Shears & snips

Upholstery Shears, Scissors and Thread Snips

Shop upholstery shears, fabric scissors, thread snips, seam rippers and pinking shears for furniture upholstery, cushion making, loose covers, soft furnishings and suitable automotive trimming work.

Livedale supplies general workroom scissors alongside specialist tailor’s shears in several sizes, including professional side-bent models and fully left-handed shears.

The range can be used for suitable:

• Upholstery fabric
• Lining cloth
• Hessian
• Calico
• Polyester wadding
• Vinyl
• Cushion-cover materials
• Sewing threads
• Piping fabric
• Loose-cover panels
• Automotive and headlining fabrics

Choose according to the material, thickness, length of cut and level of control required.

Full-size tailor’s shears, compact thread snips, pinking shears and seam rippers perform different jobs and should not be treated as interchangeable.

Shop Upholstery Cutting Tools by Type

The range includes:

• 8″ to 12″ tailor’s shears and general scissors
• Side-bent professional shears
• Fully left-handed tailor’s shears
• Heavy-duty stainless-steel shears
• Metal and plastic thread snips
• Small and large seam rippers
• Pinking shears for suitable fabric edges

Tailor’s Shears for Upholstery Fabric

Tailor’s shears are designed for long, controlled cuts through flat fabric laid on a worktable.

A side-bent or offset handle allows the lower blade to remain closer to the cutting surface while keeping the hand above the fabric.

This can be useful when cutting:

• Large upholstery panels
• Cushion tops and borders
• Loose-cover sections
• Curtain and soft-furnishing fabric
• Vinyl
• Hessian and lining cloth
• Patterned furniture coverings

The current range includes:

• Dos Plumas Tailor’s Shears
• Dos Plumas 10″ Fully Left-Handed Tailor’s Shears
• Wiss Tailor’s Shears
• Wilkinson 3119CP Side-Bent Tailor’s Shears
• Kretzer Finny Heavy-Duty 11″ Shears

Dos Plumas Tailor’s Shears

The Dos Plumas Tailor’s Shears are available in:

• 8″
• 10″
• 12″

They are Italian-made side-bent shears with polished blades and drop-forged steel construction.

The range provides a choice of sizes for different workroom requirements.

The 8″ option may suit:

• Smaller cushion panels
• Detailed fabric work
• Shorter cutting lines
• Work where a lighter tool is preferred

The 10″ option provides a practical general-purpose size for regular upholstery and loose-cover cutting.

The 12″ option offers a longer blade for larger panels and extended straight cuts.

Dos Plumas Fully Left-Handed Shears

The Dos Plumas 10″ Fully Left-Handed Tailor’s Shears are specifically designed for left-handed cutting.

Both the handles and blade arrangement are configured for the left hand.

This is important because turning a conventional right-handed pair of shears upside down does not provide the same blade visibility, cutting pressure or handle position.

The shears are described as:

• 10″ long
• Italian made
• Manufactured from drop-forged steel
• Fitted with knife-edge blades
• Fully left-handed in both handle and blade design

They may suit professional left-handed upholsterers, curtain makers and soft-furnishing workrooms requiring a dedicated left-handed tool.

Wiss Tailor’s Shears

The Wiss Tailor’s Shears are available in:

• 10″
• 12″

They use side-bent handles and inlaid blades, combining a forged-steel frame with high-carbon-steel cutting edges.

Potential applications include:

• Upholstery fabric
• Curtain making
• Loose covers
• Cushion panels
• Soft furnishings
• Suitable lighter materials

Choose the 10″ or 12″ size according to the length of cut, tool weight and available worktable space.

Wilkinson 3119CP Side-Bent Shears

The Wilkinson 3119CP Side-Bent Shears are manufactured from hot-forged carbon steel and described as suitable for professional fabric cutting.

The product copy refers to 10″ and 12″ sizes, although the live variation selector currently displays only the 12″ option.

The available stock and variation settings should therefore be checked before ordering.

These shears may suit:

• Regular upholstery work
• Large fabric panels
• Cushion covers
• Loose covers
• Curtain and soft-furnishing production

Kretzer Finny 11″ Heavy-Duty Shears

The Kretzer Finny Heavy-Duty 11″ Shears have:

• 11″ overall size
• Stainless-steel blades
• Ice-tempered blade construction
• Curved Botec cutting profile
• Adjustable screw
• Soft-grip moulded handles
• Handle design suitable for left- or right-handed use

The curved blade is designed to support continuous cutting through suitable heavier materials.

