I am shocked! -- Kevlar shears

[dixontj93060]

Call me stupid, but I have been purchasing different scissors/shears for about 10 years now trying to find the very best for the materials we use in rocketry. I have tried many different brands (Fiskars, Kai, etc.), materials (Titanium, Carbon Steel, Teflon-coated, etc.) and styles (large, small, serrated, industrial, sewing/specialty, etc.) and, although I have found some good scissors, I have never found a decent set of scissors that work on Kevlar (most just bind/rip and mostly do abrasive cuts on Kevlar). Well my search is over! A couple months ago I purchased this set of Clauss 8" shears simply doing a random rating search on a sewing site. I then checked it out on Amazon and the high ratings were matched. Price on the pair was ~$20 so I thought, why not?, but not really thinking I would get any different results. This morning I used them--AND WOW!!!! Cut this 4oz Kevlar like the proverbial butter. I have some 10 to 12oz at home I use for airframe reinforcement and I can't wait to try them on that material, but right now I am just shocked at how well these work!

 

[Zeroignite]

Were Trauma Shears ever something you tried? Just curious if those work or not.

 

[dixontj93060]

Were Trauma Shears ever something you tried? Just curious if those work or not.

Nope.

 

[crossfire]

Hi
we at TFR have been using a ceramic shears for years for cutting our Kevlar cord. McMaster Carr sell them.

 

[dixontj93060]

Hi
we at TFR have been using a ceramic shears for years for cutting our Kevlar cord. McMaster Carr sell them.

I actually find that Kevlar cord is much easier to cut than Kevlar fabric.

 

[G_T]

A good pair of Kevlar shears is easy and cheap. It has to do with preparation.

Get a pair of Fiskers. One needs blades which meet well without gap, and Fiskers usually qualify.

Take it to a sanding disk. Make a pass or two with a medium grit disk or belt, at right angles to the blade. This establishes the correct angle for shearing (Kevlar shears easily, but doesn't cut well at all). It also puts some tooth in the form of small serrations which prevents the Kevlar from being able to slide down the blades.

Do not use very fine or worn sandpaper. You do not want smooth edges.

Prepared like this, Kevlar shears will cut Kevlar like paper. When it starts getting duller, just take it back to the sanding disk or belt.

Gerald

 

[dixontj93060]

Take it to a sanding disk. Make a pass or two with a medium grit disk or belt, at right angles to the blade. This establishes the correct angle for shearing (Kevlar shears easily, but doesn't cut well at all). It also puts some tooth in the form of small serrations which prevents the Kevlar from being able to slide down the blades.

You are doing this on points of each blade?

 

[G_T]

Along the edge of each blade. Two quick passes is about all it takes the first time for each blade. One quick pass is usually about all it takes to resharpen. What you are doing is changing the edge of the scissors from a cutting edge (pointy) to a right angle edge (for shearing). Essentially you are grinding the edge off. It has nothing to do with the tips of the scissor blades which are fairly pointy regardless.

Don't use the Kevlar scissors for cutting other fabric than one of the aramids, para-aramids and meta-aramids. Save the scissors for these Kevlar-like classes of fabrics and use a different scissor or roll cutter for carbon fiber or glass.

Gerald

 

[dixontj93060]

Yes I meant point as in along the length (not the end).


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[crossfire]

We also use it for cutting Kevlar fabric. We have had it for about 10 years and it has never been sharpened.

 

[5x7]

I have had great luck with cheap hair trimming scissors. The blades have fine serations that hold the fibers in place and don't let the material slide.

 

[o1d_dude]

Added the Clauss shears to my Amazon Prime cart.

Thanks for the heads up.

I will mark my pair "Do NOT use" also.

 

[dixontj93060]

I will mark my pair "Do NOT use" also.

Yep, that note is really for my wife and son who tend to borrow things from my workshop.


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[accpool]

Add to that "contaminated" I don't think my family can read. My stuff is always missing.

Yep, that note is really for my wife and son who tend to borrow things from my workshop.


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[qquake2k]

Added the Clauss shears to my Amazon Prime cart.

Thanks for the heads up.

I will mark my pair "Do NOT use" also.

You have a project in the works that requires Kevlar fabric?