Oscar Wilde once said of scissors: “I can never cut a straight line. This ought to be, for I never do anything straight.” Did he know what he was talking about? Why are kitchen shears sometimes called scissors and vice versa? How could any tool have the nerve to be so versatile and whoever thought them up anyway? Any ideas? No, well read a bit more.
It seems that many people invented the scissors or shears. Some say the very first pair can be traced back to around 260 BC and that they were first described by no one less admirable than the great Archimedes (the “eureka” guy) himself. Still others claim that scissors made from one piece of metal date back to 1500 BC and ancient Egypt. And then there are those who swear that some Roman invented the modern cross blade scissors around 100 AD, in between conquering barbarian tribes. As if this issue isn’t confusing enough, STILL OTHERS claim that the Renaissance genius, Leonardo Da Vinci, invented the modern concept of the scissors or shears. One question remains: Did any of these inventive people use their scissors to cut up chicken?
Whoever brought them into our kitchens, in the long run, really doesn’t matter. What does concern us is the fact that they are here for one purpose only; to make our lives easier. Whether you call them scissors or shears and keep them in the sewing box or with your kitchen utensils (or both places), one rule of thumb that always applies is that they, like most of us, must be sharp in order to do their job effectively. They should be able to cut up a pizza (but not the pizza delivery man), slice through fruits, poultry and even snip chives into confetti if you are in a festive mood.
Whatever you do, show some respect for your scissors. They have a long and proud history and need some recognition.
Happy Scissors!
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