These shears may suit upholstery workrooms cutting:

• Heavy upholstery fabric
• Canvas
• Carpet-type materials
• Multiple suitable textile layers
• General furnishing materials

They are not the same as a fully left-handed shear. The handle can be used in either hand, but the blade arrangement is not described as reversed for left-handed cutting.

General Upholstery Scissors

The general scissor range includes:

• 8″ Kont Scissors
• 10″ Kont Scissors
• Onyx 12″ Perfect-Tip Stainless-Steel Scissors

Kont Upholstery Scissors

The 8″ and 10″ Kont scissors are made from hot-forged high-carbon steel.

Choose the 8″ Kont Scissors for:

• Smaller upholstery panels
• General workroom cutting
• Shorter lines
• Detailed fabric preparation
• A lighter and more compact tool

Choose the 10″ Kont Scissors where:

• A longer cutting stroke is useful
• Larger fabric panels are being prepared
• A general-purpose upholstery shear is required
• The additional size remains comfortable to control

These provide a more budget-conscious alternative to the specialist professional shear ranges.

Onyx 12″ Perfect-Tip Scissors

The Onyx 12″ Perfect-Tip Stainless-Steel Scissors have:

• Overall length of approximately 305mm
• Blade length of approximately 140mm
• Stainless-steel construction
• Handles suitable for left- or right-handed use
• Blades designed to cut through to the tips

Cutting through to the blade tips can be useful when finishing:

• Corners
• Curves
• Notches
• Short final sections
• Detailed pattern points

The 12″ overall size also provides a longer cutting stroke for larger upholstery and furnishing materials.

Choosing the Correct Shear Size

Choose a shorter 8″ pair where:

• The work is relatively detailed
• The panels are small
• Tool weight is important
• Worktable space is restricted
• Short controlled cuts are required

Choose 10″ shears for:

• General upholstery
• Cushion panels
• Regular fabric cutting
• Loose-cover work
• A balance between control and cutting length

Choose 11″ or 12″ shears for:

• Larger fabric panels
• Long straight cuts
• Heavy furnishing textiles
• Regular professional work
• Work where a longer cutting stroke is beneficial

A longer pair is not automatically better. Larger shears are heavier and require sufficient table space to open and guide the blades comfortably.

Pinking Shears

The Premax 9″ Pinking Shears have:

• Overall length of approximately 9″ or 23cm
• Cutting edge of approximately 3″ or 8cm
• Stainless-steel construction
• Zigzag cutting blades

Pinking shears create a serrated fabric edge rather than a straight cut.

This can help reduce fraying on suitable woven fabrics and may be useful for:

• Internal seam allowances
• Fabric samples
• Lightweight lining materials
• Craft and soft-furnishing work
• Edges that will remain concealed

Pinking does not replace an appropriate sewn, bound or overlocked edge where the fabric construction requires one.

Test the shears on an offcut because loosely woven, coated, stretch and heavily textured fabrics may respond differently.

Upholstery Thread Snips

Thread snips are designed for short, repeated cuts rather than cutting complete fabric panels.

The current range includes:

• 4½″ Metal Thread Snips
• Plastic-Handle Thread Snips
• Plastic Thread Snips with Finger Loop

Potential applications include:

• Cutting sewing thread
• Trimming thread ends
• Cutting buttoning twine where suitable
• Removing loose fibres
• Finishing cushion seams
• Sewing-machine work
• General workroom preparation

4½″ Metal Thread Snips

The 4½″ Metal Thread Snips are manufactured from hot drop-forged cutlery steel with a nickel-plated finish.

Their self-opening spring action allows the blades to reopen when hand pressure is released.

They are suited to repeated thread trimming during sewing and upholstery production.

Plastic-Handle Thread Snips

The Plastic-Handle Thread Snips use a spring-action cutting mechanism and are intended for upholstery, dressmaking and craft work.

They provide a lightweight option for:

• Sewing benches
• Cushion-cover production
• Cutting loose thread ends
• General workroom use

Product colours may vary.

Thread Snips with Finger Loop

The Plastic Thread Snips with Finger Loop use the same spring-action principle, with an additional finger loop to help retain the tool during repeated use.

The preferred style will depend on:

• Hand size
• Grip preference
• Frequency of use
• Whether the snips are carried between workstations
• Level of control required

Thread snips are not intended for thick fabric, wire, staples or other hard materials.

Seam Rippers and Unpickers

The category contains:

• 2½″ Small Seam Ripper
• 4″ Large Seam Ripper

Seam rippers are used to cut individual stitches so that a sewn seam can be opened without cutting the surrounding fabric unnecessarily.

