Just for reference, that pair of scissors are worth over 180$ shows the craftsmanship and hard work behind them. My grandmother, may she rest in peace, used to have a pair of scissors from that company, bought them when she worked as a tailor in the late 50s, and it was the last pair of scissors she ever bought..
Im the guy who contacted Alec and suggested the visit after I bought a 13" pair for £260. They are simply ASTONISHING. I know its a cliche, but they just feel like an extension of your arm, they are MASSIVE, but they feel small and delicate. The balance is perfection, the edges are like razor blades. And they were THE nicest people to deal with you could possibly imagine
Every school ought have a pair of these along with the stamped steel versions most people thing are scissors now days to show kid the difference between quality and junk. Most people will go through their entire lives never knowing such quality is even possible.
My mother had a pair of shears made just after *_World War II_* and it was the only pair she used until she died in 2011. She made all of our clothes with paper patterns and would cut whatever cloth she wanted, short of _chain mail._ 😉 I still have them and they are works of art.
Ok that was the coolest shop walkthrough yet. Every single station was bespoke and all the dudes working there were grinning with pride. Even the finest craftsmen use percussive finishing.
I can see that I have been resharpening scissors incorrectly, and I am a retired toolmaker who should have known better. I disassemble the scissors, and place each blade flat on a 400 grit DMT diamond stone, which is trying to make the mating surfaces flat. I can see that while this would preserve the angle to some extent, it might compromise the twist. Would I be better moving the blade perpendicular to the diamond stone and concentrate pressure on the stone's outer edge? I'm thinking that would cause the blade to rotate about its axis maintaining its twist. What is the correct clearance angle for the cutting edge, and is it different for the two blades? This is incredibly interesting, and more complex than I ever imagined.
I've just remembered something. I worked at Ford Product Development at Dunton in Essex. A friend worked in a department where they copied huge drawings on sheets of 1.5 metre (I am guessing here) Mylar. To cut the Mylar they would start the cut with the shears and then push them through so they sliced rather than cut. The shears would eventually wear groves in the cutting edge, and they would become way to deep to grind out, so they threw them away and bought a new pair. I wonder how hard those shears were? I worked in Test Instrumentation, and we had a Rockwell tester, but it never occurred to test those shears.
I have a pair of their kitchen shears. I purchased them for my Mom for Mother's Day a few years before she passed away. When she passed, I inherited them back. I will likely pass them on to future generations. They are timeless and are made to incredible quality. I use them multiple times a week.
There is something about inheriting things back that fulfills a circle. I'm a believer that a gift should try to be an extention of the relationship between the giver and the recipient - bridging their personalities and interests. So when you get the item back, you are sure to have something to always remember them by. Thank you for sharing, it reminded me of the things I have inherited from my grandparents. Both their items, and things I gave to them.
please dont under estiamte how much these videos and this series is doing for not only morale but just getting passion out there. incredible stuff - please don't stop exploring great British 'putters' and all the rest
Operating that slackbelt inside grinder is tantamount to playing the piano. The dexterity and bodily coordination required to do it well is otherworldly. What a beautiful, complicated piece of machinery
The level of obsessive craftsmanship is fantastic. 99% of the world couldn't justify paying the price for tbese scissors, but for people who make their living using them, they are worth every penny.
Most people get through their whole lives never knowing how good a pair of scissors can be, because all they ever use is extremely cheap mass produced rubbish.
@@piccalillipit9211 Thanks for recommending it to him, this was really interesting to watch. I knew these better scissors existed, but I had no idea they were so hands-on with the craftsmanship.
Your are so spot on, a professional use the best there is, because in the long run, it will pay for it self. We who uses things on a random schedule could not get the treasurer to pay out this amount, but the pride of owning a real quality handmade product is awesome. And you make sure to display it use it as much as possible. To your friends annoyed looks.
This isn't "obsessive" craftsmanship. This is craftsmanship. You've been brainwashed by the 1% to believe that this is excessive and too much. No. This is quality and this is how things should be made. Not cheap trash you pay JUST AS MUCH for, over the course of your life, by buying and throwing out. This is not a pair of scissors you buy 1000 times, this is a pair of scissors you buy once.
I don't make a living using them, I have a pair of kitchen scissors. All I can say is - buy a pair. They are lifetime scissors, hand them down to your kids. Yeah, they're expensive, but you only need to buy them once.
The gentleman at the beginning of the assembly chapter - I believe he was on another video from Business Insider several years ago that covered the same workshop. He had just started and was just beginning to learn the art of “putting together”. It’s great to see he’s still there and has mastered his craft!
I wonder if that video inspired a new generation of craftsmen to join the shop, or if all these people already worked there but were excluded from the Business Insider video because it didn't fit their narrative.
I have watched in awe videos of Japanese masters making a Katana, these guys are on the same level such is the attention to detail and pride they take in their craft. Easily your best video Alec. Thank you.
I'm proud to say I helped resurrect Ernest Wright & Co. years ago on their Kickstarter campaign, and am thrilled to see them growing succesfully. My Turton model and KutRite model kitchen shears are still going strong, and are the finest scissors I've ever had the pleasure of using.
I have my Kickstarter Turtons, and I liked them so much I bought some 8" shears and a pair of stork scissors. I just gifted some Turtons to a friend, and he put me on to this video. I'm so happy it worked out!
I love seeing the behind-the-scenes of how seemingly "ordinary" things are made, and I love that you're shining a spotlight on the craftsmanship going on at small places like this. I hope more places continue to open their doors to you so this series can continue.
My Mama was a Piece Worker in South Alabama. She did Piece Work (if you don't know what that is, women would contract to sew up various garments at home in order to make some 'Pin Money', but first they needed a good sewing machine, shears and a bit of training. a lot of women did the work, sewing up hundreds of garments every week paying off their new sewing machines and shears. within a year they had a sewing machine and enough experience to clothe their families), and swore she could sew up anything with her Singer 401 and, her Ernest Wright Shears. She did too. Some of the thinnest gossamer slippery synthetics and silks making some of the most expensive lingerie.She even sewed up wedding dresses and made a few suits for my dad.
I have owned a pair of their Turton kitchen shears for years after watching a video talking about this dying industry. At the time, there were only a few craftsman and they were older gentlemen. This video has made me appreciate my scissors even more. Thank you for the video.
