Frequently Asked Questions about Scissors & Shears

How are Wiss and Crescent related?
Jacob Wiss opened his first shop in 1847 forging surgical instruments and shears. Later this expanded to providing scissors for the Union Army for medical units and uniforms. The company continued to grow, expanding its product offering to include several lines of shears and scissors, trimmers, pruning shears, and tin snips. Today, the Wiss product line is part of our Crescent Tools product offering. To learn more about Wiss, visit our Wiss History page.
What types of scissors and shears are included in the Tradesman Shears lineup?
Our current lineup includes our 10" Tradesman Shears, 11" Spring Loaded Single Ring Tradesman Shears, 7-1/2" Utility Shears, 8-1/2" Stainless Steel All Purpose Shears, 10" Right Handed Professional Shears, 10" Left Handed Professional Shears, and a 6" Electricians Scissor.
What types of materials can I cut with the Crescent Tradesman Shears?
Our 10" & 11" shears (CW10TM & CW11TM) are best suited for cutting landscaping materials, flooring, roofing, & siding.
Our 10" left and right handed shears (CW10TL & CW10T) are perfect for cutting heavy-duty materials such as cardboard, plastic, leather, and heavy fabrics.
The 8-1/2" All Purpose Shears (CW812S) are ideal for cutting cardboard, light fabrics, and thin plastics.
Choose our 7-1/2" Utility Shears (CW7T) if you need to cut tough and/or slick materials such as edging vinyl, pruning, landscaping materials, and siding.
Our 6" Electrician/Data Scissors (CW5T) are perfect for stripping, crimping, reaming, and cutting thin gauge electrical wires.
Are scissors and shears the same thing or is there a difference?
In general, the terms scissors and shears are used interchangeably. However, shears normally have blades that are longer and sharper. Scissors tend to have shorter than 10-inch blades and have symmetrical handles, whereas shears tend to have offset handles with different finger bow handles for better ergonomics.
What are the differences between titanium and stainless steel blades?
Titanium blades are stronger, lighter weight, and can be sharpened to a sharper edge versus stainless steel blades which hold their shape better. While titanium blades are corrosion resistant, stainless steel blades are more corrosion resistant than titanium blades.
How do I sharpen my blades?
There are several ways to sharpen scissors and shears blades. Two common methods are using a sharpening stone or a knife sharpener.
To use a sharpening stone:
1. Wet the stone with water or honing oil
2. Stones usually have two sides, one coarse and one fine, and you'll start with the course side. Depending on how dull your blades are, you'll need 10-20 strokes.
3. Place the inside of the blade flat on the stone and use a light downward pressure to pull the blade across the stone from base to tip.
To use a knife sharpener:
1. Take your scissors or shears apart.
2. Set the inner side of the blade against the sharpener and pull it across 10 times.
3. Repeat on the other side.
4. Put your scissors or shears back together and test.
Is there a warranty on your scissors and shears?
Yes, our scissors and shears are covered under our No B.S. Warranty. If you have one of our items that you need covered under warranty, please fill out our Warranty Replacement Form.