Using Fiskars Easy Action Softgrip Razor Edge scissors

 I can never have enough pairs of scissors and there have been more Fiskars scissors in my life than any other.  Ever since I can remember, there has been an orange handle pair of Fiskars scissors in my house, although I remember them as Wilkinson's Sword, it's a bit like Marathon and Snickers.  My mum always had one 'good' pair so I learnt from an early age that they were NOT for cutting paper!   I remember being impressed by the ergonomically shaped handles- unusual for scissors in the 1970s although they were a nightmare for my left-handed father. They were what I used from my early dressmaking attempts in my teens and onwards into my twenties and I still own several pairs.

Fiskars have recently added a new spring action Softouch scissor to their range that are specifically designed for cutting fabric on a flat surface and I was lucky enough to receive a pair to try out.   I collected all my Fiskars scissors together as a comparison exercise, from the oldest orange handled pair now consigned to paper, to the other general purpose pair which still have a 'Miss Green' label from my primary teaching days- there are never a decent pair of scissors to be found in a primary school!  Then there are some little orange handle scissors that I picked up at a car boot sale for £1 and even though they get used for paper, they are still sharp enough to cut fabric.  

 Top right are my dressmaking scissors, a general purpose spring action pair that I've had for around seven years and they are still very sharp.  I bought them on recommendation from a local fabric shop as they used them for cutting fabric and to save on hand strain and they are brilliant scissors. Then there are the little micro tip spring scissors which are incredibly sharp, cut through thick layers with ease and are invaluable for notching and clipping.  Bottom right are the new Easy Action Softouch RazorEdge and you can see how the handle comes up almost at a right angle to the blade and the bottom blade is horizontal rather than turning up towards the end- you can see the more detail in the picture below:

Another point of difference is the width of opening on the blade-  I am assuming, the larger opening on the newer scissors means you can make a longer cut in each movement.

So, I put them to the test.  Usually I lay my fabric out on the floor on a foldable gridded board- similar to this one.  I then place my pattern on top, finalise the arrangement, rough cut each piece and then cut precisely on a higher surface using a rotary cutter for straight lines and gradual curves, spring action scissors for  tight spaces like neck lines or armholes and micro tips to make tiny cuts for the notches.  For this test, I cut out a pair of trousers staying on the floor.  I cut through the pattern tissue as well as the fabric as I never find that has affected any of my Fiskars in the past!  You can also see that I on't use many pins- I find they distort the pattern pieces so I go for the minimum.

They are very accurate to cut with.  The lower blade slides under the fabric and stays in place as you cut; the upper blade is performing most of the action. You can see how I was steering them to follow the line and how well each cut followed it right to the end of the cut.  I also tried for trimming seams-  this usually involves me holding something in my hands and trimming back a seam allowance in half.  I I will probably stick to my usual spring scissors for this, I think the Razoredge blades are more suited to being rested on a surface to cut.  They were perfect for a job like cutting out trousers where each piece large and my cutting surface is on the floor and they a great addition to my Fiskars collection.

Thankyou for Sarah at Fiskars to sending me a pair to test, very much appreciated!  Fiskars scissors are on sale in many outlets.  Prices vary so it is worth shop around- I found these online but there are many more.
Softouch Razoredge Easy Action: Oh Sew Crafty, Amazon, Boswell & Co
Softouch Microtip: Plush Addict, Amazon
Softouch Multipurpose: GUR, Amazon, Hobbycraft

What are your favourite fabric scissors?  I have others in my collection including Ginghers but Fiskars are my most used.