Shop Scissors Blog

13 Tools Every Gardener Should Own

I was in Target the other day and couldn’t help but notice that all of the outdoor supplies had been relocated to the clearance section, making it a great opportunity to grab outdoor chairs, a fire bowl, and a couple of clay pots for plants. While with the exception of our southern readers, the gardening season is all but over, it is a great opportunity to stock up on gardening supplies for next year. Here we have provided a list of the top 13 tools every gardener should own.

1. Hand rake for picking up leaves and garden trash
2. Water breaker for irrigating new plantings
3. Japanese gardener’s knife instead of a trowel for digging, planting bulbs and weeding
4. Shears for trimming grass around trees and shrubs, edging beds and cutting ornamental grass
5. Garden scissors for cutting soft-stemmed plants, pruning, snipping twine and thinning perennials
6. Hand pruner for cutting small branches, large flowers or clumps or perennials
7. Hand weeder for removing shallow-rooted weeds
8. Long-handled pruner for cutting branches more than ¾ inch thick
9. Round-headed shovel for digging holes for trees and shrubs and moving loose materials
10. Transplant spade for digging holes in continued areas
11. Bow rake for leveling soil for planting and spreading materials
12. Digging fork for turning and cultivating unbroken soil
13. Leaf rake for raking leaves, twigs and grass clippings

Children's Party Idea: Monkey-Themed Party

Looking for a birthday party idea to throw for the little monkey in your life? Consider throwing a monkey-themed birthday party! Let the kids bring out their inner monkey with this fun themed party idea.

Invitations. Trace around a large banana onto a piece of paper. Use the template you created to trace bananas onto yellow card stock to use as invitations.

Décor. Decorate your home using green streamers of various shades. You can find cutouts of palm trees at party supply stores or online. If you don’t mind spending a little more money, consider hanging plush monkeys and plush or real bananas around the palm trees.

Food. Bananas are obvious snacks, but consider being a little more creative. What little monkey wouldn’t love a banana split? Banana bread or banana smoothies are also great options to consider.

Party favors. You could give out bags of banana-flavored candy. Other items include socks with monkey pictures, monkey children’s scissors, monkey notepads, or monkey stuffed animals.

Games. Let the kids create magnetic monkeys using pipe cleaners and donut-shaped magnets. Organize a Barrel of Monkeys Contest, where each child races to collect as many monkeys as possible in one minute and the child with the longest monkey chain wine. Monkey See, Monkey Do is also a great option. Sit the children in a large circle. Have one child leave the group momentarily and then appoint another as the head monkey. The head money leads the group in funny monkey movements, such as patting their heads, scratching under their arms, or rubbing their tummies. The child returns to the group and the head monkey leads the group in performing the movements under the child who left guesses who the head monkey is. The head monkey then becomes the child to guess and the game continues.

To purchase monkey scissors or look at our other children's scissors, visit us online at ShopScissors.com.

Using Poultry Shears to Cut Chicken in Half

Cutting a chicken in half for the purpose of grilling is useful in that it allows you to cook the bird in less time. It also is easier to serve in halves. However, to grill your chicken in halves requires a bit of work removing the backbone. Here, we have provided the steps you will need to cut your chicken in half.

1. Gather together the tools you will need: a cutting board and a sharp pair of poultry shears.
2. Remove the neck and giblets from inside the chicken.
3. Lay the chicken, breast side down and legs toward you, on a clean cutting board.
4. Press down on the two halves to expose the inside of the ribs.
5. Use the poultry shears to cut through the breast bone, separating the two halves.
6. Season and grill as desired!

To purchase a pair of poultry shears, visit us online at ShopScissors.com.

Feature Friday: Fine Cut Sewing Scissors

For this week’s Feature Friday product we have selected our 2.5” fine cut sewing scissors. This pair of scissors incorporates a unique process where titanium is bonded to a stainless steel core, which results in scissors that are sharper, more durable, and last longer.

One customer from Arlington, TX, tells us:

"I gave these as gifts to my embroidery friends and they were very excited to get them!"

Another customer from Texas describes them as

“Sharp! I purchased these to give to my knitting group buddies. I have had a pair for years and they continue to be my favorite pair.”

These small scissors are perfectly suited for a variety of fabrics. For more information, please visit us online at ShopScissors.com.

Which is Better for Cutting Fabric: Fabric Scissors or Rotary Blades?

When faced with the question of which is better for cutting fabric, the immediate answer that comes to mind is: both are good. You should use what works best for you in terms of cutting fabric and making clothing, as both tools have advantages and disadvantages.

Fabric scissors work great for products that don’t require a lot of precision, as they are versatile and can be used without a table or with the fabric placed on a model. Scissors can also be conveniently carried around the neck while doing small tasks. Unlike rotary blades, fabric scissors can perform relatively precise cuts over curved shapes and create artistic cuts. Finally, heavy duty fabric shears outperform blades at cutting bulks of fabric thicker than a quarter inch.

Conversely, one of the greatest benefits from using a rotary cutter is the time factor. You can quickly and easily slice through fabric on a cutting mat without having to pick the fabric up to cut. You can also avoid the step of chalking on your lines. All you need is the pattern with a heavy object placed on top to keep it from moving.

Depending on your needs, either tool could be useful for your sewing projects. You may want to consider having both on hand, allowing you to easily switch based on your needs.

To purchase fabric scissors, please visit us at ShopScissors.com.

Tips for Cutting with a Rotary Cutter

Growing up, my family believed it was important that I be well-rounded. I learned to play piano and sing, took dancing classes, practiced my art skills with sketching and oil painting (artwork that hangs in my parents’ home to this day), learned to cook, and learned to make clothing and blankets on our family sewing machine. However, what really changed my world (okay, maybe a slight exaggeration, but you get the point) was when I started quilting and bought my first rotary cutter. However, there are some tricks to using this tool most efficiently. Here we have shared just a few.