This was an awesome behind the scenes for Wright. I have several of their scissors and for those of you unaware, this company has been to hell and back over the last several years. The fact they’re still around and making scissors is nothing short of a miracle made possible by the dedicated employees.
My mum, long retired seamstress, has a set of these. Bought back before I was born so now 50 odd years old and still scary sharp! Worked on a similarish grind machine back in the late 90's putting front and rear edges on strip steel rolls, 4 grind stones in a row...no numbers or fancy digital gauges. Crank the angles of the steel coming into the machine with a big wrench, get the feed speed of the steel right, adjust the feed of the stones right and it would run 300m of rolled up blunt steel into a shaving edge within specification without you touching the machine once it was all set.
as a craftsman I love seeing places like this and seeing people with such a passion and enjoyment for what they do and seeing a beautiful product being made
ngl the grindstone guy seems really chill and nice. Very nice of him to guide him through every step of grinding and telling him how to improve on his mistakes.
I honestly felt emotional watching these masters at their craft, the pride they feel for their work is incredibly inspiring. These videos are a true treasure!
Hey I ordered a pair of those (to Seattle, WA) about 2 years ago. They are such a joy to use. Glad that you were able to get in there and spread the word. Hopefully Earnest Wright is going to get a bunch of new customers. I heard that the artisan scissor industry in the UK is struggling.
I'm sure they are, you hear him say we have blanks here from the 80s? That tells they aren't selling a ton of them. When you have companies like Mundial selling superbly crafted scissors for 50-60 bucks for a 10-12 inch pair it's really hard for people to stomach 250-300 for hand made units. Given the quality of these units absolutely blow the Mundial pieces out the door and the level of fit and finish is not even comparable... the performance is comparable and that makes it hard for people to spend 6x the price for hand made units unless they are buying it for the artisan factor alone. It's just like the ultra high end hand made Japanese scissors that are 1200-1500 dollars a set, they are absolutely the finest scissors made but they are only being sold to a very very specific market. I sharpen about 20 sets of these ultra high end Japanese scissors a year for clients and the quality is truly astonishing, the steels used are absolutely top quality, the finishing is world class in every way and these scissors will cleanly and flawlessly cut the finest most delicate fabrics and paper that there is. They require a very special sharpening style that is unlike how I sharpen any other scissors and I'm finishing the cutting edge on a .44 micron stone and a 0.1, 0.05 and 0.01 micron strop so that it's a mirror finish that's as fine as a beauty mirror is and the apex of the cutting edge will literally whittle hair. That's what's expected on these ultra high end scissors and there are only a handful of people like my self that have the skill to sharpen them for clients. The artisan scissor market overall is very small and there is only 4 or 5 markers still around of these ultra high end scissors and one or two bespoke scissors makers that do work in hand forged mosaic Damascus or powder metallurgy Damasteel and those scissors can get up in the 3 to 10k range.
when I first started working as a aircraft engineer I was involved with rebuilding Ailerons on a DC3 (Dakota) using a set of British Pinking scissors on the fabric (as in dope and fabric). You Brits make some very fine tools and double barrel shotguns.
My mother was a seamstress in the 60s , then went into upholstery in the late 70s and she still has a few pairs of EW scissor and a beautiful pair of bird shaped thread scissors! Wonderful craftsmanship
I saw a video about Earnest Wright years ago, probably a decade now and from that moment I was captivated by the absolute craftsmanship of these. I'm so so glad to see Alec make a visit and share the process with us as well!
I had issues with a couple pairs and let's just say the customer service they offer is off the charts incredible. Just astounding customer service. Love their work
What amazes me is that all these workers are incredible at talking and teaching. If someone would come to my place with a camera i'd have such a hard time speaking so fluently about the stuff I do because I'm just not used to that
I have only two comments. 1. It's so great to see a hand-crafted, but machine-made product in metal. Applause! 2. It's also VERY GREAT to want to buy a product, but be told I have a year wait to be on the waiting list (maybe). I feel like a Seers and Roebuck ACME customer! What a treat! So glad that the team at Ernest Wright have so much ongoing interest. Absolutely worth it!
We have a wide variety of patterns in stock. If a specific pattern is not available, we can deliver most models within 10 weeks. However, please note that there are two models with longer waiting times due to the complexity of the pattern and the high demand for these designs.
These are the kinds of videos children need to see. Get them to see how much work goes into products and how important it is. Get them to appreciate skills and manufacturing in general.
I have their kitchen scissor and I love it! The feel and click when you use it is just pure happiness. I’ve watched all of their videos on how they make their scissors but this was much more in depth and I’m even more impressed by it than before. Absolutely an awesome scissor
I haven't watched any of your videos in a fair while Alec. Life got in the way. This was the first one in around 12 months and reminds me why I followed you in the first place. Brilliant insight into a true craft. Thank you for brightening a Sunday evening.
This was wild. Made me think of my mother's dressmaking days and the scissors she still has wish her name engraved on the side by her father. I love these tour and process videos!
I _love_ this kinda stuff. It’s so enlightening to see these factory visits and deep dives on how tools work, how they’re made, etc. It’s the kind of knowledge that makes you appreciate everything around you. Tools rule!
i saw this on how its made. long ago. it was an older gentleman teaching a new generation. its good to see informational videos still being made. awesome Video!!
Despite having zero background in forging or anything to do with metallurgy, it was really interesting to see the process behind those fine looking scissors, but even cooler to see Alec hyped over the machines.
@@Eldriitch That's what I was saying... my bad if that wasn't clear. "Everything in Sheffield is knifey" meant that the city revolves around the blade industry, with blades of all sorts from scissors to cutlery to surgical steel and of course weapons and tools.
@@robertharris1748 What's the nickname? (I'm assuming that Utd must be an abbreviation for a football team called "United," because that feels like a really good guess, lol. And fyi, by "football," I mean soccer.)
As an American, I really enjoy your channel for so many reasons. But I really enjoy watching how things are handmade. I was a big fan of Mr. Rogers growing up, so this is great. I also like when things are handmade by your own country. Hopefully we can get back to making more and more thing's in our own country. Great video bud
I used to drive past here every day, very unassuming location for such amazing workmanship. Got some of the kitchen scissors and they are amazing. Given a few away as presents that should hopefully last a lifetime.
