12” Hardened Industrial Shears

We need to use extremely durable steel to equip shears for the toughest cutting applications. This applies to all of our tailoring shears patterns – and especially the 12″ Industrial Shears, a durable, long-lasting pattern intended for cutting upholstery and technical fabrics. 

There are a few different ways to test the hardness of steel. We tend to use the Rockwell hardness testing method. The shears forging is secured on a Rockwell hardness testing device, then indented twice using a diamond indenter, under a different load each time. The difference between measurements for the two loads gives us a read on the hardness of the steel. If the shears forging is as hard as expected, we’ll know that it can be used to make a suitably durable pair of shears. 

Another key testing process is using the finished shears to cut relevant sample materials. Sometimes, the customer will send us a sample of fabric – such as tough denim, neoprene or a rigid plastic – so that we can try cutting it with the shears, before confirming the order. 

We hear some amazing tales about the capabilities of the 12″ Industrial Shears. As a model that would historically have been more commonplace as a pair of upholstery shears, the 21st century sees this model being used to cut Kevlar, a technical fabric used to make bulletproof vests.