THE CRAFT

QUALITY THROUGH SKILL AND PASSION

Our craftsmen make their hands do what their eyes see. At Ernest Wright we don’t simply produce and sell scissors and shears, we see them grow under our labour and pass them on to future generations. It all comes down to meticulous attention to detail because we feel responsible for every cut you make. With every pair.

THE PUTTER-TOGETHERER

The name says it all: a scissors putter-togetherer is someone who makes and puts together scissors and shears. The title is proudly given to the holder of a five-year-to-fully-apprenticed skillset and trade, and is known and still used by our craftsmen today. A little tweak here, a little nudge there – it’s all about fine margins and deep knowledge.

Every putter brings their own touch to scissors-making; their own ingenuity. It’s only through keen focus and discipline that the craftsmen can take their own paths to arrive at the same perfect pattern of scissors or shears; the same level of performance.

THE CURVE

The blades of a pair of scissors are curved, so they always make contact regardless of the position they’re in. This way, there’s always an equal amount of pressure to ensure an even and straight cut.

The hammering in of the curve is where the (master) putter-togetherer works his magic. For even though no two blades are ever 100% the same, he’ll make each pair cut to equal perfection and last you a lifetime.

THE NEW GENERATION

If scissors-making is going to have a future, we must create it, here at Kutrite Works.

Ernest Wright has a long-held commitment to passing on the skills of traditional scissors-making to a new generation. Since 2018, we’ve focused on training up a group of exceptional, budding craftsmen – and we’re now seeing the fruits of this investment, as one-by-one, the new generation earn the distinction of becoming fully qualified putters.

We’re exceptionally fortunate that we can still call upon the wisdom of master-putters Cliff Denton and Eric Stones, who have both worked in the Sheffield scissors trade since the 1950s. It’s thanks to the knowledge and graft of these two legendary scissors-makers that the younger putters are now in a position to take the reins.

THE PROCESS

From Stainless or Carbon Steel to a pair of handmade Ernest Wright scissors or shears.

FORGING

The rough shape of a scissor or shear blade – or blank – is hot-drop-forged out of steel. It includes a drilling mark for easy and accurate alignment of the two halves.

GRINDING

To start off, a 50+ year old machine takes off the first layer, then further refinement is done by hand. This is where the blades receive their sharp first shape towards their cutting edge.

SANDING

A belt-sander is guided through the bow (handle) of the blade to sand the insides. Our craftsmen pay extra detail on each and every bow. We like them to shine!

HARDENING

After all this hard work, the steel blades are hardened. Depending on the model, this is being done by salt hardening or vacuum hardening. Both methods render the same result: a rock hard blade that will remain sharp for a very long time.

RUMBLING

Next, the hardened halves are treated overnight in a deburring and polishing machine called a rumbler. It’s a spinning drum filled with ceramic pebbles and polish paste that take off the sanding marks and give the blades a smooth finish.

PUTTING TOGETHER

Now, the blades are ready for assembling. It’s a delicate task, where the putter-togetherer hammers the perfect curve onto each blade. A highly skilled job which takes years to master and makes all the difference between a mass produced pair of scissors and an Ernest Wright.

PUTTING ON THE EDGES
AND MARRYING THEM TOGETHER

After the scissors are put together, they finally get their sharp edges put on. This is done on the well-known and very old ‘Big Wheel Saddle Grinder’, and leaves a burr on both blades. With one swift movement, the blades are closed shut for the very first time, removing the burr of their opposing blade in the process. This leaves the blades perfectly ‘married together’.

POLISHING

Finally, the scissors and shears are polished to a mirror finish.

QUALITY CHECK & ENGRAVING

Our quality control manager checks all finished scissors. Only after the performance and finish are approved, will the Ernest Wright name be engraved upon them.