I saw a beautiful documentary on this company and the founder a few years ago and was absolutely inspired. Bought my wife two different pairs of scissors as a gift and they are just beautiful. Can't recommend them enough. True old-world craftsmanship at its finest.
*OH WOW - IT WAS ME WHO SUGGESTED THIS....!!!* You did this really quick - I hope Pam was nice to you 😀 I waited 5 months for their 13" Tailors sheers - they only make 10 pairs a month. They were wonderful people to deal with EDIT: WOW its amazing to see the world that went into them - thanks Alec and Jamie
i wonder if its that Reed needs to explain how to use the machine everytime he puts scissors in. i bet that machine being learned is going to be lost with Reed... he needs an apprentice to teach how to fix and use that monster.
You've only commented on 5 posts telling people you suggested they visit this factory and that you paid £260 for a pair of 13inch fabric shears. You should be commenting on every single post so everyone knows you bought a pair of 13inch fabric shears for £260 and that it was actually you that suggested Alec visited this factory.
@@googleuser859are you cooking this guy because he’s excited or because he paid a lot of money for a high quality item. Either way, it’s a bad look…don’t be a hater.
@@Chainsaw-ASMR IM really excited I made a good thing happen that benefited both Alec and the scissor company, I was so excited that I could not sleep last night.
I'll be another to add how great this series is, who would have thought so much goes into making a pair of scissors, definitely blew my mind and to see the pride those guys take in their work.
i’ve used those scissors and unconsciously, i appreciated the feel and how they performed i had no idea of the amount of thought and engineering that went into them. incredible!
122 years of tradition and English craftsmanship right there to produce a superb pair of tailors scissors which will last him his or hers working lifetime and beyond. It was great to watch and see how complicated a proper pair of scissors actually are! Thank you for bringing us this. I've subscribed!
This place was on the brink of collapse, but a student (I think) did a short documentary about them and it exploded. Pretty sure all the young guys shown apprenticed there because of the documentary.
I spent a couple decades in a design shop. We were designing hi end backpacking tents and gear. I made patterns and cut samples for sewers to sew up to see how the patterns were fitting. We had lots of scissors, and certainly certain ones were better than the others. Certainly the cutting room used electric knives, and I used electric scissors often too, but a good pair of hand shears sure is a joy to use. Thanks for the tour
So happy to be seeing Ernest Wright in my feed. I remember ordering a set of shears from them 10 years ago and getting production updates from Nick Wright every month. Truly wish he could be here to see what it has become.
Amazing video! As someone who uses shears everyday to make car interiors, I had a rough idea how they were made but it was great to watch in so much detail! Enjoying the British manufacturing tours 😀
I had the pleasure of grinding in a shop with a wide variety of abrasives and fixtures, but this shop is so much more refined. I need to create a mimic of this shop😊
I have two 10” Sheffield Scissors an 8” and 4” pairs that I’ve used for garment leather and furs for decades. I have yet to sharpen them once (I have buffed the edge weekly with 12,000/24000/36000 grit polishes). Treated properly my children, grandchildren and great great grandchildren will use them and still wonder who to give them to next.
If you're ever back in Sheffield I recommend a trip to the Metalwork Collection at the Millenium Gallery. Also, Kelham Island Museum for the working 12,000hp River Don steam engine and the incredible Hawley Tool gallery. Would be right up your street!
i bought a pair last Christmas for my daughter. It's hard for you to see in the video , but these are large and heavy. she loves them and guards from being used anywhere but her sewing projects. I will buy me a pair this year.
When I started my first job 50 years ago, part of my work was to cut my lab samples from woolen fabrics. I was given a pair of scissors made by Platts in Sheffield, all the way to here in Australia. Not Ernest Wright but that doesn't make them earnestly wrong. When I moved on to my next job I was told to keep the scissors. They stayed with me at every workplace all my working career, now in semi retirement those scissors sit just a few inches away right now, on my home desk. 50 years of hard use have taken the polish but I have never needed to sharpen them or tighten the pivot.
My first thought was: "Bloody Hell - I'm not going to spend 28 minutes watching how to make a pair of damned scissors." My second thought was: "Well, that was a fascinating 28 minutes . . . " I, like I would wager nearly 100% of the population, had no idea the precision work and attention, skill, artisanship, and care that went into these works of art - it's fair to call them that. They're really sort of metal sculptures, I'd bet - to the degree anyone thinks about these things, if at all - that scissor making to most people is: "pour the hot metal in here, and the scissor comes out here, boxed for shipment." The specialized (you Brits call it bespoke) machinery itself is fascinating - let alone the skill required to adjust and use it to produce the final product. I'm gobsmacked to see the detail, and now feel like I have a vastly more in-depth education on what til now was just another common household item in a drawer. Fascinating. Wonderful video. Thank you.
passion for a trade is something that always makes it enjoyable to witness and each and every single person their had that passion and pride to show what they do for a living. and i think that is wonderful to witness
Great to find this! I am the proud owner of both the kitchen scissors shown at the beginning, and the 10" shears, and they are by far the best scissors I've ever owned. I was also lucky enough to know Nick Wright, the 5th Generation of scissor makers in the Wright family, who re-launched the Kutrite kitchen scissors, and was a generous and unstinting support of Gordon Snee Art and other arts organisations in Sheffield. Please support this amazing company if you can, you won't regret buying their scissors!
I've watched many scissors restored and always thought there was a little more trickery to their shaping, at ;east the old (and still made - now I see) well made ones. Now I know there is and it was well explained. As a child, we were never allowed to use mother's dressmaking scissors. They looked very similar to the scissors you made. Nice work, bye the way. Good video.
Absolutely brilliant! So good to see a company still 'making' something in the UK that requires knowledge to be passed down by example and years of training. I never knew so much was involved with making a good pair of scissors.
@@ElijahBigler The problem with using damascus for scissors is the mix of metals. You can never again align the hard edges to softer edges along the length of the blade to prevent one wearing out the other prematurely.
@@MattWeber you could make a "true" Damascus--in the Wootz style, creating a puck in a crucible and forging it from there. This way it's mostly homogeneous, but still has some of the visual distinction associated with Damascus blades.
I don’t usually comment on videos but this one I had to. This was absolutely brilliant. My jaw dropped when I saw how they used the belt grinder on the inside of the scissor handles! And the way he hammered on the scissors to “fine tuned”, unbelievable. Amazing craftsmanship, wonderful workshop tour 👏
Well, I don’t need scissors like this, but I’m going to buy some solely for the fact that I LOVE bespoke, quality, hand made and loved products that are “buy it for life” quality.
