A bookbinder works with paper, bookcloth and sometimes leather to mend or create cherished books. Perfecting each component requires a cutting technique that is at once crisp, decisive and careful. We designed the 11″ Bookbinder Scissors to meet the particular requirements of the bookbinder’s craft. The blades are long, straight, and enduringly sharp thanks to their carbon steel composition. Crucially, their cutting length exceeds the height and width of most books – so they can cut the materials in one or two actions. Whereas some craftspeople, such as embroiderers and quilters, require scissors with a sharp point, in bookbinding a pointy tip brings the risk of removing slightly too much material. To help bookbinders cut with perfect accuracy – especially around the tricky corners of bookcloth and paper pieces – we’ve ground a flat, soft-edged point onto the 11″ Bookbinder Scissors. The 11″ Bookbinder Scissors have been adapted from a 1980s pattern of Paperhanger Scissors, which is also part of the Ernest Wright range. While the Bookbinder Scissors were custom-made for bookbinding, they are also suitable for some other crafts where precision is paramount, such as collage-making.
11″ Bookbinder Scissors
Available on back-order
Our scissors and shears are made in small batches.
A batch can take up to 12 weeks.
In stock items are despatched within 10 days.
Backorders are fulfilled in order as batches are completed.
Backorders placed after 16 October will not be delivered before Christmas.
Made in Sheffield
Details
- Category
- Papercraft
- Type
- Bookbinding scissors, Craft scissors, Paper craft scissors
- Use
- Bookbinders, artisan, creative craft, cutting paper / wallpaper / craft
- Total length
- 11 inch /27.94 cm
- Blade length
- 5.7 inch / 14.48 cm
- Weight
- 500 g
- Steel
- C50 carbon steel
- Forging
- Hot drop forged
- Finish
- Hand polished
- Packaging
- Leather pouch handmade in Sheffield
- Handedness
- Right-handed
Evolving roles & changing names
There are hundreds of types of scissors and shears, all with their own names and uses. Sometimes, different models have a common ancestor, which has been adapted and repurposed over the years to evolve new roles.
The 11″ Bookbinder Shears are adapted from an earlier model of 12″ Paper Hanger blanks, intended for cutting wallpaper. While the bottom blade remains untouched, the original top blade blank is ground flat to enable precise, effective cutting of bookbinding materials.
Other examples of scissors’ adaptability abound. Some craftspeople repurpose tailor’s shears to cut leather, paper or even wire mesh by grinding custom edges on their shears to the applicable angle. Meanwhile, ‘duck-billed’ scissors with a curved bottom blade have been used for a long succession of purposes, from pruning plants to cutting cable ties.
A timeless pattern of scissors and shears will move with the times – even if that means adapting to an art so ancient as bookbinding. Just like natural selection, a pair of scissors may go through many generations of change before finding its perfect adaptation for the present.
