Many brands offer what are described as electrician’s scissors. These scissors often feature a single large loop handles, and usually have convenient wire cutting or stripping features.
Shown above is a prototype shown off at Milwaukee’s NPS show last year. Klein free-fall scissors and Southwire DataComm electrician’s scissors are also widely available.
Advertisement
This is how many people, who don’t know any better, try to hold them. My fingers look extra awkward because I’m a righty, but was using my right hand for photos. The first time you try to use the scissors like this, you’ll know something is wrong.
You can use these scissors with your thumb and forefinger, but not in the manner shown. I will sometimes put my thumb in the big hole, and forefinger in the small finger hole.
This is the correct way to hold them. Your middle finger goes in the small loop, and the larger handle rests in the palm of your hand.
Why? As far as I can tell, there are several advantages:
- Higher leverage
- Comfort?
- Fits in smaller spaces?
- Can dangle the scissors from middle finger to more dexterously manipulate wires
For those of you that use these scissors, why do you like them over traditionally styled snips and scissors?