Hand-held instruments designed to cut thin materials, such as paper and cloth, consisting of two blades laid one on top of the other; products may be intended for use in specific applications such as cutting tissue or bone, dissections, etc.

Scissors are used in the laboratory to cut various materials. Some are for general use and others are designed specifically for tissue dissection or surgery.

Scissors are hand-operated tools that consist of a pair of metal blades with handles. The blades pivot to bring the sharpened edges in contact with each other, an action that cuts the material placed between the blades.

Scissors are selected based on specific features:

• Size or length: Blade length is key, as is the overall length of the scissors
• Shank-to-blade ratio: The length of the handles compared to the length of the cutting blade; the ratio helps determine the force needed to product a cut
• Type of handles: Straight, offset
• Material: Stainless steel is typically used for surgical scissors; some surgical scissors also have tungsten carbide cutting surfaces for hardness and durability
• Tips: Blade ends may be pointed, semi-blunt, or blunt (rounded)
• Blade shape: Straight, curved, or angled (bent); curved or angled blades may provide better access to areas with limited space