Definition of Pinking Shears

Pinking shears cut zig-zag edges, making fabric less likely to unravel and providing decorative cuts for craft projects.

First patented in 1893, then again in 1934 as an enhanced model, pinking shears--scissors with serrated or sawtooth-edged blades that cut in a zig-zag pattern--minimize fraying along fabric edges, thus preventing seams from pulling apart. Crafting pinking scissors come in a variety of patterns that produce decorative cuts for paper and fabric projects.

Fundamentals

Pinking shears offer seamstresses a way to minimize fraying along the cut edges of woven fabrics. Less fraying means stronger seams and a longer-lasting finished product.

Leaving a zig-zag cut rather than a straight edge limits any fraying to tiny pieces no longer than the length of the sawtooth triangles. When cut with straight-blade scissors, threads can fray or pull out along the entire length of the cut.

While their primary use is to reduce fraying in woven fabrics, pinking shears also provide a decorative edge in non-woven fabrics, such as fleece, and reduce the bulkiness in a seam, according to PinkingShears.org.

History

Pinking shears gained their name from their cut's resemblance to the edges of the Pink flower's petals.

Louise Austin of Washington state received the first patent for a zig-zag scissor in 1893, according to PinkingShears.org. But Samuel Briskman of Brooklyn, New York, is credited with inventing the first modern pinking shears in 1931 and received patents for their design in 1934, according to J. Wiss & Sons. Briskman, who lived in Brooklyn, New York, opened the Pinking Shears Corporation in Manhattan to produce the scissors in partnership with J. Wiss & Sons.

The scissors gained their name from the ruffled edge of a carnation-like flower called Pink. Pinking shears produce an edge similar to that on the flower's petals.

Considerations

Pinking shears made for sewing should only be used on fabric and not paper or other craft products that can dull the edges. Hobby and craft stores sell pinking cutters created specifically for paper and craft projects.

Harts Fabrics recommends cutting one layer of material at a time rather than multiple layers, in order to maintain the original setting of the blades. But if the fabrics are thin or flimsy, cutting two or three layers at a time may make cutting easier, according to CraftFinder.com.

Handling

Pinking shears generally are heavier and handle differently than straight-edge scissors. You should hold pinking shears straight when cutting, according to CraftFinder.com. If you hold them loosely or at an angle, the fabric can snag or tear. You should not move pinking scissors along the fabric when cutting. Instead, make one complete cut, open the scissors and position them for the next cut, positioning the blades so that the cut notches align.

Care

Over time, all scissors become dull from use and benefit from professional sharpening. You can sharpen pinking shears at home by cutting through several layers of aluminum foil or cutting through extra-fine sandpaper, according to CraftFinder.com. Use only extra-fine sandpaper; because coarser paper can scratch or damage the blades.

References

• Pinking Shears: About Pinking Shears
• J. Wiss & Sons: Pinking Shears Patents
• Craft Finder: Pinking Shears Information

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• J. Wiss & Sons: The Story of Shears and Scissors