I already loved my two pair of Ernest Wright scissors, but now my appreciation is at a whole new level. Fascinating! I keep pulling one pair out of its box to look at it as I watch the process.
Blimey, how superb is that. In this electronic age it’s more important than ever to showcase proper engineering and the skill and pride of such craftsmen. Thanks for this.👍🏻
I will never grow tired of watching Sheffield Craftsmen. Signed a Sheffield man. Oh, and the next time your up here Alex, how about I take you up some local hills? :)
I ordered a pair of kitchen scissors from them during the Covid times. They arrived after a long time for obvious reasons, but the Company apologized several times for this, and the wait was definitely worth it! I know I'm wrong, but I must confess that I haven't had the 'courage' to use them because they are so beautiful and well-made. Now, after seeing your video, I've put myself on the waiting list for two more pairs to give to my daughters when they're older. I hope the queue moves quickly!
@@reidothetorpedo7846 I'll be honest I thought you were southern California having grown up there myself. I guess where you're from and Cali have something in common.
Thank you Alec! Loved the video. Keep up the great work!!! (I detected an American accent among some of the employees of Wright! Perhaps master machinists? Good on you guys! ( I love the yanks - Mr. Reed showing the Brits a thing or two!) I'm a retired engineer who has a background in machining & metallurgy (dynamic), this was a great video.
*I HAVE THEIR 13" FABRIC SHEARS* they are simply astonishing *IMPORTANT NOTE - THEY POST WITHIN THE EU - NO DUTY...!!!* I know its a cliche, but they just feel like an extension of your arm, they are MASSIVE, but they feel small and delicate. The balance is perfection, the edges are like razor blades. I can cut coats with 24oz tweed with zero effort and absolute precision £260 but honestly, for what they are they are so SO worth the money.
It's amazing how much better it is when the scissors are designed to do the work for you, instead of having to fight them like I do with cheaper ones. I'm on the maybe once a year crafting side of it so I can't quite justify buying these, but I've used them when other people had a pair and I really want them, heh.
@@Merennulli Im semi professional with my work - now I know how good they are they seem very low cost. When I was buying them it seemed like a massive luxury - but they are, they are right tool for the job.
My grandpa emigrated with a lot of finest quality English goods, from Romano-British finds from the garden and medieval furniture to common stationary, tins of tar and what have you. When it came time for his things passed to his children, what I most wanted to fall in my general direction were his scissors. Seems I was the only one interested in them, but my word, they are incredible. He was the sort of fellow who wouldn't just have known the best scissor retailer in London, but why they were the best and exactly what he was looking for. I don't have any particular memories of seeing him use them, but for some reason, they seem to capture a great deal of his essence.
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
Just for reference, that pair of scissors are worth over 180$ shows the craftsmanship and hard work behind them. My grandmother, may she rest in peace, used to have a pair of scissors from that company, bought them when she worked as a tailor in the late 50s, and it was the last pair of scissors she ever bought..
Im the guy who contacted Alec and suggested the visit after I bought a 13" pair for £260. They are simply ASTONISHING. I know its a cliche, but they just feel like an extension of your arm, they are MASSIVE, but they feel small and delicate. The balance is perfection, the edges are like razor blades.
And they were THE nicest people to deal with you could possibly imagine
Every school ought have a pair of these along with the stamped steel versions most people thing are scissors now days to show kid the difference between quality and junk. Most people will go through their entire lives never knowing such quality is even possible.
My Italian scissors feel icky now
Scissors are as much of a tool as any other in a workshop. Great tools can be used for generations.
My mother had a pair of shears made just after *_World War II_* and it was the only pair she used until she died in 2011.
She made all of our clothes with paper patterns and would cut whatever cloth she wanted, short of _chain mail._ 😉
I still have them and they are works of art.
Ok that was the coolest shop walkthrough yet. Every single station was bespoke and all the dudes working there were grinning with pride. Even the finest craftsmen use percussive finishing.
Im the guy who suggested Alec do the visit - these are the NICEST people you could ever deal with
@@piccalillipit9211 thanks for helping make this video reach my eyeballs. so satisfying
@@lmfao1264 I was so excited last night I could not sleep LOL. Its really nice to have been able to help both Alec and the scissors company.
Thanks for swinging by, it was a pleasure to meet you!
I can see that I have been resharpening scissors incorrectly, and I am a retired toolmaker who should have known better. I disassemble the scissors, and place each blade flat on a 400 grit DMT diamond stone, which is trying to make the mating surfaces flat. I can see that while this would preserve the angle to some extent, it might compromise the twist. Would I be better moving the blade perpendicular to the diamond stone and concentrate pressure on the stone's outer edge? I'm thinking that would cause the blade to rotate about its axis maintaining its twist. What is the correct clearance angle for the cutting edge, and is it different for the two blades? This is incredibly interesting, and more complex than I ever imagined.
I've just remembered something. I worked at Ford Product Development at Dunton in Essex. A friend worked in a department where they copied huge drawings on sheets of 1.5 metre (I am guessing here) Mylar. To cut the Mylar they would start the cut with the shears and then push them through so they sliced rather than cut. The shears would eventually wear groves in the cutting edge, and they would become way to deep to grind out, so they threw them away and bought a new pair. I wonder how hard those shears were? I worked in Test Instrumentation, and we had a Rockwell tester, but it never occurred to test those shears.
@@TrevorDennis100 Do what I do and just maul at it with a dremel. Takes under 2 seconds. If your scissors clap out buy more scissors. Simple as.
@reidothetorpedo7846 You should have a branded channel, and post content about your job. Missed opportunity here to get half a million subscribers.
Loved your vibe dude, with more time to prep and be camera ready you could be an awesome machining educator!
More of these factory visits please Alec.
Nooooooo
Hell yeah! Love to geek out along with Alec. Lol
This is like an advanced version of How It's Made. I so love that show. I wish they would have kept it going.
Me to bro, that was a great show !@@kameljoe21
@@LittleGreyWolfForgeYessss !
I have a pair of their kitchen shears. I purchased them for my Mom for Mother's Day a few years before she passed away. When she passed, I inherited them back. I will likely pass them on to future generations. They are timeless and are made to incredible quality. I use them multiple times a week.
