidery scissors which are absolutely useless for anything functional - but they're pretty.

On the bottom row, we have my paper Ginghers. These are scissors which used to be "good" scissors, but once they got dull, the fabric was removed from the handles and they became the paper scissors. Whenever this happens, it's like the Mad Hatter's tea party - everything gets moved down (or up) a slot, and the 'bad' kitchen pair get thrown away when the paper scissors move into the kitchen category. Next we have my Cutter Bee scissors for paper. The ones with tape on the handles are for cutting paper that has any kind of adhesive on it. These get gummed up and I periodically alcohol them clean. The ones with the pink silk ribbon tied are for cutting paper with nothing adhered to it - these are kept pretty clean and sharp. Next is the Honey Bee Cutter scissors. I love these scissors. They're quite cheap - only eleven dollars - but they have the sharpest blades and the teensiest cutting points for cutting into really really tight corners neatly and cleanly. I would use the scissors for everything - but I'm afraid they'll stop making them, so I take care of them. Next a pair of Cutter Bee's that are waiting patiently for the others to dull so they can move into usage.

Now I have to go back and add in another photo ... I forgot about this pair of scissors. They were purchased at some shop sale for which I had a 50% off coupon - and I wanted to get the most bang for my buck - so I used it on - what else?! - a new pair of Ginghers! Because I really need them. I was smart and actually left these in the original box so I don't confuse them with the 'next in line' for the Good Scissors position.

Well, I give up. Jon just read this over my shoulder and asked why I didn't add all the scissors that I keep with the gardening tools to cut flowers and open bags of soil and other stuff. I just don't have the energy to gather up all those, nor the inclination to bore you with more scissor discussion.

I wish if I were going to be compulsive obsessive about buying something, it was something more interesting and more attractive than scissors.

3 comments:

becky said...

There's nothing like having sharp scissors to make your work more pleasant. I bought a Chefs Choice scissor sharpener & now ALL my scissors are sharp again.

Sabrina Vourvoulias said...

Ahhh. I always knew you had a secret vice.

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

I don't care to discuss how many pair I own.
Look, at some point we all may end up like Edward Scissorhands, and really REALLY NEED the multitudes that we hoard. :)
Okay, I have a lot because I am unorganized and frequently lose them.......