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!
