Ernest Wright, at your service

All our scissors and shears are made at Kutrite Works, 58 Broad Lane, our workshop in the centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, in the historic Hollis Croft area.

This is where traditional skills and heritage tools come together in the making of every pair. Each stage of the process takes place here, from shaping and grinding to final assembly and finishing.

We occasionally offer visits by appointment. For more information, please see Visiting our workshop

‘Made in Sheffield’ is a mark of origin. Under UK law, a product counts as made in Sheffield if the last process that substantially changed it took place there.

Sheffield has made cutlery and steel for centuries. Tools with a cutting edge have been made here by makers working in small, specialised workshops.

The Made in Sheffield Mark is a licence, granted by a committee of the Company of Cutlers, Sheffield City Council and the Chamber of Commerce to manufacturers in the S postcode area who can show they are entitled to use it. Ernest Wright holds the licence.

More about Made in Sheffield

Many supporters visit the Ernest Wright workshop each year to meet some of the team and tour the premises.

We love to meet our customers, so you are always welcome to visit us in Sheffield and experience a working scissors workshop. However, as we are a very busy team, we are not always in a position to drop our work immediately when someone calls by. For the best chance of a great visit, email info@ernestwright.co.uk and we will find a suitable date.

If you can’t make it to Sheffield but you’d like to take part in a group virtual tour, we’ll be happy to arrange it.

Yes, three a year:

• The Stitch Festival, Business Design Centre, London, March
• Goldsmiths North, Cutlers’ Hall, Sheffield, June
• Knit + Stitch (formerly The Knitting & Stitching Show), Alexandra Palace, London, October

On our stand you can cut with the scissors before you choose, and anything you buy costs the same as online.

We cannot sharpen or service scissors at shows; that is done at the workshop through our maintenance service.

Everything you read on this website and across our social media channels is a collaborative effort by Team Ernest Wright.

Our stories begin in the workshop at Kutrite Works. They grow out of our daily work making scissors and shears, conversations within our team, research into Sheffield’s industrial history, and interviews with customers, collectors, fellow craftspeople, and others connected to the wider world of craftsmanship.

Many articles and social media posts are written by members of our own team, drawing directly on the knowledge and experience we use every day. Others begin as interviews, which Pete Wise conducts before working with the rest of the team to edit and shape them into clear, readable stories.

The knowledge behind our website and social media comes directly from the craftspeople of Ernest Wright. Pam and Natalie answer customer enquiries, while Jonathan, Neil, Paul, and the wider team contribute their expertise whenever a subject calls for it.

We use digital tools to help organise research and improve the presentation of our website and social media, but every article, answer, story, and post is written, checked, and approved by Team Ernest Wright before it is published.

When you read content signed by Team Ernest Wright, you are reading the combined knowledge, experience, and passion of the people who keep this endangered Sheffield craft alive.

Handmade scissors are made and adjusted individually. No two forged blanks are exactly the same, so a skilled maker shapes, grinds and assembles each pair by hand until it performs as it should.

This method allows the use of high-carbon steel and drop-forged blanks. These materials are known for their strength, edge retention and long-term performance.

Factory-made scissors are designed for speed and uniformity. Blades are often stamped from sheet steel to create identical parts that can be assembled quickly. This makes large-scale production possible, but can involve compromises in material and structure, which may affect durability, edge life and cutting performance.

At Ernest Wright in Sheffield we continue to make handmade scissors using traditional methods, one pair at a time.

Hot drop forging is a way of shaping red-hot steel by hammering it between two dies, each holding half the shape of the finished part. A falling or powered hammer does the hammering. The process aligns and stretches the grain of the metal, which makes the part stronger and more durable.

It grew out of the blacksmith’s craft. A smith hammering hot iron by hand is the simplest form of forging; over time, smiths learned that complex shapes could be made by hammering metal into a die.

The blanks for our scissors and shears are hot drop-forged for us. They are then ground, put together and finished at our workshop.

(See also our Workshop Notes: hot or cold drop forging)

The term ‘Sheffield steel’ is often used, but its history is more complex than many people realise.

Learn more in our Workshop Note, What Is Sheffield Steel?

A witness mark is a small mark left on a pair of scissors where one of the shanks has been adjusted by hand, so that the blades meet correctly. It shows that the pair has been individually set.

We do not plate our scissors. The steel is polished to a mirror finish and then edged, and the final adjustment is done by hand. That is where the mark comes from.

Because our scissors and shears are made by hand, using methods such as flexible grinding and putting-together, they can also show small lines or slight variations. These are not defects. A defective tool is one that does not cut as it should, and such a tool does not leave our workshop.

We put cutting performance before visual perfection. In some traditions, particularly in Japan, small imperfections are seen as part of the beauty of a handmade object. We recognise the same idea in our own work.

