The Best Left-Handed Scissors for Kids, Adults and Back-To-School Season
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Being a leftie can be challenging in a mostly right-handed world that’s not built for you. From elbowing right-handed folks at the dining table to getting pen marks smudged on your hand, the struggles are endless. One of the most frustrating and overlooked aspects? The simple act of using scissors.
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Plenty of brands claim to manufacture universal scissors that work for both righties and lefties, but those claims don’t always pan out. That’s why left-handed scissors are a life-saver. The natural act of cutting leads to a subtle twisting motion in the scissors, which leads to automatic complications for left-handed folks. Although many brands mold handles to be more comfortable for lefties, the secret to the best left-handed scissors is a reversed blade.
Ideally, the blade on a left-handed scissor should be positioned so that no matter which way they’re held, the left blade always remains on top. When the left hand cuts, that will push the blades together, providing a smooth cut for the entire length of the blade, still allowing you a clear view of where you’re cutting.
When a left-handed person uses right-handed scissors, they’re forced to push their thumb and index finger together in an unnatural and uncomfortable way. This can create marks on your hands, and lead to callouses over time. Additionally, lefties have to look over the top blade, which then conceals the cutting line, leading to inaccurate cuts. Here are our favorite left-handed scissors with reversed blades, comfy grips, and other benefits that are the ultimate hack for southpaws.
Westcott Lefty Heavy Duty CarboTitanium 8″ Straight Scissors
BEST OVERALL
Westcott’s CarboTitanium scissors for adults have earned awards, and for good reason. With ergonomic bows and sharp edges, these blades stay sharper for longer, cutting everything from ribbons to cardboard boxes. A soft grip on contoured handles ensures supreme comfort, so you can kiss that hand pain goodbye. Users appreciate this thoughtful design, which is easy to hold and cuts like butter. As one reviewer puts it, “please consider all the years you have used the wrong scissors like I have before purchasing good quality scissors that were legitimately made for you.”
Buy: Westcott Lefty Heavy Duty CarboTitanium 8-inch Straight Scissors $13.52
Fiskars Left-Hand 8″ Stainless Scissors with Bent Handle
BEST RUNNER UP
Fiskars has nailed the formula of engineering perfect leftie scissors with reversed blades – after all, the CEO of the company is a leftie himself. There are no frills on these straight-forward scissors, which many left-handed people call a lifesaver. Forget the challenge of going to multiple stores and searching for a secure and comfy option. You’ll never need to hunt for scissors again or worry about contorting your hand in the awkward shape. Most buyers went ahead and ordered multiple pairs for the family after the first buy.
ON SALE!
Buy: Fiskars Left-Hand 8-inch Stainless Scissors with Bent Handle $8.78 (orig. $16.99) 48% OFF
Galadim Left-Handed Kids Scissors
BEST FOR KIDS
Finding leftie scissors for kids from kindergarten age and up presents an additional challenge – they need to have an ergonomic fit for tiny fingers, and the blades can’t be too sharp. This choice by Galadim featured a safety blade, a soft grip, and blades that are rounded but efficient enough to cut construction paper, foam, and poster board. We love that this comes in a five-pack, which is useful if you have multiple children, or if your youngster is prone to losing things.
Buy: Galadim Left-Handed Kids Scissors $8.99
YAZEMKEL Left-Hand Scissors 8″ Stainless Steel 3-Pack
BEST BUDGET PICK
YAZEMKEL’s three-pack is only $11.99 and comes in dynamic colors. It features left-handed blades and an 8-inch blade length that’s ergonomic for both teens and adults. They can even slice through cloth, though we don’t suggest trying multiple layers. It’s hard to find scissors made for lefties that are also at a reasonable price point, though it’s worth noting that there isn’t a soft-grip handle. Still, one buyer recommended them after his sister with severe arthritis called them “by far the best” after trying dozens of ineffective alternatives.
