Gingher Dressmaker's Fabric Scissors, 8" Stainless Steel Shears, Sharp Knife Edge Steel Sewing Shears with Protective Sheath for Fabric Cutting and Tailoring

Excellent, strong, sharp scissors. Precise.

I remember the special occasion when I was younger and my mom was given a pair of what I believe were the equivalent of the 8" dressmakers shears. She was ecstatic and proceeded to use them with care for many years. She still uses them today. I recently got into sewing and thought there might be something better out there since technology was sure to develop over 15 years. I was wrong, Gingher is still number one, and their classic style still dominates. I purchased this 7" pair and absolutely love them. They come in a lovely red lined tin. There is no leather sheath included with this model, so if that bothers you then I would recommend getting the 8" dressmaker shears because they do come with a tin and the sheath. Personally, this does not bother me because I don't have to worry about any little ones or pets hurting themselves.When you first open the tin, the shiny scissors scream quality. When you pick up the scissors, you instantly recognize that they are well balanced. The center balance point is just in front of where your index finger goes in the lower blade. The weight is substantial but not burdensome at 1/4 pound exactly. I like the 7" size because I feel like I have good control over my cuts. They are very sharp and, while I plan on purchasing a pair of Gingher 4" embroidery scissors for the task, they are useful in nipping threads and cutting seams. These scissors had no problem cutting through multi-layer (sometimes 4-5 times thick!) duck canvas on a project I recently finished where I made reusable shopping bags.These scissors have marking under the "Gingher" logo stating that they are made in Italy. It is my understanding that the blade sharpening takes place in South Carolina. The tin they come in is made in China.One other reviewer mentioned that they had issues with rust on their scissors. I live in a fairly dry climate (Colorado Springs), so this is not an issue for me. I can't help but wonder whether this reviewer lives in a very humid climate, or if the scissors are stored in an area that experiences a lot of moisture. These scissors are not made of any materials different than other Gingher models, so you can rest assured you are getting the best quality.

Perfect for embroidery. Accurate cutting and pretty to look at. Good price too.

I compared the following fabric shears, listed in order of how well I liked them:1. The Kai 7250: 10 inch Professional Shears N7250 (7250) - Professional Shears2. The Gingher 10 Inch Knife Edge Bent Trimmers (Note: I list these here because I prefer this length, but I only tested the 8" and 12" models below.)3. The Kai 7300: 12 inch Professional Shears N7300 (7300) - Professional Shears4. The Gingher Knife Edge Bent Trimmers 125. The Gingher G-8T KE Tailors Shears, 8-Inch6. The Gingher G-8 8-Inch Knife-Edge Dressmaker's Shears7. The "Kai 110: 11 inch Tailoring Shears S-110 (S-110) - Professional Shears"8. The "Kai 7240-AS: 10 inch Serrated Edge Shears N7240-AS (7240-AS) - Professional Shears"I bought all the Ginghers on Amazon, and all the Kais from their web site (Amazon doesn't sell them). I evaluated them by cutting eight 4" long layered sheets of lightweight cotton fabric at once. My criteria were:- smoothness of cutting- was the edge straight, or did it wave?- comfort of scissors (hand position, weight, tightness of grip)- how often did I have to open the scissors to cut the 4" fabric?With all 8" shears I had to open them too often, resulting in more effort needed to get a straight cut. With all 12" shears I had to open them too wide, which was difficult even with my very large (size 10+) hands. I thus settled on a 10" pair.The Ginghers are all excellent -- better than any of those colored-handle shears I've tried. They are rumored to last 25 years, and they're not that expensive ($25). Of those, the tailoring shears were ever-so-slightly smoother than the dressmaker shears. Not sure why.But the Kai 7000 series were simply better. They're smoother, lighter-weight, sharper, nicer engineering, and they offer a $14 sharpening service. Wow. Them's be some sharp scissors. Holy cow. Did the "let's gently run my thumb perpedicular to this blade" test and a minute later realized I was bleeding... Didn't even feel it. Must also say the customer service was top-notch. They sent me the 3 pair I wanted to test in advance, and didn't charge my card till I picked the one I liked best.Yes, they're $70. But Gingher's 10" pair are $50, too. If you're looking for the best bang for your buck, I'd get the "Gingher G-8T KE Tailors Shears, 8-Inch" ($25). If you're looking for the best fabric shears period, I'd get the Kai 7000 series (the 10" ones for me).Update (01/09/2013): A fellow reviewer pointed out to me that Amazon now carries some of the Kai shears. I have added links above to those they carry at this time. And I still recommend looking at the manufacturer's web site. They offered me super service -- really above and beyond.

These are perfect scissors for appliqué and embroidery plus they are very sharp. No regrets with purchase. Love them

It took over 35 years to finally replace my sewing scissors. So pleased with the quality and handling and sharpness and precision of these Gingher scissors

Love these scissors. I use them to cut RC and Fiber photo paper because I needed something with ultra precision, and I love them. Also great as sewing and fabric scissors, but found they worked phenomenally for an art purpose as well. Worth every penny—super sharp, great serrated edge, weight was not too heavy—really pleased with the purchase.

Elegant; durable; sharp and easy to use! The size and durability is perfect. I no longer struggle to have crisp clean cuts in fabric and ribbons. Only negative...the price is a bit high, but so worth the extra money!