(See also the craft)

Sheffield scissors became known for their balance, durability and cutting, as tools made to work every day, often for decades. They came out of a city that has made cutlery and edge tools for centuries; in the language of Sheffield, scissors and shears have always been part of the cutlery trade.

The trade grew around a network of specialist makers, known locally as ‘little mesters’. Each focused on one skill: forging steel, grinding blades, shaping handles or putting the tool together. Work passed from one workshop to the next.

Today only a small number of workshops continue the trade.

(See also our history)

Ernest Wright is dedicated to the craft of making supreme quality, handmade scissors with a perfect performance. Due to our quality standards, the handmade nature of our products and the limited number of craftspeople who possess the skills of scissors-making, we have a relatively small production of unique scissors and shears.

We have no unlimited stock.

The difference between “scissors” and “shears” lies in in the length of the blade and the design of the handles or bows. Scissors have symmetrical, equally sized finger holes and are generally under 6″ in blade length, while shears have one smaller and one larger finger hole, and are over 6″ in blade length. (See also our Workshop Notes)

(See also our Workshop Notes)

Yes. We make true left-handed versions of the Turton kitchen scissors, the 8.25″ Sidebent Dressmaker Shears and the 10″ Sidebent Tailor Shears. The blades are a mirror image of the right-handed pattern, not just the handles.

This matters because of how the hand moves. When you cut, your hand makes a vertical movement and also a slight sideways squeeze, with the thumb pushing away from the palm. Right-handed scissors use that squeeze to push the blades together. In the left hand it pushes them apart, and the top blade blocks your view of the cutting line. Mirrored blades let the same squeeze work for the left hand.

(See also our Workshop Notes)

Yes. Our Threadsnips and Nurseryman can be used in either hand.
Unlike most scissors, both have a spring, and the handles move straight up and down.

With other scissors, the hand moves the handles slightly diagonally, which presses the blades together in one hand and pushes them apart in the other.

That is why most of our other scissors and shears are right-handed, and why symmetrical handles alone do not make a pair ambidextrous.
For left-handed users we make true left-handed versions of the:

• Turton kitchen scissors
• 8.25″ Sidebent Dressmaker Shears
• 10″ Sidebent Tailor Shears

Read more in our Notes on left-handed scissors.

When measuring scissors and shears, some people refer to the length of the blades, where others mean the total length of the pair. Since our products are handmade there may be very small differences from the stated dimensions. Our focus is on flawless performance and finishing rather than on the exact dimensions.

We sometimes receive this question from customers and honestly we do not have a clear answer. It all depends on the material. When you need excessive force, you’re probably overdoing it. Most people who use our products with love and dedication are not layering materials to cut through.

We use two kinds of steel: Stainless steel and Carbon steel.

The main difference between Stainless steel and Carbon steel is that stainless steels have much higher corrosion resistance, due to the protective chromium oxide layer that covers the steel surface after heat treatment.

Another difference relates to the alloying elements that form carbides. Stainless steels contain at least 10.5% chromium by weight. The carbide particles provide the steel with significant wear resistance.

Carbon scissors and shears should be stored dry whereas Stainless steel ones are more durable in wet conditions.

For more detail on the grades we use and why, see our Workshop Notes.

Every pattern of scissors and shears we make comes in a specific steel, chosen for its purpose. The table below shows which model is made from which steel. For more detail on the steels we use and why, see our Workshop Note: Carbon or Stainless Steel?

Pattern / Steel Type

Pattern	Steel Type
Stork Embroidery	C50 Carbon
Turton kitchen scissors	420 B Stainless
Turton kitchen scissors (LH)	420 B Stainless
Kutrite flat kitchen scissors	420 B Stainless
8.25″ Sidebent Dressmaker Shears	C50 Carbon
8.25″ Sidebent Dressmaker Shears (LH)	C50 Carbon
10″ Sidebent Tailor Shears	C60 Carbon
10″ Sidebent Dressmaker Shears (LH)	C60 Carbon
12″ Industrial shears	C60 Carbon
13″ Classic Tailor Shears	C50 Carbon
13″ Heritage Tailor Shears	C60 Carbon
12″ Paperhanger	C50 Carbon
6.5″ General Purpose	420 B Stainless
6″ Quilting Scissors	420 B Stainless
4″ Print Embroidery	C50 Carbon
Threadsnips	C50 Carbon
11″ Bookbinder	C50 Carbon
Nurseryman scissors	440 B Stainless

For more detail on the steels we use and why, see our Workshop Notes.

We appreciate that some customers like to have items engraved, but we strongly advise against doing so to your Ernest Wright scissors or shears.

The mirror polish finish on these items is the result of much hard work. Engraving detracts from the finish, while creating an elevated risk of rusting.

For these reasons, we do not offer an engraving service. We’re confident that when you give our scissors or shears to someone (or get them as a gift to yourself), the owner will always feel the unwritten love and kindness. Sometimes, putting these things into words takes away from the deeper meaning.