There is something about inheriting things back that fulfills a circle. I'm a believer that a gift should try to be an extention of the relationship between the giver and the recipient - bridging their personalities and interests. So when you get the item back, you are sure to have something to always remember them by.
Thank you for sharing, it reminded me of the things I have inherited from my grandparents. Both their items, and things I gave to them.
please dont under estiamte how much these videos and this series is doing for not only morale but just getting passion out there. incredible stuff - please don't stop exploring great British 'putters' and all the rest
Operating that slackbelt inside grinder is tantamount to playing the piano. The dexterity and bodily coordination required to do it well is otherworldly. What a beautiful, complicated piece of machinery
28:29 is memeworthy. I had a massive aha-experience when I saw exactly how it's used.
I would be terrified of getting the angle wrong and have them ripped out of my hands and yeeted across the shop.
@@timhartherz5652 and thats only one of a number of ways you could mess yourself up with that thing
The level of obsessive craftsmanship is fantastic. 99% of the world couldn't justify paying the price for tbese scissors, but for people who make their living using them, they are worth every penny.
Most people get through their whole lives never knowing how good a pair of scissors can be, because all they ever use is extremely cheap mass produced rubbish.
@@piccalillipit9211 Thanks for recommending it to him, this was really interesting to watch. I knew these better scissors existed, but I had no idea they were so hands-on with the craftsmanship.
Your are so spot on, a professional use the best there is, because in the long run, it will pay for it self. We who uses things on a random schedule could not get the treasurer to pay out this amount, but the pride of owning a real quality handmade product is awesome. And you make sure to display it use it as much as possible. To your friends annoyed looks.
This isn't "obsessive" craftsmanship. This is craftsmanship. You've been brainwashed by the 1% to believe that this is excessive and too much. No. This is quality and this is how things should be made. Not cheap trash you pay JUST AS MUCH for, over the course of your life, by buying and throwing out. This is not a pair of scissors you buy 1000 times, this is a pair of scissors you buy once.
I don't make a living using them, I have a pair of kitchen scissors. All I can say is - buy a pair. They are lifetime scissors, hand them down to your kids. Yeah, they're expensive, but you only need to buy them once.
The gentleman at the beginning of the assembly chapter - I believe he was on another video from Business Insider several years ago that covered the same workshop. He had just started and was just beginning to learn the art of “putting together”. It’s great to see he’s still there and has mastered his craft!
i remember that video, every year it pops up on my facebook memories. every year it blows my mind haha
Also remember that superb video.
I wonder if that video inspired a new generation of craftsmen to join the shop, or if all these people already worked there but were excluded from the Business Insider video because it didn't fit their narrative.
I have watched in awe videos of Japanese masters making a Katana, these guys are on the same level such is the attention to detail and pride they take in their craft. Easily your best video Alec. Thank you.
I'm proud to say I helped resurrect Ernest Wright & Co. years ago on their Kickstarter campaign, and am thrilled to see them growing succesfully. My Turton model and KutRite model kitchen shears are still going strong, and are the finest scissors I've ever had the pleasure of using.
I have my Kickstarter Turtons, and I liked them so much I bought some 8" shears and a pair of stork scissors. I just gifted some Turtons to a friend, and he put me on to this video. I'm so happy it worked out!
I love seeing the behind-the-scenes of how seemingly "ordinary" things are made, and I love that you're shining a spotlight on the craftsmanship going on at small places like this. I hope more places continue to open their doors to you so this series can continue.
My Mama was a Piece Worker in South Alabama. She did Piece Work (if you don't know what that is, women would contract to sew up various garments at home in order to make some 'Pin Money', but first they needed a good sewing machine, shears and a bit of training. a lot of women did the work, sewing up hundreds of garments every week paying off their new sewing machines and shears. within a year they had a sewing machine and enough experience to clothe their families), and swore she could sew up anything with her Singer 401 and, her Ernest Wright Shears. She did too. Some of the thinnest gossamer slippery synthetics and silks making some of the most expensive lingerie.She even sewed up wedding dresses and made a few suits for my dad.
Great story my friend.
@@geneard639 thanks for sharing brother 🤙🏼
I have owned a pair of their Turton kitchen shears for years after watching a video talking about this dying industry. At the time, there were only a few craftsman and they were older gentlemen. This video has made me appreciate my scissors even more. Thank you for the video.
This was an awesome behind the scenes for Wright. I have several of their scissors and for those of you unaware, this company has been to hell and back over the last several years. The fact they’re still around and making scissors is nothing short of a miracle made possible by the dedicated employees.
It is an incredible and joyful journey 😊
This brought back memories of discovering all of these processes the hard way. Scissormaking is definitely an art.
My mum, long retired seamstress, has a set of these. Bought back before I was born so now 50 odd years old and still scary sharp!
Worked on a similarish grind machine back in the late 90's putting front and rear edges on strip steel rolls, 4 grind stones in a row...no numbers or fancy digital gauges. Crank the angles of the steel coming into the machine with a big wrench, get the feed speed of the steel right, adjust the feed of the stones right and it would run 300m of rolled up blunt steel into a shaving edge within specification without you touching the machine once it was all set.
as a craftsman I love seeing places like this and seeing people with such a passion and enjoyment for what they do and seeing a beautiful product being made
ngl the grindstone guy seems really chill and nice. Very nice of him to guide him through every step of grinding and telling him how to improve on his mistakes.
I honestly felt emotional watching these masters at their craft, the pride they feel for their work is incredibly inspiring. These videos are a true treasure!
Love these British heritage manufacturing videos. Keep showcasing these kind of factories and craftsmanship!
Hey I ordered a pair of those (to Seattle, WA) about 2 years ago. They are such a joy to use. Glad that you were able to get in there and spread the word. Hopefully Earnest Wright is going to get a bunch of new customers. I heard that the artisan scissor industry in the UK is struggling.
