I’ve been cleaning up my Amazon wishlist, and came across a saved entry for Engineer Inc.’s PH-55 Tetsuwan scissors. It seems that these awesome Japanese-made scissors dropped in price recently, from ~$30 to just $18. My wishlist entry actually says that they dropped in price from $35, which was the price when I added them to the list, but I believe they were around $30 before that.
I wrote about these Engineer Tetsuwan scissors briefly a while back when a dealer was clearancing out all their tools, but haven’t quite hammered out the review yet. Sorry about that, as these scissors are on a short list of tools that I think all ToolGuyd readers should know about.
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There are a couple of things you need to know about these scissors before you jump at the chance to buy them at the new reduced price.
First, they’re small. That’s part of what makes them such great EDC (everyday carry) scissors. I have medium-sized hands (medium/~9″ glove size), and can fit 2 fingers in one loop, and my thumb in the other.
With the blade guard on, the scissors measure less than 6-1/2″ from end to end.
Second, they’re more comfortable than they look. If a 3-finger grip doesn’t work for you, slide your thumb into one loop and your fingers around the other. I can open the scissors with such a grip, using my middle and ring finger.
Lastly, these scissors are more useful than they look. One blade is partially serrated with deep sharp grooves that make cutting difficult materials a cinch. The outer edge of the same blade is beveled, making it suitable as a sharp-but-not-too-sharp safety box opener. Lastly, there’s a wire cutter at the front of the handles near the pivot.
These scissors are utterly fantastic, and I often toss them into my bag, whether I think I’ll need them or not. They’re quicker to use than the scissors on any multi-tool I know of, and perform better too.
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Pause for a moment to think about whether the scissors’ small size works for you. Then order a pair or add them to your cart or wishlist for future consideration. Even though I own two pairs already, I’ve got these in my Amazon wishlist in case it strikes me to get a third pair.
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I’ve got one of my Engineer Tetsuwan scissors near my computer. If you have any questions, I’ll try to answer them the best I can. I’ll also try to keep them in one place so that I can snap a few photos the next time I have my camera out. Online product images don’t really do these scissors justice.
It didn’t feel right to talk about EDC scissors without throwing in a mention of the Leatherman Raptor medical shears ($60+ via Amazon). They’re superb folding shears that work very well, but they’re somewhat expensive and most suitable for rescuers and medical professionals.
Regular non-folding medical-style shears are also a suitable, but not space-saving EDC option. Here are 5 reasons why you might want to buy medical-style shears.
There’s also the Midwest Knifti-Cut, which are great general multi-purpose shears that are compact enough to stow in a small portable tool kit.
I’ve given the topic of best EDC scissors and shears some thought, and still think the Engineer Inc. scissors best all of the other options I’ve seen. Have you seen something different that might work better?
Josh
Do the sides come apart so they can be easily washed?
SteveR
By sides, I’m assuming you mean the blades. My answer is yes and no: Yes, because they are mechanically held together by a screw and a nut. The nut started out as round, but had two flat sides cut into it. The screw (axis?) head itself is round, with no indentations (flat or Phillips) to hold it steady. I also assume they are assembled by robots in a factory, so a means was developed to hold the screw in place while the nut is threaded on and tightened to a specific torque setting.
No, in the sense that because it’s assembled in this manner, it wouldn’t be easy to disassemble them, nor do you need to under normal circumstances. As the scissors are made from stainless steel and plastic, they can be easily rinsed clean under a faucet and left in an open position to dry. If you needed to disassemble the blades, it would be difficult to put them back to the same torque setting, and you would likely mar the fastener in the process. For these reasons, I wouldn’t attempt to take them apart.
JML
The notice of the low price prompted me to buy my third one! The various Engineer mini-pliers (screw removers, needle-nose, etc.) are also great, as well as the larger scissors.
fred
I just tried to buy a 2 sets for stocking stuffers – no luck – seem to be sold out
fred
Sorry for the double post – but there is something odd at Amazon.
The supplier they list as the primary source – “Cross the World” – appears to be out of stock – so when to click on “add to cart” – that’s what you get. I went back and ordered the 2 I wanted from another source at Amazon for virtually the same price and that order was processed.
Stuart
There were a bunch of “Fulfilled by Amazon” suppliers. Usually such 3rd party suppliers, which have stock that’s shipped and supported by Amazon warehouses, price-match each other. When that happens, Amazon doesn’t give emphasis to any one supplier, and so you might see different suppliers as the featured one. At the same time, you might see that supplier under “Other sellers on Amazon” in the sidebar, and a different supplier will be the featured one. If there’s a supplier with a lower price, they become the featured seller.
Now, presumably because ToolGuyd readers cleared out the Fulfilled by Amazon stock, the scissors are offered by a bunch of 3rd party sellers directly. I imagine that there will be more under “Fulfilled by Amazon” suppliers in coming days as they resupply.
Craig H.
The Tetsuwan scissors look very nice. I’ve put it in my Amazon cart for later purchase. Thanks!
From around 1986 to 2009, I used to every day carry the EMT-style scissors. My friend who was an EMT introduced them to me. The great thing about them is they don’t have sharp end points and stayed closed by themselves, so I could carry them in my fanny pack.
Since I no longer wear a fanny pack, I now carry these compact scissors in my backpack:
http://www.muji.us/store/portable-scissors-stick-type.html
Peter Fox
I have been carrying a Klein 2001-7 Electricians scissors for the last 10 years. http://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-2100-7-Electricians-Scissors/dp/B000VL03NC
They are short, sharp and very strong. not quite heavy enough to cut sheet metal but they will handle almost any scissors related cutting task you cold run into unexpectedly.
I also carry one of the Midwest Knifti-Cut shears in my tool belt and have found it to be the perfect small metal shear to handle what a pair of scissors is not up to.
Bruce
Why are these better than electricians scissors?
firefly
Planned to order three, when I get home there is only 1 left in stock… oh well I got one 🙂
Matt
Great deal…………..got mine 19.60 w/free shipping
Joseph C
Hi Stuart!
How long are the cutting edges?
Stuart
About 2-1/8″, and that’s pushing it to max opening.
JeffD
Thanks! These will compliment my PH-51’s.
Note: They are shipping from Japan.
Don
Just received two pair in the mail today. These seem like great little scissors. Certainly very sharp and very sturdy. I like the blade protector for the. The scissors snap snugly into place so you don’t get the impression they will slip out easily when you’re not looking. Cant wait to get home and try it out on something tougher than paper. My fingers fit just fine in the handle. Average size hands.
Den
I have the Raptor and it’s pretty good, but it’s too heavy as I’m trying to reduce my shoulder bag to less than 1kg.
Any smaller options?