Monday, June 30, 2008

Tim Holz Tonic Scissors Make the Cut!

Here's my "Craft Critique Wanna-Be" Review on the Tim Holz scissors:
Let me say first I actually really like trimming my new stamps, all that wonderful stored potential in new rubber, it's so exciting, prepping a set! (I know it's a very geeky "stamping thing", and not every stamping enthusiast shares with me I'm sure, but I trust at least some of you know what I'm talking about!). I had always been happy with the way my SU! scissors cut rubber, (definitely an improvement over a 3.99 no name brand craft pair I'd started with when I first began stamping, so I felt okay with the 19.95 SU! price tag then because I knew they would get a lot of use), but this past year they've been giving me some problems. The reasons below and all the raves over the Tim Holz scissors I'd read (plus the low price 11.95!) was all I needed to try out a new product!

In addition to the numerous features* I will cite, I think the pics speak pretty loudly themselves! Here are the scissors placed on top of the SU! Craft and Rubber Scissors. As you can see, the openings on the handle grips are much wider on the Tim Holz pair. Now, here is my hand tucked into the SU! scissors I've been using since 2004. I'm a petite woman, with relatively small hands, you can see how my fingers fill out the handles. What has four years of trimming my stamps with them done to my hands?
I've developed a blister, which then became a callus, on my knuckles where they've rubbed against the handle over time from very frequent rubber trimming (This winter was especially bad, it got very dry, sometimes cracked and peeled. Not to mention unsightly.) :(
Now, here is my hand in the Tim Holz pair. Look how roomy! The wider holes are not any more difficult to hold or cut with, they just allow you to work without the grip hitting your skin. (But if your hands are larger and still DO touch the edge, I can say that they are also smoother and more cushioned than SU!'s). It is a comfortable grip and is not going to make my callus worse. Yipee!
If that's not enough to make you want them, let me go on. My SU! pair has probably dulled over time, either their sharpness (or lack of) or the pain from the rubbing has made recent sheets seem more difficult to trim (but you can pay to have them sharpened or buy a scissor sharpener). The Tim Holz scissors, however, have a micro-serrated edge, which will never need sharpening, and just zips through the rubber even better**! It also has this supercool non-stick coating to keep them from getting gunky, they look like fancy high performance cookware LOL! Also has a protective cap, which is a nice feature. (The packaging also lists they "resist rust and corrosion", SU!'s probably do, too, but I don't know so can't really say much on that) All these things together would make me expect to pay 2 to three times the actual price tag for the Tim Holz pair, I'm still shocked they don't cost more! Isn't it wonderful sometimes you can still manage to get "more than what you pay for"?

In summation, IMHO there's really NO COMPARISON! Get these awesome and affordable scissors. The extra wide handles and trimming ability make these a must have for any rubber stamper, they will allow you to trim your sets much faster and more comfortably, and if you haven't yet damaged your hands, I really urge you to take this preventative step now! :)
Tomorrow, another little product review, and a card to go with! :)

*slightly less important features, but still fun: these have RED! handles AND you can get inspired seeing Tim's little siggy on the blade while you trim ;)

**I wish I could provide pictures that would show the detail of the edge or a way to portray how much more cleanly they go through the rubber, but you'll just have to take my word for it, too small to capture in a pic!

15 comments:

  1. Oh your poor hands! I only have one callus right now and my scissors should be here today! yay! Thanks for all the details, even more exciting now waiting for the mailman today, lol!

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  2. Thank you so much for that review. I have felt for a while now that me SU sissors weren't doing the job I wanted and wasn't sure what I was going to do. Now I know!! I use to love to cut each piece, feeling it, knowing what I was going to create, but lately it was a chore because of the sissors. Will be ordering my new sissors soon. Thanks for taking the time to pass on this information. It is much appreciated.

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  3. I bought these sissors a week ago and I love them. I want to use them for everything, not just cutting rubber. I also noticed they are magnetic. Don't know if that would be a plus but thought I would mention it.

    Thanks for your blog and your reviews. I enjoy reading it everyday.

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  4. I've had these scissors for over a year now and I LOVE these scissors. I make everyone in stamp clubs try them and everyone always says "WOW! These scissors feel great!"

    The serrated edge really does "zip" as you cut through rubber and paper.

    I love my Tim Holtz Tonic's!

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  5. Oh I forgot to add - I have really bad arthritis, and the size of the handles, and ease of use really offsets the arthritis in my hands. I used to not trim paper or paper piece because I didn't have a pair of scissors I could use for a time period long enough. The Tim Holtz Tonic's let me cut for about 45-60 minutes before a slight cramping. Before it was about 2 minutes with other scissors.

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  6. Wow! These look really cool! I am not really happy w/ my SU! craft and rubber scissors. They are very inflexible and hard to cut around the stamps w/. After cutting the main image out, I go back w/ my Fiskars for detail cutting because the SU! scissors just don't make the cut. (Pun intended!) And what an awesome price for the Tim Holz scissors! I will definitely be getting myself a pair! I was just asking around how to sharpen my scissors and get all the rubber stickiness off of them! Now I won't have to worry!

    Thanks Melanie!!!
    Erin

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  7. These are on my list to order for sure! I have callouses from my SU scissors (that's where my SCS username comes from...lol). Thanks for your awesome review!!

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  8. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Tim Holtz scissors!! You know.......I bought mine when I JUST got into stamping before I ever had any SU ones!!! And my trusty red-handled scissors have been used and used and used!!!! I just need a sharpener now!!

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  9. For once I am ahead of the game! These were the first sissors that I ever bought when I first started stamping and have been raving about them for over a year now. They really are fantastic and the ONLY sissors that I have ever used craft wise. :)

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  10. thanc u thanc u thanc u i am in ned of ruba sissors and i had sen them at gina ks i wundrd if tha wur a gud pare or not so now on mi nxt ordr nu sissors for me yayaya
    merri

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  11. great tips and deets, TFS!

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  12. Are the Tim Holz scissors at most craft stores or where do you get them?

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  13. Mel, thanks for this critique! I have very long fingers (though not large), so the roomier scissors sound wonderful. I've found as I've 'matured' (okay, since I hit 40 a few years ago), holding my fingers in scissors just so can become painful. These sound like they will be much easier on the hands.

    Just so you know, I have a passion for cutting rubber stamps! I actually get very excited about any sharp cutting tools. My friends tell me that is why I am a Pampered Chef lady! And, being a PC lady, I get very excited about anything that in any form or fashion compares to cookware! LOL!

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  14. love love my Tim Holtz scissors. I have a large slender hand with long fingers. His are the best. I got my scissors online some where!!!lol Jan

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  15. I LOVE MY TIM HOLTZ TONIC SCISSORS!!!!!

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