1. Use clean, sharp rotary cutting blades. Change blades the moment you notice the slightest amount of dullness or any nicks. You’re really not doing yourself any favors by saving money and using dull or damaged blades.
2. Using the right blade for the job. If you quilt frequently you should definitely consider having many options for blades, based upon the type of cutting you do. A 45mm blade makes a good all-purpose cutting tool. For cutting through many layers, switch to a 60mm. If you are cutting around curved templates, try the 28mm or 18mm.
3. Attach the blade properly…and carefully! Push the cutter along a fabric-less matt with just two fingers. If it rolls smoothly and easily with no wobble, it is attached properly. If it takes more force you know it’s too tight and you need to loosen the screw. Also, double check to make sure you have just one blade…an easy mistake to make.
4. Cut on your dominant side. Make sure you always cut on your dominant side. For example, if you are right-handed this means holding the cutter in your right hand, the ruler in your left and cutting on the right side of the ruler.
5. Clean edges often. As you cut strips of fabric, the fabric will shift slightly. Make sure that you clean up the edge by making a cut at a 90 degree angle to the edge every so often as needed.

For more information or to purchase a rotary cutter, visit us online at ShopScissors.com

10 Things to Do before Summer Ends

As adults, we have a tendency to get wrapped up in our hectic schedules, what with work, shuttling kids around, and other commitments. Before you get caught up in the busy school year, take some time to enjoy the summer before it's too cold to enjoy. Consider these 10 things to do before the summer comes to an end.

1. Visit a Beach. This doesn’t necessarily mean the ocean. Try out a lake, river, or pond – anywhere that has a body of water.
2. Have a water balloon fight. Tuck away some water balloons during your trip to the beach with friends and break them out after lunch. It’s a great opportunity to get your heart pumping and have some laughs.
3. Eat a popsicle. As adults we get wrapped up in work, bills, and “life” and forget to just sit back and relax. Channel your inner child this summer and eat a popsicle. And hey, they’re low in calories so you can enjoy it guilt-free!
4. Get a natural tan. Get some vitamin D, made complete with a healthy application of sunscreen. Enjoy the weather and sunshine before it becomes too cool.
5. Catch fireflies. You know you have great memories of catching fireflies as a child. Revisit your childhood and catch fireflies to put in a mason jar. Enjoy watching them dancing around the jar before you release them back into nature.
6. Ride a tandem bike. Rent a tandem bike with your best friend, child, or significant other. Not only will you get great exercise but you’ll have a lot of laughs and make great memories along the way.
7. Visit camp. Well okay, not literally, but summer camp isn’t just for kids. Head for the mountains and rent a cabin or camp out under the stars.
8. Host a bonfire. This can be a great opportunity for a last get-together before everyone gets busy with the school year. Make sure you have a TigerSharp knife on hand to sharpen the end of a stick for hot dogs or marshmallows for S’Mores.
9. Arts and crafts. Take time to relax with some arts and crafts, whether you do them with your kids before school gets in full swing or you do them on your own. Keep them and give them as gifts or just use them to decorate your own home.
10. Fall in love. Summertime is a great chance to fall in love, whether it’s with someone else or even just yourself. If nothing else, simply enjoy watching a sappy movie or reading a classic love story.

To purchase a TigerSharp knife or look at our other products, visit ShopScissors.

Consider Purchasing Kitchen Shears

The Clauss Titanium 7” Bonded Kitchen Snips combine the performance of Titanium bonded blades with the perfect combination of features to form a pair of kitchen shears that are unlike any other.

These kitchen snips easily cut through the strongest materials. The serrated blade grips while you cut, making it ideal for EMT trauma shears. The Titanium bonded blades offer three times the strength of normal stainless steel, yet are still extremely lightweight. They are also resistant to rust and are dishwasher safe. The manufacturer also offers a lifetime warranty for this product.

To order these kitchen scissors or view our other products, check us out online at ShopScissors.com.

Feature Friday: 5.75" Multi Purpose Floral / Stem Cutter

Today's Feature Friday product is the Multi Purpose Floral /Stem Cutter. This product was selected after a glowing review from a happy customer, who wrote:

"I bought these to cut a huge order of flowers I had ordered online for my wedding. They cut every single flower cleanly and quickly, even the ones with really thick stems! No complaints about these, they work really well!" - Michsem

The Clauss Multi-Purpose Floral Shears and Stem Cutter has stainless steel blades and red plastic grips that work well for underwater use. They have an action spring and one serrated blade for extra grip while you work. A latch provides extra safety, keeping the shears closed when they are not in use.

They are a fantastic, pocket-sized tool ideal for cutting fresh, silk, or dried materials and also are more than proficient for corsage work. Yet, just as these work well for smaller, detailed work, they also have the power to cut through multiple wire floral stems or solid wires up to 3/16" thick. They can cut smoothly through heavy wooden branches.

To read more reviews on the 5.75" Multi Purpose Floral / Stem Cutter or reviews on our other products, please visit our reviews page.

EMTs Need the Right Tools to Respond to Emergencies

In order to successfully respond in an emergency, it is important that a paramedic’s tools be of top quality and performance. The paramedic shears need to be able to assist in the cutting of tough materials time and time again, yet safe for cutting next to the skin.

These high-quality paramedic shears have an XL lower handle an extra song safety flat lower tip. The extra high-leverage cutting power makes all the difference for cutting through thick, dense material and the thicker blades prevents spreading at the tips.

To order paramedic shears or check out our other specialty scissors, visit ShopScissors.com.