High-quality scissors are designed to last for many years and often for decades.

The lifespan depends on the material, how the scissors are used and how they are maintained. Carbon steel scissors offer excellent edge retention, but require care as they can rust if not properly maintained.

Using scissors for their intended purpose helps preserve the cutting edge. Cutting inappropriate materials can shorten the life of the blades.

At Ernest Wright in Sheffield we aim to make scissors that last a lifetime. With proper care, a well-made pair of handmade scissors can be maintained, repaired and passed on for generations.

If your desired model is out of stock and you wish to be notified when it becomes available again, please send an email to pam@ernestwright.co.uk specifying the model you’d like to purchase, and provide your name.

We will then add you to the waiting list for the relevant model, and will give you advance notice as soon as it is due back in stock. The product should be available to order from the moment you receive our notification email, and since you’ll be one of the first people to find out about the new batch, you will have a very good chance of securing the scissors or shears you’ve been waiting for.

We offer our handmade scissors and shears primarily through our own website, with a select number of specialised stockists also carrying our products. We do not distribute through large trading or e-commerce platforms. Limited stock can be found by our stockists. As a small craft workshop, we strive to provide our carefully crafted products at reasonable prices, reflecting the time and effort invested in their creation.

You can also buy from us at the shows we exhibit at during the year.

We deliver to all UK postcodes, including Northern Ireland, the Highlands and Islands, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands. All products are insured and specially packaged to ensure peace of mind. You can track and trace your parcel via Royal Mail.

Shipping to the United States

We ship our scissors and shears to the United States on a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) basis.

All applicable import duties, tariffs, taxes, and handling charges are included in the price shown at checkout, so the amount you pay is the final price with no additional fees due on delivery.

Our courier manages customs clearance and settles all applicable charges with U.S. authorities on your behalf.

Available destinations

• United States
• American Samoa
• Guam
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Puerto Rico
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• United States Minor Outlying Islands

Duties and import charges

U.S. import duties and temporary trade surcharges may change from time to time. Where applicable, these costs are already reflected in the prices shown at checkout for U.S. customers.

We monitor trade requirements carefully to ensure that ordering from Ernest Wright remains straightforward, transparent, and free from unexpected charges.

If you have any questions about ordering from the UK or shipping to the United States, please feel free to contact us.

Deliveries to the following European countries are shipped on a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) basis. This means that VAT, handling, import charges, and customs duties are all included in the price shown at online checkout:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Monaco
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• San Marino
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Vatican City

There are no hidden fees charged by the courier or any other authority in your country. The price you see at checkout is the final price, and we guarantee there will be no extra costs.

From 1 July 2026, in accordance with new European Union regulations, a fixed EU Customs Duty (Flat Rate) of €3 will apply to e-commerce orders with a product value below €150. This legal charge is calculated automatically per product type and is fully included in the final price shown before you make your payment.

We send all orders to these countries to a location in the Netherlands. From there, the scissors and shears are collected by DHL or a DHL Partner and delivered to our customers. You will receive a DHL tracking number when your package is handed over to the courier in the Netherlands. Tracking may take a couple of days to update after your order.

We ship our scissors and shears to Canada via Royal Mail. Prices and shipping costs are shown at checkout.

• No customs duties: every invoice includes an origin declaration under the Canada–UK Trade Continuity Agreement, so our handmade scissors normally enter Canada duty-free. If duty is charged anyway, you can request a refund from the Canada Border Services Agency.
• Local taxes: orders are sent on a Delivered at Place (DAP) basis. Canadian sales taxes (GST/HST) and any carrier handling fees are not included at checkout and are payable on delivery.

If you have any questions before ordering, we are always happy to help.

We deliver to most countries worldwide. Select your country at checkout to see the price and shipping cost.

For destinations not covered by our United Kingdom, European Union, United States or Canada delivery information above, orders are sent on a Delivered at Place (DAP) basis. Any import duties, local taxes and customs clearance or handling fees are not included at checkout and are payable by the customer.

Please contact your local customs office before ordering if you would like to check potential charges.

For parcels returned because customs charges have not been paid, we reserve the right to deduct incurred shipping and return costs from the refund.

All orders are carefully packed, tracked and insured.

If you have any questions before ordering, we are always happy to help.

Collection from our Sheffield workshop is free.

Select the collection option when placing your order.

We will email you when your scissors or shears are ready to collect.

Our workshop is open for collections from 10:00 – 16:00, Tuesday to Thursday.

Please bring your order confirmation, either printed or on your phone, as proof of purchase.

Orders are held at the workshop for up to two weeks. If you need more time, please contact us and we will arrange a later collection.

All our prices are set in GBP. For customers outside the United Kingdom, prices may also be displayed in your local currency where available.

