Been looking for larger shears

[theresa in tucson]

There are people out there that sharpen scissors.  Ask around.  I was chatting with my hair stylist two haircuts ago and the shop has a local man who makes the rounds sharpening their scissors.  I use a local shop, The Blade Runner, for my knives and happened to drop a pair of Ginghers creating a flat spot.  The shop was able to fix them.  They were even able to bring back an old set of office paper scissors at least to usable.  If you have Ginghers you can send them in to be sharpened but they don't do anything but Ginghers.

[Steelmillal]

Wait, you're Army?! A DS buddy's warm and empathetic words of wisdom come to mind. You know what they are, or your friend could share.  Where in Tenn are y'all? I ask because there you may best find that old school small town hardware farmer artisan who'd responsibly know what to do without thinking. I'm biased, though, born in Nashville and have people all over the area. Good place to be.


I'm guessing its's the Wilkinson's that are the issue. The thing is, you HAVE a pair. I don't. They're too rare. Draw-filing and hand-stoning are ways to go. Diamond wheels, too. Resetting gap, bolt shims, etc. are all a part of it. Having said that, half the cost 220$US if returned buys 'shelf-item' NIB Wiss trio, etc., etc. BUT, cast brass Wilkinson handles ain't found no where on any shelf. I did mention incorrigible encouragement. And I used to know a Major in spurs and a skirt who'd say 'why don't you fix 'em?'. Just sayin.

[Victoria Quinn]

Wait, you're Army?! A DS buddy's warm and empathetic words of wisdom come to mind. You know what they are, or your friend could share.  Where in Tenn are y'all? I ask because there you may best find that old school small town hardware farmer artisan who'd responsibly know what to do without thinking. I'm biased, though, born in Nashville and have people all over the area. Good place to be.


I'm guessing its's the Wilkinson's that are the issue. The thing is, you HAVE a pair. I don't. They're too rare. Draw-filing and hand-stoning are ways to go. Diamond wheels, too. Resetting gap, bolt shims, etc. are all a part of it. Having said that, half the cost 220$US if returned buys 'shelf-item' NIB Wiss trio, etc., etc. BUT, cast brass Wilkinson handles ain't found no where on any shelf. I did mention incorrigible encouragement. And I used to know a Major in spurs and a skirt who'd say 'why don't you fix 'em?'. Just sayin.

I'm in Clarksville.  I'm a former Army CW2 myself.  My friend is a SFC and needed a little help with her 2 babies, having no family in the area.  So I'm out here to lend a hand while the COVID debacle is going on.  And you're right about the 220$US getting some nice shears... which is why I took these when they were listed as fabric ready.  I'm sure they can be fixed, its the additional cost I am worried about.  The finger and thumb loops are quite sharp in spots where they got a bit liberal with "profiling" and would need a creative fix. Sharpening, Shims, some work with the handles...

I will have to think on it because I don't really know anyone that could possibly appraise the repairs to the shears.  I am currently in Tennessee helping an Army friend watch her two kids while this COVID fiasco is going on, and I actually "live" in Washington; so I'm pretty unfamiliar with the area. The random sharp edges and burrs on the hoops, an almost leaded feel to the blades, and having been advertised sharp and tight for a $220 (USD) price point; I'm not sure if I want to gamble on them.  I have already let the seller know of my discontentment yesterday.  The packing was utter trash for shipping. It was wrapped in a thin layer of bubble wrap and placed loose in a large postal box to flop around.  Just highly disappointed in the experience.  I wouldn't be against taking a chance on them if they weren't priced at such a premium, but something about these shears just feels "off".

I'm not sure if all you mention, like the crappy packaging, is really relevant, but I can understand your disappointment and frustration, for certain.

Maybe I'm missing something, but at that price you paid for that pair, you might as well buy a new pair of Wilkinsons, or Ernest Wright, or Shozaburo and except for the Ernest wright, for less money too. If all you want is a good tool (and still very stylish) I think that is the way to go. If it's a vintage piece, I think you have to accept you will run into issues like these from the to time. I'm not defending the seller in any way, mind you, but some people who sell such items on Etsy and the like simply don't have a clue as to what they sell or what it's supposed to be in the first place. Sellers come in all sorts, and the human potential for being silly all the way to blatant dishonesty and down to just plain "dumb" is quite limitless, I'm afraid.
Just don't let it get to you.

No, I didn't mention the packaging.  That's just a huge pet peeve of mine.  I was Transportation Corps in the Army and dealt with a lot of shipping and receiving over the years.  I did expect "some" issues with a vintage piece, but at the price point I figured that I wouldn't have to deal with as many.  The seller is going to let me return them for a full refund.  I'll find another pair that is less of an undertaking.  But those brass handles sure were pretty.

Basically if they arrived in one piece with no damage, there is no point wasting your time chewing the ear of the vendor, the action is to find someone who is set up to sharpen these shears properly and they must exist in the US. Very few can do a class job by hand and I would try and have a look at their work before you let them touch the shears.

Don't be afraid to tell anyone who you send them to, to NOT butcher them. Have a look at the following URL.

http://www.movsd.com/tailors_shears/maintaining.htm

If you were in the US, I'd send these your way to have a go at them.  Your work is a thing of beauty.  I kicked around the idea of working with them, and decided it was a bit more than I am ready to commit to.  I just don't have the right resources to make them functional.  The seller had no problem taking them back, so I'll find another pair that I'm a bit more comfortable with.  I'm sure the right owner will come along for them.

[Steelmillal]

Copy all that. Swing a circle around Nashville, Cadiz, and BG from Clarksville's city center catches all of what I called home. Nice areas; good farmland. Michigan is where my kids are for now and so am I.

