Long post, but thought I'd have to explain it all so you'd understand my dilema. I'm new to this craft.

I am having the darndest time finding good quality decorative edge scissors. Can anyone give me suggestions or their opinion on who, what, where for these scissors. I bought the Provo Craft ones (on sale for $1) a couple years ago and honestly, don't think they're good cutting quality. Course you get what you pay for when you only spend $1. I am using high quality cardstock from Crane & Co. and it's way better quality than what you'd buy at the craft stores. Not sure what weight it is but it's not super thin as a cheap card. It's probably a medium-highweight (28 lb +/-). I put the scissors to the cardstock or even light weight scrapbook paper and some of them get caught on that first part of the scissors. I have to squeeze the scissors open and shut to free it up right there. Then cutting the paper, some of the scissors get caught on the paper and tear it instead of cutting it. I even have had to literally put the paper down on the counter and holding with the scissors still at the last cut I made, push down on the end of the scissors with my other hand to make it cut the full length of the scissors. I got so frustrated with cutting the cardstock and scrapbook paper that I bought a $30 pair of Fiskars pinking shears (on sale for half price of course) just so I could use them on paper. I would never use my good Fiskars fabric pinking shears on paper of any kind.

I then got the new Martha Stewart paper edge cutters and found that the Doily Lace one is too intricate for cardstock because it jams down or up in the tiny holes of the lace. Even on some of the scrapbook paper, it was getting caught and I'd have to pull the paper out of the cutter, ripping it to shreds and having to throw that piece away. Ok fine, that one is too intricate for cardstock. I also got the Martha Stewart Cornice paper edge cutter which did better on the cardstock. But for what I'm making with precut cardstock or papers (4 X 6), both of these edgers, well, cut into the sides of the paer too far and I end up with a piece that is too small for the picture I want to glue onto it. Yeah, I could print the pictures smaller but for what I'm doing, party invitations, seeing the larger grapics of the picture are so much prettier than having to squint at the pic.

I read on the Crafts, Etc. scrapbooking site that with decorative edge scissors, you're really not supposed to cut "all the way down the length of the scissors" when cutting cardstock or paper. Huh???? That doesn't make sense, why shouldn't you be able to use the full length of the scissors? I can get about a 2 to 3 inch cut then have to reposition the end of the scissors near the handle to cut again, which isn't very easy to line up where you left off. With the Martha Stewart punch edge cutters, you get about a 2-inch punch then slide the paper left or right to that cut, line the cut up with the design holes and then punch again. I was thinking, this is way too much on my hand problems and that's why I wanted the decorative edge scissors - so I could make a full length cut of the scissors in one squeeze, not 5, 6, 7 or more cuts to edge a single piece of paper. Soooooo frustrating!!!

Does anyone know of good quality scissors or paper edgers that aren't a pain in the you know what to use? Would you mind sharing your experience or crafting knowledge with these scissors. I sure would appreciate any and all suggestions. Thank you my friends,

Sal