We currently support payments in GBP, USD and EUR.

Payments can be made using major credit and debit cards, Apple Pay and PayPal. Depending on your country, additional local payment methods may also be available, including iDEAL | Wero.

Our scissors and shears are made in small batches at our Sheffield workshop.

As a result, many models are available on back order rather than for immediate dispatch.

Back-ordered items are usually completed and despatched within approximately 12 weeks as batches are finished.

Not all models are currently available for back order. If a model is listed as “Out of stock”, please contact us and we will let you know when it is expected to return.

If your order includes both ‘in stock’ and ‘backordered’ items, the order will be despatched once all items are ready.

If you would like an ‘in stock’ item to be despatched within the stated delivery time, please place a separate order for any ‘backordered’ items.

We send our scissors and shears to most countries around the world.

However, we follow the international shipping guidelines, sanctions and export restrictions set by governments and our courier partners.

As a result, we may be unable to ship to certain countries, organisations or individuals.

Restrictions can change over time. If you are unsure whether we can ship to your country, please contact us before placing an order.

We offer a paid refurbishment and resharpening service for Ernest Wright and Kutrite scissors and shears.

If your scissors require attention after years of use, please contact us. We will then arrange a suitable date for you to send your scissors to our Sheffield workshop.

This helps us manage repairs carefully and maintain the quality of the work carried out in our workshop.

We currently only repair, refurbish and resharpen Ernest Wright and Kutrite scissors and shears, Made in Sheffield.

We do not offer repair services for products made by other brands.

In certain cases, we may be able to refurbish or resharpen scissors and shears from other makers, if they hold significant sentimental value and have been traditionally made.

If you would like us to assess a pair, please contact us.

If the product becomes faulty throughout its reasonable lifetime due to production workmanship, you must notify Ernest Wright within 14 days of the fault occurring. This warranty covers manufacturing faults only and does not cover wear, blunting, unreasonable use, misuse, damage, or oxidation. Please note – whilst stainless steel products will resist oxidation more than carbon steel products, they cannot be guaranteed against rusting.

We cannot accept liability for return goods damaged during transit and advise that you package and insure the products adequately to prevent this happening.

Proof of postage is not necessarily proof of delivery and you are therefore strongly advised to send your package by recorded delivery, registered post or courier and to maintain sufficient insurance to cover the value of the goods.

We may not be responsible for any postage and packaging charges you may incur by returning any product.

The following information should be included inside the packaging: your daytime telephone number, your order number or postcode and a detailed reason for the return.

On receipt of the returned goods, we will assess the product according to the workmanship fault you have stated. If we agree with the fault, we will repair the product free of charge, or replace it with a similar item.

In short, because the model is too popular. Previously, we put the Kutrite on sale openly every time we finished crafting a new batch. We notified followers by email when the scissors went on sale, and the whole batch would sell out within a few minutes. About 100 customers were able to buy a pair each time, but another 1,000-or-so(!) people were unsuccessful. This led to frustration and disappointment.

We created the Kutrite Reservation system to make purchasing the Kutrite fairer and less stressful. It gives everyone an equal opportunity to buy a pair – regardless of how often you check your email inbox.

When your Kutrite Reservation number comes up and you purchase your pair, the value of your reservation fee is deducted from the Kutrite’s list price at checkout. Your total expenditure equates to the normal list price for the Kutrite.

If you do not purchase your reserved pair of the Kutrite within four weeks of us informing you that your number has come up, the reservation is voided and the reservation fee is used for admin costs. This ensures somebody further down the queue can enjoy the scissors. We will contact you more than once during your four-week window, to make sure you have every chance of using your Kutrite Reservation to buy the Kutrite within the allotted time.

Your Kutrite Reservation gives you a reservation number that remains valid until four weeks after we reach your number in the queue.

The duration of the wait for your number to be called will depend on how many other customers are ahead of you in the queue, and on our crafting schedule. We cannot guarantee a specific wait time for this, but customers should be prepared to wait anywhere from a few months to a few years.

Once we’ve informed you that your reservation number has been reached, the reservation number can be used to purchase your reserved pair of the Kutrite within a four-week period, after which the reservation is voided.

We will inform you by email when your Kutrite Reservation number comes up. From then, you’ll be able to use your email address to access a special page of our website, which you can use to purchase a pair of the Kutrite immediately. In the email we send to you, we will include a link to the special webpage, plus instructions on how to make the purchase. When purchasing a Kutrite Reservation, please take care to use your correct, permanent email addres.

No, sorry. Your Kutrite Reservation is tied to your email address, so you cannot gift your registration number to another person. However, there’s nothing to stop you from giving the Kutrite Flat Kitchen Scissors themselves to a lucky loved one, after you’ve used your reservation number to buy a pair! Returns and exchanges are not available on Kutrite Reservations.