They may be useful when:

• Correcting cushion-cover seams
• Replacing zips
• Altering loose covers
• Removing damaged piping
• Opening test stitching
• Repairing upholstery panels
• Removing sewing errors

Choose the smaller version for detailed and restricted work.

Choose the larger version where a longer handle provides more control or easier handling.

Insert the point beneath the stitch rather than pushing it blindly through several fabric layers.

Work gradually and keep the cutting edge away from the visible covering.

Browse Upholstery Zips, Zip Chain & Sliders where a damaged cushion zip is being removed or replaced.

Cutting Upholstery Fabric

Before cutting:

1. Check the finished measurements.
2. Add the required seam allowances.
3. Identify the fabric face and reverse.
4. Check pile or pattern direction.
5. Plan pattern matching.
6. Mark the complete layout.
7. Inspect for fabric faults.
8. Confirm left- and right-hand panels.
9. Keep the fabric flat and supported.

Browse:

• Upholstery Rulers & Tape Measures
• Tailor’s Chalk & Wax Markers

Use long, controlled cutting strokes and keep the lower blade in contact with or close to the worktable where the shear design allows.

Avoid lifting the fabric unnecessarily while cutting, as this can distort the marked line.

Cutting Vinyl and Coated Materials

Browse Upholstery Vinyl & Fabric for furniture coverings.

Vinyl and coated materials can retain permanent creases, scratches and puncture marks.

Before cutting:

• Check the surface for faults
• Support the complete panel
• Keep the blade clean
• Avoid dragging the shear across the visible face
• Test the cutting action on an offcut
• Keep pattern and grain direction consistent

Adhesive residue can transfer to cutting blades and affect their movement. Clean the shears using a method suitable for the blade material.

Cutting Automotive and Headlining Fabrics

Browse Automotive & Headlining Fabrics for suitable vehicle and campervan materials.

Shears may be used for suitable:

• Headlining fabric
• Automotive vinyl
• Carpet
• Trim textiles
• Foam-backed fabric
• Panel-covering materials

Use a test piece where the material contains foam, adhesive backing or several bonded layers.

For detailed panel cutting and other trim tools, browse Car Trimming Tools.

Shears or Foam Cutter?

Full-size shears are primarily intended for fabric and suitable furnishing materials.

For cutting substantial flexible foam, browse:

• Upholstery Knives & Foam Cutters
• Foam Cut to Size

Trying to cut thick upholstery foam with ordinary scissors can compress the foam and produce an uneven or angled edge.

Shears may be useful for thin wadding and selected soft layers, but a purpose-designed foam cutter is more appropriate for thick foam interiors.

Looking After Upholstery Shears

Keep fabric shears reserved for suitable workroom materials.

Avoid cutting:

• Wire
• Staples
• Metal fasteners
• Cardboard containing grit
• Abrasive materials
• Hardened plastic
• Materials containing hidden pins

After use:

• Wipe the blades clean
• Remove adhesive and fabric residue
• Check the pivot
• Keep the blades dry
• Store the tool closed
• Protect the cutting edges
• Keep thread snips and seam rippers securely contained

Do not repeatedly force blunt shears through heavy fabric.

Professional shears may be sharpened and adjusted by a suitable specialist where the blade construction permits.

Safe Cutting

Use shears on a stable, well-lit cutting surface.

Keep the supporting hand away from the blade path and remove pins before cutting.

Avoid:

• Carrying open shears
• Leaving scissors beneath fabric
• Cutting towards the body
• Using excessive force
• Allowing the blades to twist
• Using damaged handles
• Reaching beneath fabric during cutting
• Leaving seam rippers uncovered
• Allowing children access to shears and snips

Store large shears so they cannot fall from the edge of the workbench.

Related Upholstery Tools and Materials

Closely associated ranges include:

• Upholstery Vinyl & Fabric
• Automotive & Headlining Fabrics
• Upholstery Sewing Threads & Bobbins
• Upholstery Piping Cords
• Upholstery Zips, Zip Chain & Sliders
• Measuring & Marking Tools
• Knives & Foam Cutters

Return to the Upholstery Tools hub for pneumatic tools, needles, hammers, pliers and furniture-stripping equipment.

Trade Upholstery Shears and Snips

Livedale supplies upholstery shears, scissors, thread snips and seam rippers to professional upholsterers, furniture manufacturers, cushion makers, automotive trimmers and soft-furnishing workrooms throughout the UK.

The range covers general workroom cutting, long fabric panels, fully left-handed use, thread trimming, seam opening and pinked fabric edges.

Approved trade customers can access preferential pricing across eligible products after registering for a trade account.

Choose the cutting tool according to the material, panel size, hand orientation and level of detail required.