I'm sure they are, you hear him say we have blanks here from the 80s? That tells they aren't selling a ton of them. When you have companies like Mundial selling superbly crafted scissors for 50-60 bucks for a 10-12 inch pair it's really hard for people to stomach 250-300 for hand made units. Given the quality of these units absolutely blow the Mundial pieces out the door and the level of fit and finish is not even comparable... the performance is comparable and that makes it hard for people to spend 6x the price for hand made units unless they are buying it for the artisan factor alone. It's just like the ultra high end hand made Japanese scissors that are 1200-1500 dollars a set, they are absolutely the finest scissors made but they are only being sold to a very very specific market. I sharpen about 20 sets of these ultra high end Japanese scissors a year for clients and the quality is truly astonishing, the steels used are absolutely top quality, the finishing is world class in every way and these scissors will cleanly and flawlessly cut the finest most delicate fabrics and paper that there is. They require a very special sharpening style that is unlike how I sharpen any other scissors and I'm finishing the cutting edge on a .44 micron stone and a 0.1, 0.05 and 0.01 micron strop so that it's a mirror finish that's as fine as a beauty mirror is and the apex of the cutting edge will literally whittle hair. That's what's expected on these ultra high end scissors and there are only a handful of people like my self that have the skill to sharpen them for clients. The artisan scissor market overall is very small and there is only 4 or 5 markers still around of these ultra high end scissors and one or two bespoke scissors makers that do work in hand forged mosaic Damascus or powder metallurgy Damasteel and those scissors can get up in the 3 to 10k range.
I love these factory tours. The people, the process, the end results. All spectacular.
when I first started working as a aircraft engineer I was involved with rebuilding Ailerons on a DC3 (Dakota) using a set of British Pinking scissors on the fabric (as in dope and fabric). You Brits make some very fine tools and double barrel shotguns.
Some of the finest craftsmanship cooked from the UK, here in the US mass production and profiteering are the name of the game.
I have bought three pairs of these scissors and gave two away for gifts. They are truly a work of art.
My mother was a seamstress in the 60s , then went into upholstery in the late 70s and she still has a few pairs of EW scissor and a beautiful pair of bird shaped thread scissors! Wonderful craftsmanship
I saw a video about Earnest Wright years ago, probably a decade now and from that moment I was captivated by the absolute craftsmanship of these. I'm so so glad to see Alec make a visit and share the process with us as well!
I had issues with a couple pairs and let's just say the customer service they offer is off the charts incredible. Just astounding customer service. Love their work
Absolutely fantastic to see another British firm still making what they have done for so long. Love it.
What amazes me is that all these workers are incredible at talking and teaching. If someone would come to my place with a camera i'd have such a hard time speaking so fluently about the stuff I do because I'm just not used to that
I have only two comments.
1. It's so great to see a hand-crafted, but machine-made product in metal. Applause!
2. It's also VERY GREAT to want to buy a product, but be told I have a year wait to be on the waiting list (maybe). I feel like a Seers and Roebuck ACME customer! What a treat! So glad that the team at Ernest Wright have so much ongoing interest. Absolutely worth it!
We have a wide variety of patterns in stock. If a specific pattern is not available, we can deliver most models within 10 weeks. However, please note that there are two models with longer waiting times due to the complexity of the pattern and the high demand for these designs.
I love how respectful Alec is speaking of every single task - no matter how easy it might seem!
I love these videos showing how much effort is put into making everyday items that people dont even think about
These are the kinds of videos children need to see. Get them to see how much work goes into products and how important it is. Get them to appreciate skills and manufacturing in general.
I have their kitchen scissor and I love it! The feel and click when you use it is just pure happiness. I’ve watched all of their videos on how they make their scissors but this was much more in depth and I’m even more impressed by it than before. Absolutely an awesome scissor
This was insanely interesting and mesmerizing ! Please Alec, do more videos like this to show the brilliant craftsmanship still existing in UK !
Thank you for shearing this with us Alec!
I see what you did. Let yourself out.😊
Cut it out with the bad scissors puns!
@@BernhardtBauer No need to be all snippy about it.
I haven't watched any of your videos in a fair while Alec. Life got in the way. This was the first one in around 12 months and reminds me why I followed you in the first place. Brilliant insight into a true craft. Thank you for brightening a Sunday evening.
This was wild. Made me think of my mother's dressmaking days and the scissors she still has wish her name engraved on the side by her father.
I love these tour and process videos!
Idk why, but I’m obsessed with how scissors are made. It’s so interest. So glad you made this.
I _love_ this kinda stuff. It’s so enlightening to see these factory visits and deep dives on how tools work, how they’re made, etc. It’s the kind of knowledge that makes you appreciate everything around you. Tools rule!
i saw this on how its made. long ago. it was an older gentleman teaching a new generation. its good to see informational videos still being made.
awesome Video!!
I’m fortunate enough to have a few pairs of Sheffield scissors from my grandparents. It’s incredible to see the crafting involved.
Despite having zero background in forging or anything to do with metallurgy, it was really interesting to see the process behind those fine looking scissors, but even cooler to see Alec hyped over the machines.
I had family that worked in Sheffield but knife working. Great to see an old British brand still going strong. Thanks for sharing 2x👍
Scissors are just Safety Knives.
Everything in Sheffield is knifey.
@@stevealford230 Hey we make other kinds of blades too!
@@Eldriitch That's what I was saying... my bad if that wasn't clear. "Everything in Sheffield is knifey" meant that the city revolves around the blade industry, with blades of all sorts from scissors to cutlery to surgical steel and of course weapons and tools.
@@stevealford230 hence Sheffield Utd's nickname!
@@robertharris1748 What's the nickname? (I'm assuming that Utd must be an abbreviation for a football team called "United," because that feels like a really good guess, lol. And fyi, by "football," I mean soccer.)
As an American, I really enjoy your channel for so many reasons. But I really enjoy watching how things are handmade. I was a big fan of Mr. Rogers growing up, so this is great. I also like when things are handmade by your own country. Hopefully we can get back to making more and more thing's in our own country. Great video bud
I used to drive past here every day, very unassuming location for such amazing workmanship. Got some of the kitchen scissors and they are amazing. Given a few away as presents that should hopefully last a lifetime.
I saw a beautiful documentary on this company and the founder a few years ago and was absolutely inspired. Bought my wife two different pairs of scissors as a gift and they are just beautiful. Can't recommend them enough. True old-world craftsmanship at its finest.
