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Craft Product Review: Overview of Westcott Scissors – Detail Blades


With thanks once again to the generous folks in the Westcott Brand booth at CHA who sent me home with a suitcase full of scissors, here is part two of my Westcott Titanium Bonded Craft Scissors review. As promised in my post on Friday, this time I’ll be covering the scissors with small and detail blades. Check out last week’s review for a look at the Westcott craft scissors with large blades.

Just like last time, I tried each pair of scissors on a variety of fabrics to see how they performed. Each pair was tested on seven different fabrics: cotton, felt, oilcloth, stretch cotton, canvas, poly lining, and flannel. Using each pair of scissors, I cut a straight line, a curved line, a spiral, and an irregularly angled line in each fabric to see how the blades performed at varying levels of detail.

Below, is an overview of my experiences with each pair. To see a detailed photo of how each pair of scissors cut each type of fabric, click the “more” link at the bottom of the page.

Westcott Titanium Bonded 5” Microtip (Item #15145)

Westcott 5" Microtip

 

Westcott 5" Microtip Blades

The cut was smooth and clean for all fabrics, but the short blades made it harder to get a steady cut over longer lines and curves. The microtip handled tight curves and angles well, but I needed to go slowly to make sure that only the tip was engaged when cutting the smallest details.

If you like an adjustable pivot: The blade tension is adjustable by tightening or loosening the screw at the base of the handle.

According to the package:

• Titanium Bonded Blades=Ultra durable blades stay sharper longer
• Contoured handles=Greater comfort, less stress, easier cutting
• Lifetime warranty=Assurance of quality Since 1872
• Adjustable Pivot=Adjust blade tension for optimal performance

Westcott 5" Microtip on Cotton: Straight, Curves, and Details

Westcott Titanium Bonded Non-Stick 5” Microtip (Item #15129)

Westcott 5" Non-Stick Microtip

 

Westcott 5" Non-Stick Microtip Blades

For most fabrics, there was little difference between the standard and non-stick blades. Like with the regular 5″ microtip scissors, longer cuts were more difficult than with longer blades, but they handled angles and tight curves well as long as I cut slowly. With felt and flannel, the non-stick coating made a very noticeable improvement in the speed and smoothness of the cuts.

If you like an adjustable pivot: The blade tension is adjustable by tightening or loosening the screw at the base of the handle.

According to the package:

• Superior adhesive resistance
• Perfect for detail work on paper and fabric
• Titanium Bonded Blades

Westcott 5" Non-Stick Microtip on Cotton: Straight, Curves, and Details

Westcott Titanium Bonded 4” Detail (Item #15147)

Westcott 4" Detail

 

Westcott 4" Detail Blades

These scissors were very slim and very light. The thin blades made curves and angles easy to maneuver, but the shape of the handles hurt my hands after longer cuts. On felt, the slimness of the blades made it difficult to start the cut, and there was some fraying at the beginning and the ends of the cuts. I found that, with all fabrics, short, complete snips worked best, and the cuts needed to be made slowly to avoid stretching the fabric instead of cutting. I suspect that these scissors are better suited to detail cuts on paper rather than fabric, but I bet they’d also be fantastic on sew-on interfacing.

If you like an adjustable pivot: The package indicated that the blade tension was adjustable, but there isn’t a screw to tighten or loosen.

According to the package:

• Titanium Bonded Blades=Ultra durable blades stay sharper longer
• Contoured handles=Greater comfort, less stress, easier cutting
• Lifetime warranty=Assurance of quality Since 1872
• Adjustable Pivot=Adjust blade tension for optimal performance

Westcott 4" Detail on Cotton: Straight, Curves, and Details

 

Westcott 4" Detail: Slight Felt Fraying on Ends

Westcott Titanium Bonded 3” Fine Cut (Item #15150)

Westcott 3" Fine Cut

 

Westcott 3" Fine Cut Blades

These were the smallest scissors that I tested. Though the blade thickness is similar to the 4″ detail scissors above, they seemed steadier and easier to control. On long straight or curved cuts, these scissors were slow but accurate. For each kind of cut, I got best results with slow, full snips. The small, thin blades handled the tightest curves and angles the best of any of the blades I tried, providing accurate and clean cuts in small spaces. The handles hurt my hands a bit after prolonged cutting, especially on thicker fabrics.

If you like an adjustable pivot: The blade tension is not adjustable.

According to the package:

• Titanium Bonded Blades
• Perfect for detail work on paper and fabric
• Contoured soft grip for comfort

Westcott 3" Fine Cut on Cotton: Straight, Curves, and Details

Overall impressions:
I was very impressed by how strong the smallest blades were and how well they handled thick fabric once I got the hang of the full, slow snipping method. After being tested on all fabrics, I noticed no wear or dulling of the blades and no irregularities.

Just like I said when I tested the larger blades, with a suggested price point of $20 or less for each pair—closer to $10 for the smallest blades—I think that the scissors in the Westcott Titanium Bonded Craft Scissors line are an excellent value, and make the right pair of scissors for any project accessible and affordable.

Detailed photos of each fabric and scissor combination:

Samples provided for review.

If you are considering purchasing Westcott Scissors, please support CTD and use our affiliate links:

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Jenny Barnett Rohrs is Head Dummy and Pied Piper behind CTD, which focuses on reviews, tutorials, and craft industry news. Jenny has appeared on HSN, Scrapbook Soup PBS series, and is currently the co-host of Hands On Crafts for Kids on PBS.

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