How The World's Finest Scissors Are Handmade

My name is Alec Steele. I am a blacksmith, amateur machinist and all-round maker of all-things metal. We make videos about making interesting things, learning about craft and appreciating the joy of creativity. Great to have you here following along!

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[avivp]

Just for reference, that pair of scissors are worth over 180$ shows the craftsmanship and hard work behind them. My grandmother, may she rest in peace, used to have a pair of scissors from that company, bought them when she worked as a tailor in the late 50s, and it was the last pair of scissors she ever bought..

[reidothetorpedo]

Thanks for swinging by, it was a pleasure to meet you!

[muldoon]

More of these factory visits please Alec.

[Enhancedlies]

please dont under estiamte how much these videos and this series is doing for not only morale but just getting passion out there. incredible stuff - please don't stop exploring great British 'putters' and all the rest

[WhatAboutZoidberg]

Ok that was the coolest shop walkthrough yet. Every single station was bespoke and all the dudes working there were grinning with pride. Even the finest craftsmen use percussive finishing.

[davevick]

I'm proud to say I helped resurrect Ernest Wright & Co. years ago on their Kickstarter campaign, and am thrilled to see them growing succesfully. My Turton model and KutRite model kitchen shears are still going strong, and are the finest scissors I've ever had the pleasure of using.

[Odin_All-Father]

I have a pair of their kitchen shears. I purchased them for my Mom for Mother's Day a few years before she passed away. When she passed, I inherited them back. I will likely pass them on to future generations. They are timeless and are made to incredible quality. I use them multiple times a week.

[TheBigburcie]

The level of obsessive craftsmanship is fantastic. 99% of the world couldn't justify paying the price for tbese scissors, but for people who make their living using them, they are worth every penny.

[theeyethatchanges]

Operating that slackbelt inside grinder is tantamount to playing the piano. The dexterity and bodily coordination required to do it well is otherworldly. What a beautiful, complicated piece of machinery

[DCKM]

The gentleman at the beginning of the assembly chapter - I believe he was on another video from Business Insider several years ago that covered the same workshop. He had just started and was just beginning to learn the art of “putting together”. It’s great to see he’s still there and has mastered his craft!

[geneard]

My Mama was a Piece Worker in South Alabama. She did Piece Work (if you don't know what that is, women would contract to sew up various garments at home in order to make some 'Pin Money', but first they needed a good sewing machine, shears and a bit of training. a lot of women did the work, sewing up hundreds of garments every week paying off their new sewing machines and shears. within a year they had a sewing machine and enough experience to clothe their families), and swore she could sew up anything with her Singer 401 and, her Ernest Wright Shears. She did too. Some of the thinnest gossamer slippery synthetics and silks making some of the most expensive lingerie.She even sewed up wedding dresses and made a few suits for my dad.

[illtellulatta]

I have owned a pair of their Turton kitchen shears for years after watching a video talking about this dying industry. At the time, there were only a few craftsman and they were older gentlemen. This video has made me appreciate my scissors even more. Thank you for the video.

[bone]

I have watched in awe videos of Japanese masters making a Katana, these guys are on the same level such is the attention to detail and pride they take in their craft. Easily your best video Alec. Thank you.

[aguycalledfelix]

ngl the grindstone guy seems really chill and nice. Very nice of him to guide him through every step of grinding and telling him how to improve on his mistakes.

[Dewskerz]

Hey I ordered a pair of those (to Seattle, WA) about 2 years ago. They are such a joy to use. Glad that you were able to get in there and spread the word. Hopefully Earnest Wright is going to get a bunch of new customers. I heard that the artisan scissor industry in the UK is struggling.

[thepoynt]

I love seeing the behind-the-scenes of how seemingly "ordinary" things are made, and I love that you're shining a spotlight on the craftsmanship going on at small places like this. I hope more places continue to open their doors to you so this series can continue.

[StarSwarm.]

This was an awesome behind the scenes for Wright. I have several of their scissors and for those of you unaware, this company has been to hell and back over the last several years. The fact they’re still around and making scissors is nothing short of a miracle made possible by the dedicated employees.

[sparking]

Despite having zero background in forging or anything to do with metallurgy, it was really interesting to see the process behind those fine looking scissors, but even cooler to see Alec hyped over the machines.

[fencal]

as a craftsman I love seeing places like this and seeing people with such a passion and enjoyment for what they do and seeing a beautiful product being made

[OctaneWorkholding]

This brought back memories of discovering all of these processes the hard way. Scissormaking is definitely an art.