*OH WOW - IT WAS ME WHO SUGGESTED THIS....!!!* You did this really quick - I hope Pam was nice to you 😀
I waited 5 months for their 13" Tailors sheers - they only make 10 pairs a month. They were wonderful people to deal with
EDIT: WOW its amazing to see the world that went into them - thanks Alec and Jamie
i wonder if its that Reed needs to explain how to use the machine everytime he puts scissors in.
i bet that machine being learned is going to be lost with Reed... he needs an apprentice to teach how to fix and use that monster.
You've only commented on 5 posts telling people you suggested they visit this factory and that you paid £260 for a pair of 13inch fabric shears.
You should be commenting on every single post so everyone knows you bought a pair of 13inch fabric shears for £260 and that it was actually you that suggested Alec visited this factory.
@@googleuser859lol
@@googleuser859are you cooking this guy because he’s excited or because he paid a lot of money for a high quality item. Either way, it’s a bad look…don’t be a hater.
@@Chainsaw-ASMR IM really excited I made a good thing happen that benefited both Alec and the scissor company, I was so excited that I could not sleep last night.
I'll be another to add how great this series is, who would have thought so much goes into making a pair of scissors, definitely blew my mind and to see the pride those guys take in their work.
Okay who was it that let Alec out the Machinist Insane Asylum? I wonder if Alec will ever make a Damascus straight jacket for himself xD
Damascus Shackles 👀👀
i’ve used those scissors and unconsciously, i appreciated the feel and how they performed
i had no idea of the amount of thought and engineering that went into them. incredible!
This is great to see that is still places out there still making good quality hand made equipment.
122 years of tradition and English craftsmanship right there to produce a superb pair of tailors scissors which will last him his or hers working lifetime and beyond. It was great to watch and see how complicated a proper pair of scissors actually are! Thank you for bringing us this. I've subscribed!
It’s so cool that there are still people making these things by hand
This place was on the brink of collapse, but a student (I think) did a short documentary about them and it exploded. Pretty sure all the young guys shown apprenticed there because of the documentary.
I spent a couple decades in a design shop. We were designing hi end backpacking tents and gear. I made patterns and cut samples for sewers to sew up to see how the patterns were fitting. We had lots of scissors, and certainly certain ones were better than the others. Certainly the cutting room used electric knives, and I used electric scissors often too, but a good pair of hand shears sure is a joy to use. Thanks for the tour
So happy to be seeing Ernest Wright in my feed. I remember ordering a set of shears from them 10 years ago and getting production updates from Nick Wright every month. Truly wish he could be here to see what it has become.
❤
How long did it take?
Amazing video! As someone who uses shears everyday to make car interiors, I had a rough idea how they were made but it was great to watch in so much detail! Enjoying the British manufacturing tours 😀
the American accent threw me 🤣
incredible quality these folks put out
Me too! 😳
Not only that, but very Californian.
I was going to say is no one going to address the American in the room!? As an American it threw me
@@LanceMcCarthy I almost thought he sounded Canadian with the way he said, 'out'.
Yeah he’s definitely Canadian with the way he said out. “Oooot”
I had the pleasure of grinding in a shop with a wide variety of abrasives and fixtures, but this shop is so much more refined. I need to create a mimic of this shop😊
I have two 10” Sheffield Scissors an 8” and 4” pairs that I’ve used for garment leather and furs for decades. I have yet to sharpen them once (I have buffed the edge weekly with 12,000/24000/36000 grit polishes). Treated properly my children, grandchildren and great great grandchildren will use them and still wonder who to give them to next.
If you're ever back in Sheffield I recommend a trip to the Metalwork Collection at the Millenium Gallery. Also, Kelham Island Museum for the working 12,000hp River Don steam engine and the incredible Hawley Tool gallery. Would be right up your street!
i bought a pair last Christmas for my daughter. It's hard for you to see in the video , but these are large and heavy. she loves them and guards from being used anywhere but her sewing projects. I will buy me a pair this year.
3:33 I didn't expect to see an American in the video
Love seeing stuff like this. We see beautifully made weapons of war all the time. But an everyday tool made this lovingly is just a joy to behold.
When I started my first job 50 years ago, part of my work was to cut my lab samples from woolen fabrics. I was given a pair of scissors made by Platts in Sheffield, all the way to here in Australia. Not Ernest Wright but that doesn't make them earnestly wrong. When I moved on to my next job I was told to keep the scissors. They stayed with me at every workplace all my working career, now in semi retirement those scissors sit just a few inches away right now, on my home desk. 50 years of hard use have taken the polish but I have never needed to sharpen them or tighten the pivot.
Wow! That's quality.
My first thought was: "Bloody Hell - I'm not going to spend 28 minutes watching how to make a pair of damned scissors." My second thought was: "Well, that was a fascinating 28 minutes . . . " I, like I would wager nearly 100% of the population, had no idea the precision work and attention, skill, artisanship, and care that went into these works of art - it's fair to call them that. They're really sort of metal sculptures, I'd bet - to the degree anyone thinks about these things, if at all - that scissor making to most people is: "pour the hot metal in here, and the scissor comes out here, boxed for shipment." The specialized (you Brits call it bespoke) machinery itself is fascinating - let alone the skill required to adjust and use it to produce the final product. I'm gobsmacked to see the detail, and now feel like I have a vastly more in-depth education on what til now was just another common household item in a drawer. Fascinating. Wonderful video. Thank you.
passion for a trade is something that always makes it enjoyable to witness and each and every single person their had that passion and pride to show what they do for a living. and i think that is wonderful to witness
Great to find this! I am the proud owner of both the kitchen scissors shown at the beginning, and the 10" shears, and they are by far the best scissors I've ever owned. I was also lucky enough to know Nick Wright, the 5th Generation of scissor makers in the Wright family, who re-launched the Kutrite kitchen scissors, and was a generous and unstinting support of Gordon Snee Art and other arts organisations in Sheffield. Please support this amazing company if you can, you won't regret buying their scissors!
I have the kitchen scissors too, they are work of art 😊
Awesome to see a shop like this still doing it by feel and by hand with no cnc. Thanks for sharing !
Been waiting for this episode since 1902
I actually told them to start the company in 1901 just to have Alec make a video about it 👍
I've watched many scissors restored and always thought there was a little more trickery to their shaping, at ;east the old (and still made - now I see) well made ones. Now I know there is and it was well explained.
As a child, we were never allowed to use mother's dressmaking scissors. They looked very similar to the scissors you made. Nice work, bye the way.
Good video.