Collecting is preservation of the best we can find. Using is also part of it, but with wear to be expected. Call it a learning experience, get your refund, move on to better things, and be wiser for it. I sold all my largest shears as they weren't effective as efficient tools. Wiss 5N, etc., are perfect for me, as example. I once asked a local upholsterer where she had theirs' sharpened; she laughed and said she pitched them and bought new when needed! A useful perspective, maybe.

I do have a favor to ask. I've always wondered how they attached the blades. Can you photograph the joint and post them? I've guessed they were dovetailed and pinned/doweled v. silver brazed. Thx and happy hunting!

[Victoria Quinn]

I do have a favor to ask. I've always wondered how they attached the blades. Can you photograph the joint and post them? I've guessed they were dovetailed and pinned/doweled v. silver brazed. Thx and happy hunting!

Here ya go...







Sorry about the lighting... its either glare or shade.  Hazards of shiny brass blades.

[Steelmillal]

Perfect confirmation. Thank you. Looks to be only dadoed and doweled. Not much blade left. Better bet to satisfy future 3am urge with store-bought, board-ready 22s/20s and wait for cbay scissor market to calm down. Prices are being driven by 'last sold' equations. Not worth the cash IMHO. Best send these back after hop down to Herrie Clothing in Nashville. She looks to know how to formidably mind her own business. Trust me..

[Victoria Quinn]

Perfect confirmation. Thank you. Looks to be only dadoed and doweled. Not much blade left. Better bet to satisfy future 3am urge with store-bought, board-ready 22s/20s and wait for cbay scissor market to calm down. Prices are being driven by 'last sold' equations. Not worth the cash IMHO. Best send these back after hop down to Herrie Clothing in Nashville. She looks to know how to formidably mind her own business. Trust me..

Yeah, they'd be a wonderful mantle piece for a collector.  But "boy, do they ever sit nice in the hand."  I was in love when I picked those 15 1/2" shears up.  I have tried the 20Ws, but they're a bit on the small side.  Hazards of being tall...  Its difficult to find a pair of shears that don't feel cramped and give you t-rex hands after 5 minutes of cutting.  Growing up in the 80s, they had a set of monster shears in almost every retail store that carried fabric.  Now you can't hardly find anything that doesn't feel like child safety scissors.



yes, even 2500 miles away from home and staying temporarily, I need a sewing table.

[hutch--]

Victoria,

Don't write them off yet, very straight blades are generally for cutting light weight material so there is enough blade left for them to be useful. For anyone who has the engineering facilities, you would shorten the front by about a half an inch them regrind the profiles of both blades so they matched the originals.

One thing, make sure no-one touches them as they do things like cutting paper, plastic, rubber and the like which wrecks the cutting edge for fabrics that have a much finer fibre size. You could always offer them a free gender re-assignment operation with the blunt shears. 

A pair of 22w modern Wiss shears would be a better fit if you have bigger hands and they work really well. The old Wiss 5n and upwards are very good to use if they are in good nick but the 4 and smaller ones work OK but no better than modern shears.

[Victoria Quinn]

A pair of 22w modern Wiss shears would be a better fit if you have bigger hands and they work really well. The old Wiss 5n and upwards are very good to use if they are in good nick but the 4 and smaller ones work OK but no better than modern shears.

I will have to try and try out a 22W.  They look like they might be a good fit if the loops are larger than the 20W.

As for larger big bolt shears, something like these?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/WISS-14-INCH-SHEARS-EQUITY-SHEARS-Co-NEWARK-N-J-VINTAGE-PRO-SCISSORS/274443901919?hash=item3fe6219bdf:g:iRQAAOSwOhxdyB00

[Schneiderfrei]

They look lovely.

Still quite expensive.

G

[Steelmillal]

Nothing out there worth buying right now. One of us would've scarfed it up by now, haha! We're probably the cause of the high prices. The cbay link shears have too little blade left even at half that price. Be better find 22s on sale and spend balance on 'bougie coffee. Cold out..


Ooo, here's a thought. Careful, don't look! "Why don;t we reach out to the blade/blacksmiths and see if we can find some brave soul to make a batch?" The Wilkinson 13s look small in the handle to me, by-the-by...


I've the NURB software, know metal, near industrial Detroit... Cost? Unobtainium rates on the open mercantile trading markets.. I am serious, tho, and remember reading the last time from Italy.. A batch of larger #8 clones maybe? Anyone have Wiss heir family contacts? I did at one time but no more...

[Victoria Quinn]

I am probably going for the Wiss 22Ws.  If nothing else, they'll make some nice trimmers if the loops are large enough.  I had to get into sewing because they don't sell clothes for women that are 6 foot.  Now I guess I have to pitch in on Steelmillal's kickstarter to get proper shears to cut with. ;P

[hutch--]

Victoria,

That pair of Wiss shears (the 14 inch pair) are a good buy at the price and they look like they have plenty of blade on them so they should last until any great grand kids you may have if they are looked after. I use the same sized pair for my own cutting.

[Steelmillal]

  Now I guess I have to pitch in on Steelmillal's kickstarter to get proper shears to cut with. ;P

haha! I've been thinking about this for a while. I'll speak with some people and see about 'just talking" numbers. 8s and 9s are my thought. The NIB Wiss 22s are made down in Columbia, or were two years ago. Saw the production process somewhere then: 3 hits and to the grinders they went.

Sent you a PM Victoria Quinn with one cbay item not easily found. I passed   

[theresa in tucson]

Victoria, they do make clothes and shoes for tall women but they are hard to find.  Check out Tanasha's blog at "Pretty Tall Style" for some resources.  Tanasha is 6'4".  I used to see her on the sewing blogs but I don't think she does much sewing anymore.