If there is one tool, I want to take a moment and brag on, purely because they are so severely undervalued, it’s a good pair of shears. Whether at home, in the shop, in the tool bag, or in your camping gear, a really good pair of strong utility scissors are truly an essential item we all need. Today we look at some new Utility Shears from the iconic Crescent brand that are more multipurpose than ever in the Crescent Wiss Utility Shears Review.

Background-

Crescent Wiss Utility Shears Review

Once upon a time, seriously, that fits here- scissors were either generic “one size fits all” designs or ultra-specialty shears that you were going to pay through the nose for. Fast forward to now, and a lot has changed. A few brands came to the forefront as those who thought outside the cutting box, one of them being Wiss. By opting to add new and innovative features to solve cutting problems, users found performance and versatility like never before. Wiss is a leader with specialty tradesmen and geared towards use in everything from thin gauge metal to utility cables and the like.

Today Wiss is part of the well-known and loved Crescent Tools. You may have heard of them, they’re the original creator of the Crescent Wrench. What’s been amazing is how these brands have married to take all you love from the Wiss lineup and improved them to be more powerful and more versatile than you can imagine. Today we will focus in on a few of the Shears in their lineup, but be assured, the collection doesn’t stop here. With options for users of all kinds, you can bet there is something to suit your needs.

Crescent Wiss High Leverage Tradesmen Shears-

Crescent Wiss Utility Shears Review

• Titanium Coated Blades- harder blades means longer life and improved power- 1-X the standard
• Serrated Edge for better material grip and cleaner cuts
• High Leverage Design for ultimate power while cutting
• Spring Loaded Handle for improved comfort
• The quick-release latch for compact storage, and improved safety
• Full metal core for increased durability and longer use life
• Handle designed for optimum comfort and for both right, and left-hand users
• Ideal for- Landscaping, Flooring, Roofing, and Siding

These Shears are an absolute ace in the hole. With unmatched versatility, these can take you from outside to inside. From roofing materials to a variety of others like landscape piping, vinyl siding, and a huge range of everything in between. Their high leverage design makes a noticeable difference in cutting power and for users who find traditional shears to fall a little short in power, these may be the ones to beat.  These are a great addition to a Jack of All Trades sort of User, who may encounter a wide array of materials to cut.

These are available at The Home Depot for $17.97, model # CW11TM. 

10″ Heavy-Duty Titanium Coated Tradesman Shears

Crescent Wiss Utility Shears Review

• Titanium Coated Bladed for improved strength and improved cutting power
• Knife Edge blades designed for intensely clean-cut lines
• These Shears included a slightly serrated bottom blade for ideal grip on material while providing cleaner cuts and more control.
• Offset handle design allows for better maneuverability in odd spaces and ensures cut clearance.
• Innovative Control channel included on the base of the Shears, allowing the user to place their index finger there for increased control and precision.
• These Shears also feature a full metal core for increased strength and extended life.
• The handle is designed with touchpoint soft material for comfort and improved grip.

These are all in, my favorite pair of shears in the Crescent Wiss Lineup. Why? Well, they are a perfect size to still fit in odd or limited space, and the traditional ergonomics of these were very comfortable. For places you need an ultra-clean cut, these shears offered the smoothest finish overall, even on delicate and difficult to cut material. I used these on Wood veneer quite a bit recently and it was amazing how smooth and effortlessly these cut through what is generally a tough material to cut. The small addition of the control channel was also really nice for increased grip and overall cutting power when working in odd spaces. As a daily use, all around Shear, these are hard to beat!

You can find these Shears, the #CW10TM at The Home Depot for $14.97. 

6-inch Electrician’s Data Shears

Crescent Utility Shears Review

• Precision ground blades with serrations on the bottom of the blade for better gripping on materials.
• Serrated exteriors of the blades provide additional ability for reaming knockouts and conduit work.
• Integrated wire strippers in the blade allow quick and easy stripping of both 19- and 23-gauge AWG wires.
• As well, these Shears include an integrated cutter on the blades for quick and powerful cuts through cable, that are clean and precise.
• Crescent also integrated a Grip Zone area for tightening wire nuts and crimping low voltage connections when needed.

If you often find yourself doing electrical work, these shears are a no brainer. The shorter all-around footprint of the blades allows you to reach shallow and tight areas easily. I also have found that these shears are incredible for the odd to cut material. Think zip ties, vinyl fencing, and the like, as the pivot point on the shears, gives you a lot of control over the cutting edge. Whether the finest cuts or the odd cuts, these shears allow you to really get into the small grooves these materials often have. Oddly enough, these are the absolute best shears for cutting edge banding material too. This surprised me as it’s such a vastly different application than these were designed for, but the reality is the serrated edge allowed clean cuts through the veneer, without splitting the wood fibers, something I have often had a difficult time accomplishing with most scissors or shears. 

You can find the Electrician Shears at The Home Depot for $14.97, Model # W5T. 

My Thoughts

Crescent Wiss Utility Shears Review

With a lot of things happening in my shop every day it can almost be hard to keep up with having all of the right tools for every task. One day I find myself re-wiring electric, the next I am focused on joinery and the next I am breaking down veneer or other specialty materials for a project. One tool that I can’t remember a day I didn’t reach for at some point, is a good pair of shears. I say they are often under-appreciated, and they really are.

What I love about how Crescent took the Wiss Shear line forward was taking advanced materials like the titanium coating on some models and rubberized handles that added grip without losing their ideal force and made such a significant improvement in shears. With better cutting power and improved grip, a massive improvement happens with every cut. Plus, the titanium coating is easy to clean and keep clean, meaning even if an adhesive is being cut, it’s less likely to gum up. This is a small detail that really extends the life of the shears drastically.

Each pair of Shears was designed for users to truly maximize their field application. For a General Contractor, the High Leverage Tradesmen Shears are exceptional for their spring load design, lock, and overall range of materials that you can cut with them. The Electricians Shears really stood out as a well thought out tool, with features that both add value, and eliminate the need for additional tools to do the same job. Versatility is everything for users who rely on tools every day.

While some are tailored more for a specific field-the Heavy-Duty Tradesmen Shears are the all-around pick for just about every user.  These more than cover your basic cutting needs without sacrificing power and comfort.

All in- Crescent Wiss did a bang-up job of bringing everything you could want in shears and making them unique, versatile, and added small touches that make a huge difference. If you’re in the market for Shears that will hold up to abuse, I can’t imagine finding a better option than the Crescent WissLineup.