Evolution series Wenger style scissors expectations

[maxdog]

I've had my new Evolution S17 now going onto 2 weeks.  I just wanted to check with you guys what can I expect of my Wenger style serrated scissors in terms of cutting performance?  Mine performs just fine with sheets of plain paper, and light cardboard, however, the serrations would suggest to me these scissors should also be good for cutting light fabric, plastic wrappers, light cords etc... but mine struggles sometimes.  Occasionally the material would fold in between the blades requiring some coaxing, and I would have to attempt it several times to start cutting.  When it starts cutting, then it's fine and I can continue to cut.  In contrast, the Victorinox style scissors on my Swiss Champ cuts through the same material like butter without a hiccup the first time every time.  My Evo S17 scissors feels like it's sharpness is not at the level of the Swiss Champ scissors, and I'm considering sending it back to Victorinox to check it and sharpen it if possible.  But before I do that, I'm just curious what the experience have been like for others who have the Evolution series Wenger style scissors, and if my experience with it so far is representative or the exception. 

I was expecting the effortless performance of the Victorinox scissors that everyone raves about and is true.  Thanks

[trichosirius]

I too have found the Wenger scissors to bind more in fibrous materials. They will usually do the job just fine so long as I pay attention to technique. They just cut a bit differently.
 In general i prefer the Victorinox scissors, but if I only had the option of the Wenger type I would still carry them and get by just fine. Luckily the SAKs with those scissors also have a nail file!

[Jackpine54]

I've had my new Evolution S17 now going onto 2 weeks.  I just wanted to check with you guys what can I expect of my Wenger style serrated scissors in terms of cutting performance?  Mine performs just fine with sheets of plain paper, and light cardboard, however, the serrations would suggest to me these scissors should also be good for cutting light fabric, plastic wrappers, light cords etc... but mine struggles sometimes.  Occasionally the material would fold in between the blades requiring some coaxing, and I would have to attempt it several times to start cutting.  When it starts cutting, then it's fine and I can continue to cut.  In contrast, the Victorinox style scissors on my Swiss Champ cuts through the same material like butter without a hiccup the first time every time.  My Evo S17 scissors feels like it's sharpness is not at the level of the Swiss Champ scissors, and I'm considering sending it back to Victorinox to check it and sharpen it if possible.  But before I do that, I'm just curious what the experience have been like for others who have the Evolution series Wenger style scissors, and if my experience with it so far is representative or the exception. 

I was expecting the effortless performance of the Victorinox scissors that everyone raves about and is true.  Thanks

That has been my experience as well. My 3 Wenger style rate a solid c+  compared to a+ for all of my victorinox style.

[kamakiri]

There are few things I’ve found that I prefer the Wenger style serrations for are hard materials like light gauge sheet metal. Also for tight radius curves in paper, when the marks from the serrations aren’t an issue for the final product.

[SteveP]

My experience matches yours, maxdog.

Last month I did the Daredevil Challenge with a Delemont Evolution S557, so same scissors. Was pretty frustrating not knowing what the scissors would be able to cut easily vs. what they'd struggle with. I was very happy to switch to my Swiss Champ at the end of the challenge.

[smiller43147]

I consider the Wenger style scissors a bit crude, but they will chew through things like zip ties that the Vic scissors tend to push out without cutting.

[maxdog]

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it is helpful.  I won't send the knife back knowing this is normal.  I used the serrated scissors to cut up some water bottles to make some containers out of them and they worked fine on them, as well as some toothpaste tubes, cut them up effortlessly too.  They work better on certain materials and some not so well.  Not up to par with  the Victorinox, but still good.  I guess those excellent Victorinox scissors set the bar really high and everything else is going to pale in comparison.  I'm still very happy with the Evolution S17 with all of it's other redeeming features. 

[maxdog]

I posted this about the serrated Wenger style scissors in the Delemont Challenge thread, but thought I'd add it here as well.

With the serrated scissors, I notice the arm that runs back to the back springs to give it the spring back is offset to the right where it makes contact with the scissor blade/handle (nail nick piece).  This slight offset provides a little torsion to push the blades together.  I find when I cut a piece of thick cloth, sometimes the cloth folds in between the blades.  If you press a little to the left with your thumb as you press the scissor handle down, it keeps the blades together and cuts much better.  For normal cutting of paper and light cloth you don't need to do this, but when you encounter something a little thicker or more stubborn, this little side pressure with your thumb makes a big difference and will prevent the folding, and give those serrated teeth more leverage to cut through.  I don't encounter the issue with some fabrics and plastic wrapper paper folding between the blades any more with this technique.