Buy: YAZEMKEL Left-Hand Scissors 8-inch Stainless Steel 3-Pack $14.99
Mudder Adaptive Loop Scissors
BEST LOOP SCISSORS
Although they’re not widely known by many people, loop scissors, otherwise known as adaptive scissors, are extremely useful for special ed students, disabled individuals, or those with low muscle tone in the hand. These demographics have always had trouble with applying the force needed for traditional scissors, but this looped model allows you to cut like a dream, with greater control. Given the unique shape, they can be used for both right-handed and left-handed people. It is worth noting that these blades are shorter than the average blade found on cutters.
Buy: Mudder Adaptive Loop Scissors $8.99
LIVINGO 8″ Professional Heavy Duty Tailor Fabric Bent Scissors
BEST FOR FABRIC
Plenty of scissors out there tout the ability to slice through fabric but end up disappointing users with anything tougher than cotton. The physical agony of forcing your way through material combined with the discomfort of right-handed scissors makes for a disaster. Fortunately, these professional 8” dressmaker scissors are ultra-sharp, with a nontoxic mirror finish that never gets dull. Amazon reviewers offer impressive testimonies, comparing this model to their family’s oldest and most foolproof scissors that have lasted decades.
Buy: LIVINGO 8-inch Professional Heavy Duty Tailor Fabric Bent Scissors $15.99
Left-Handed 10″ Sewing Scissors
BEST FOR SEWING
These black sewing scissors stand up to thick and resilient leather, but what we appreciate is the inclusion of a thread snipper. If you’re tackling a quilting project or find that your existing snippers can’t stand up to the task, this is an industrial-grade dressmaking alternative that you won’t have to sharpen. They’re heavyweight, but that’s a pro for many buyers. One customer describes this striking pair as being as “sharp as the devil’s tongue,” and overall they have a 4.8-star rating from Amazon customers.
Buy: Left-Handed 10-Inch Sewing Scissors $31.99
Purple Dragon Left Handed 6″ Grooming Scissors
BEST FOR GROOMING
Whether you’re a hairdresser or like to DIY your own haircuts, doing so with right-handed scissors can be a headache, leaving you with a lopsided cut. So if you’re looking for grooming scissors for left handed folks, then you’ll be happy to know Purple Dragon has filled a much-needed gap in the market for lefties cutting hair. Made from Japanese stainless steel, these trimmers lessen fatigue and improve accuracy. The expensive-looking set, vetted by professionals, comes with a thinning comb and a leather case. Purple Dragon is so confident it’ll meet your needs that they offer a lifetime guarantee, along with complimentary maintenances services.
Buy: Purple Dragon Left Handed 6-inch Hair Cutting Scissors with Thinning Comb and Case $17.99
iBayam 8″ 3-Pack Scissors
BEST VALUE
These pointed 8” scissors can accomplish all of your general cutting tasks and stay sharp for other 100,000 cuts. If things tend to disappear around your home, this offering comes in a color-coded three-pack, guaranteeing an automatic backup pair. The high-quality material combined with ease of use and seamless function equals an unbeatable option in our eyes if you require more than one pair. Many buyers do mention that the scissors were larger and sharper than expected, making them a better buy for adults or teens versus younger family members.
Buy: iBayam 8-inch 3-Pack Scissors $7.99
LIVINGO Premium Heavy-Duty 9.5″ Professional Crafting Scissors
BEST HEAVY DUTY PICK
When conventional fabric-cutters aren’t enough, or if you have larger hands, turn to these multi-purpose shears. If your scissors always break after intense jobs (or at least stop gliding like they used to) this might offer a solution to your problems. One fan was dazzled by the pair’s ability to slice through wildlife leather without it pulling or stretching the hide. The same buyer tested its effectiveness on other hard-to-cut fabrics, claiming that they were “light enough not to bend silk crepe, yet heavy enough for a bull elk hide.”
Buy: LIVINGO Premium Heavy-Duty 9.5-inch Professional Crafting Scissors $13.99
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