As someone who has made a few sets of spring shears I can attest that getting the blade geometry on a pair of scissors right is exceedingly difficult.
Absolutely brilliant! So good to see a company still 'making' something in the UK that requires knowledge to be passed down by example and years of training. I never knew so much was involved with making a good pair of scissors.
I wish Alex had brought the pair of scissors he made out of Damascus
YEEEEESSSSS!!! I was waiting for him to reference it! His wife couldn’t even finish giving him a haircut with that pair!😂😂😂
A Damascus Paris scissors would be freaking awesome
@@ElijahBigler The problem with using damascus for scissors is the mix of metals. You can never again align the hard edges to softer edges along the length of the blade to prevent one wearing out the other prematurely.
I bet he‘s gonna try to make one in his own workshop 😜👍🏼
@@MattWeber you could make a "true" Damascus--in the Wootz style, creating a puck in a crucible and forging it from there. This way it's mostly homogeneous, but still has some of the visual distinction associated with Damascus blades.
I don’t usually comment on videos but this one I had to. This was absolutely brilliant. My jaw dropped when I saw how they used the belt grinder on the inside of the scissor handles! And the way he hammered on the scissors to “fine tuned”, unbelievable.
Amazing craftsmanship, wonderful workshop tour 👏
Well, I don’t need scissors like this, but I’m going to buy some solely for the fact that I LOVE bespoke, quality, hand made and loved products that are “buy it for life” quality.
I already loved my two pair of Ernest Wright scissors, but now my appreciation is at a whole new level. Fascinating! I keep pulling one pair out of its box to look at it as I watch the process.
Damn, I never ever wanted a pair of scissors so bad as right now.
Great craftsmanship from Ernest Writght scissors.
Blimey, how superb is that. In this electronic age it’s more important than ever to showcase proper engineering and the skill and pride of such craftsmen. Thanks for this.👍🏻
I will never grow tired of watching Sheffield Craftsmen.
Signed a Sheffield man.
Oh, and the next time your up here Alex, how about I take you up some local hills? :)
I ordered a pair of kitchen scissors from them during the Covid times. They arrived after a long time for obvious reasons, but the Company apologized several times for this, and the wait was definitely worth it! I know I'm wrong, but I must confess that I haven't had the 'courage' to use them because they are so beautiful and well-made. Now, after seeing your video, I've put myself on the waiting list for two more pairs to give to my daughters when they're older. I hope the queue moves quickly!
that variable tension belt grinder was absolutely fascinating
The amount of institutional knowledge in that shop is mind blowing. Skills that can only be learned through direct experience. Love it!
Reed sounds like an American. I'd expect to hear that accent when Alec was in Montana, but it's a bit of a surprise to hear it in Sheffield.
I’m Canadian! Came to sheffield to learn the history and craft
@@reidothetorpedo7846 you sound Canadian, not American, don't worry bud. ;) also, cool! I was wondering about the random Canuck in the shop.
@@reidothetorpedo7846 I'll be honest I thought you were southern California having grown up there myself. I guess where you're from and Cali have something in common.
I was wondering who the non Brit was, lol.... Very cool that @reidothetorpedo7846 went over there to learn the craft and history...
@@reidothetorpedo7846first thing I got was Canuck, no worries bro.
I absolutely love your enthusiasm in everything that you are involved with, another great video Alec.
Totally didn't expect to have a cali surfer show us how to make scissors.
This had me captivated the whole time lol cant believe have much hard work and skill goes into these scissors.
I have a smaller pair of these! They are bleedin' brilliant! Thanks for the tour Alec.
Alec, What a great video extolling the virtues of British craftmanship. Thanks so much!
DUDE I WENT TO THE SAME SCHOOL AS REED. I have a matching sweater, Camosun Sheet Metal & Metal Fabrication
That’s the coolest belt grinder I’ve ever seen. Sending sparks in both directions at the same time looks gnarly
i saw this factory on a insider vid 4 years ago pretty cool to see again
Thank you Alec! Loved the video. Keep up the great work!!! (I detected an American accent among some of the employees of Wright! Perhaps master machinists? Good on you guys! ( I love the yanks - Mr. Reed showing the Brits a thing or two!) I'm a retired engineer who has a background in machining & metallurgy (dynamic), this was a great video.
*I HAVE THEIR 13" FABRIC SHEARS* they are simply astonishing *IMPORTANT NOTE - THEY POST WITHIN THE EU - NO DUTY...!!!*
I know its a cliche, but they just feel like an extension of your arm, they are MASSIVE, but they feel small and delicate. The balance is perfection, the edges are like razor blades. I can cut coats with 24oz tweed with zero effort and absolute precision £260 but honestly, for what they are they are so SO worth the money.
It's amazing how much better it is when the scissors are designed to do the work for you, instead of having to fight them like I do with cheaper ones. I'm on the maybe once a year crafting side of it so I can't quite justify buying these, but I've used them when other people had a pair and I really want them, heh.
@@Merennulli Im semi professional with my work - now I know how good they are they seem very low cost. When I was buying them it seemed like a massive luxury - but they are, they are right tool for the job.
10" Ernest Wright tailors shears have been on my wishlist for years. Soon, I'll finally be able to afford them. Cannot wait.
Just went and ordered a pair of left hand scissors for my wife. I really like supporting this kind of company.
I have their tailors sheers and I guarantee you, no matter how good you think they will be - they will exceed your expectations.
This sort of content is exactly why I love this channel. Alec clearly loves all aspects of metalworking.
As an American, it took halfway through the grinding machine explanation to realize Alec was still in the UK...
Yeah, what's up with that? Damn immigrants stealing jobs, I guess. 🤣
How?
@@jaygremillion3501 bloke was rather north american, possibly even canadian!
I’m Canadian! From the west coast. Came to Sheff to learn about steel!
@@reidothetorpedo7846 The Camosun hoodie was a bit of a giveaway.
My grandpa emigrated with a lot of finest quality English goods, from Romano-British finds from the garden and medieval furniture to common stationary, tins of tar and what have you.
When it came time for his things passed to his children, what I most wanted to fall in my general direction were his scissors. Seems I was the only one interested in them, but my word, they are incredible. He was the sort of fellow who wouldn't just have known the best scissor retailer in London, but why they were the best and exactly what he was looking for. I don't have any particular memories of seeing him use them, but for some reason, they seem to capture a great deal of his essence.