Have others here observed this with the serrated scissors?

[maxdog]

Additional views of the scissors.
A slight sideway pressure to the left on the handles with your thumb as you press down, provide a little lateral pressure to keep the blades together more when you cut.

This aids in a better cut when you come down on thicker fabrics, paracord, etc, and prevents material folding in between the blades.
Don't over do it though with the sideway pressure so you don't damage arm.  A slight lateral pressure to the left is all you need.

[kamakiri]

These are good points and tips to make the Wenger scissors more useable…but well designed scissors don’t need to lateral push to get the job done. Compression of the two blades is controlled by the geometry…mostly the curvature of the blades and the crescent/ride area behind the pivot. I think these properties are very well done on the Vic scissors, and could use some improvement in the Wenger design.

[Farmer X]

I've noticed the Wenger-style scissors do well on paper and some plastics, but not so much on paracord. It's been my experience that any serrated cutting tool struggles with paracord. The Wenger-style scissors also didn't do so hot on my fingernails. Why that is, I don't know.

[smiller43147]

I've had many scissors that need that lateral pressure to cut well: Wenger, Leatherman, Victorinox, even full size Fiskars.


A lot of it has to do with how tight the pivot is.  You have to tighten those rivets just right so they don't bind, but cut right.

[maxdog]

I've had many scissors that need that lateral pressure to cut well: Wenger, Leatherman, Victorinox, even full size Fiskars.


A lot of it has to do with how tight the pivot is.  You have to tighten those rivets just right so they don't bind, but cut right.

I consider the Wenger style scissors a bit crude, but they will chew through things like zip ties that the Vic scissors tend to push out without cutting.

smiller43147
I too found the serrated scissors can chew through tougher materials well like plastics.  In the example below, I was able to cut up the plastic into pieces with the serrated scissors quite easily as it would slice into the plastic, but with the Victorinox it required a lot of pressure and the blades would not move until the plastic snapped under pressure and flew apart.  I did not feel comfortable with the Victorinox scissors in this scenario, and felt any more pressure could have damaged it.   I wonder if the rivets holding the blades together on the Wenger style serrated scissors are not as tight as on the Victorinox by design to aid in the serrated edges to separate a little under pressure so it can saw/chew through tougher materials better.  If they were too tight, the blades would just not be able to cut any deeper and get stuck. 

With tougher fabrics like paracord, the material is more pliable than plastics so it can fold between the serrated edges if they separate a little, and so this is where the lateral pressure helps to cut the tough fabric. The Vic scissors with tight rivets can cut stubborn fabrics more easily, and the Wenger style serrated scissors can handle harder materials like plastics better.

[Sawl Goodman]

I've noticed the Wenger-style scissors do well on paper and some plastics, but not so much on paracord. It's been my experience that any serrated cutting tool struggles with paracord. The Wenger-style scissors also didn't do so hot on my fingernails. Why that is, I don't know.

A sharp PE blade is best to cut paracord with, in my opinion.

[maxdog]

I cut up some stiff cardboard with both the Wenger style serrated scissors and Victorinox scissors.  Both performed the task effortlessly, but noticed with the Victorinox scissors after a few cuts the blades don't spring back well, and after many cuts, I find I have to use my thumb to continuously separate the blades.  In the image below you can see before and after shots of how far apart the blades separate on it's own. 

With the serrated scissors, the blades always return to the full open position.  With the Victorinox, the blades do not open back fully after a few cuts.  It requires assistance with the thumb to pull the blades open fully.  This can get cumbersome when you have a lot of cutting to do.  The Victorinox scissors require a wipe down of the blades to wipe away the paper fibers that seem to get stuck in between the blades.  I noticed this before when cutting paper too.  I get the same results with the Victorinox scissors on both the Swiss Champ and Compact, so it is not an isolated behaviour with one particular scissor.   

The serrated Wenger style scissors don't exhibit this behaviour and has a more robust spring back mechanism and so is easier to use when cutting a lot of cardboard and papers. 

The thicker handles of the Victorinox scissors are easier on the thumbs than the thinner Wenger serrated scissors.

 

[Echotech]

Excellent testing and insight Max 
As you've confirmed each type is better suited to certain materials 

[maxdog]

Thanks Echotech!  Both have their pros and cons, but they are awesome scissors considering their size and what you can do with them.

[SteveP]

Now we just need someone to build a mod with both types of scissors...

[ComboTool]

Now we just need someone to build a mod with both types of scissors...

... with 58mm scissors as backspring tools.