• About
  • Press
  • Advertise

Craft Test Dummies

The Crafting Blog for Crafters, By Crafters

  • Craft News
    • CHA Coverage
    • Crafting for a Cause
    • Giveaways
    • CTD on TV
    • Quilt Market
  • Craft Product Reviews
    • Apps & Sites
    • Art Supplies/Mixed Media
    • Beads/Jewelry Products
    • Books, Magazines, Events
    • Comparisons
    • Crafty Tools
    • Fabric, Needle, & Quilting Arts
    • Food Crafts
    • Paints, Inks & Dyes
    • Paper Crafts
    • Polymer Clay & Tools
  • Craft Storage and Tips
  • Crafty People & Places
    • Crafty Field Trips
  • Kids Stuff
    • Hands On Crafts For Kids-TV show
  • Winter/Christmas
  • Home Decor
  • Food Crafting/ Party Crafts
  • Valentine’s /Sweetest Day
  • Spring/Easter
  • Wedding & Shower Crafts
  • Father’s Day Crafts
  • Baby & Shower Crafts
  • Mother’s Day Crafts
  • Patriotic crafts
  • Summer Crafts
  • Fall Crafts
    • Halloween Crafts
  • Jenny Sez
    • Sponsored Posts
  • Periscope Superfans Page
Home / Craft Product Reviews / Craft Product Review: Overview of Westcott Scissors – Detail Blades

Craft Product Review: Overview of Westcott Scissors – Detail Blades

September 26, 2011


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:

Westcott 5″ Microtip
Westcott 5″ Microtip Blades

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


Westcott 5″ Non-Stick Microtip
Westcott 5″ Non-Stick Microtip Blades

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


Westcott 4″ Detail
Westcott 4″ Detail Blades

Westcott 4″ Detail on Cotton: Straight, Curves, and Details
Westcott 4″ Detail: Slight Felt Fraying on Ends


Westcott 3″ Fine Cut

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



Samples provided for review.

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

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Haley

Brooklyn-based DIY from a Gal in Granny Glasses! When not at CTD, I write The Zen of Making (http://www.thezenofmaking.com), a DIY blog featuring craft tutorials, handmade geekery, and all things domestic. (Okay, and a few cat photos.)
  • Craft Tool Review: AccuQuilt GO! Baby Fabric Cutter - November 25, 2013
  • Craft Tool Review: Clover Weaving Sticks - September 17, 2013
  • CHA Summer 2013: Tools for Custom Fiber and Fabric Projects - August 14, 2013
  • CHA Summer 2013 Booth Love – Haley’s Favorite: Bottle Cutting Inc. - August 3, 2013
  • CHA Summer 2013 Fabric and Fiber Trends: Back to the Basics - July 26, 2013
  • Craft Book Review: Crochet One-Skein Wonders - June 18, 2013
  • Craft Tool Review: Clover USA Pin ‘n Stow - April 23, 2013
  • Craft Tool Review: Nancy’s Hobo Tote Collection Trace ‘n Create Bag Templates from Clover USA - March 26, 2013
  • Craft Product Review: Boye Artisan Tools CrochetMaster Plus Crochet Hook Set - February 18, 2013
  • CHA Winter 2013: Getting Groovy in the iLoveToCreate Booth - January 22, 2013

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr

Posted in Craft Product Reviews, Crafty Tools | 1 Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ctd-headshot-round

Hi! I’m Jenny, the co-host of Hands On Crafts for Kids on PBS and the Head Dummy behind CraftTestDummies.com where you’ll find craft product reviews, tutorials, and craft industry news.

ctd-fb ctd-pin ctd-twitter cts-insta ctd-youtube ctd-g ctd-email

Search

ctd-subscribe
Want weekly craft projects delivered straight to your inbox?

YouTube

Disclosure

CraftTestDummies is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

jenny-headshot-square

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.

ctd-fb-30  ctd-pin-30  ctd-twitter-30  cts-insta-30  ctd-youtube-30  ctd-g-30  ctd-email-30  ctd-rss-30

Copyrighted Content Permission All images and tutorials on this blog are copyrighted material. Please contact me if you would like to borrow any media (photos, video or audio files), tutorials, or ideas from this blog. 99% of the time I would be happy to allow you to use one photo with appropriate credit and link back to CraftTestDummies.com (preferably to the same post it was borrowed from.)
clever-network  linqia  viglink

All content copyright © 2015 Craft Test Dummies | Privacy Policy | Disclosures | Site design by XO Sarah

MENU
  • Craft News
    • CHA Coverage
    • Crafting for a Cause
    • Giveaways
    • CTD on TV
    • Quilt Market
  • Craft Product Reviews
    • Apps & Sites
    • Art Supplies/Mixed Media
    • Beads/Jewelry Products
    • Books, Magazines, Events
    • Comparisons
    • Crafty Tools
    • Fabric, Needle, & Quilting Arts
    • Food Crafts
    • Paints, Inks & Dyes
    • Paper Crafts
    • Polymer Clay & Tools
  • Craft Storage and Tips
  • Crafty People & Places
    • Crafty Field Trips
  • Kids Stuff
    • Hands On Crafts For Kids-TV show
  • Winter/Christmas
  • Home Decor
  • Food Crafting/ Party Crafts
  • Valentine’s /Sweetest Day
  • Spring/Easter
  • Wedding & Shower Crafts
  • Father’s Day Crafts
  • Baby & Shower Crafts
  • Mother’s Day Crafts
  • Patriotic crafts
  • Summer Crafts
  • Fall Crafts
    • Halloween Crafts
  • Jenny Sez
    • Sponsored Posts
  • Periscope Superfans Page