What kind of scissors are these?

[lazyassforge]

My wife bought these the other day. They are very heavy duty scissors. The pivot screw has large brass pieces which protrude from each side an inch or more and serve to hold the scissors upright where you can pick them up ready to cut!

The blades are 6" long, the overall length is 13.5" and they weigh 2.5 pounds! I was wondering about their age and what trade they would have used such heavy scissors? Sailmaker? Tent maker? They are certainly made to cut something heavy like canvas or such!

[scottg]

Believe it or not, for tailor shears, these are actually pretty lightweight.
  These are made to cut out suits.  Men's suits.
 You know the old tailor down on second street?
 
 Having them stand means you don't have to stand them back up 1000 times a day.
All tailor shears are meant to rest on the cutout table as they work. Nobody held them up in the air!
    yours Scott
 

[lazyassforge]

Thanks! Tailors had/have to be tough to use these all day!

Bill D.

[Lostmind]

My grandfather was a tailor. When he passed , my mother claimed his scissors as her priced
procession . Passed on to my sister. I always admired the way they were made.
He used them for cutting wool for suits from what I remember.
Looked very similar to yours.

[scottg]

Thanks! Tailors had/have to be tough to use these all day!

  Not so much as you might think. Put a razors edge on yours, and leave them resting on the table as you work. Just slide them along the table as you cut, don't try to lift them at all.
 You will find you can cut any cloth at all, several layers if you want, and pretty effortless.

 Now if you try to pick the shears up off the table and use them?
 Yeah you are going to bite the dust in seconds....... heeheh
     yours Scott

[lazyassforge]

Thanks again, Diana is just going to hang them on her wall or put them on a shelf in her sewing room. Don't think they will see any real use again(at least not from us, maybe their next caretakers will use them when we are gone)!

BD

[JessEm]

I guessed it before I even opened the thread. I have a pair I keep around because they're neat and they work great for cutting fabric into rags. Like a hot knife through butter.