Kitchen Scissors Uses and Maintenance Tips
By Viking Culinary Products | Published: 2026-10-29
Category: Tips & Care
Learn the many uses of kitchen scissors and how to keep them sharp and clean with simple maintenance tips. Ideal for all-purpose kitchen shears.
Quick Answer
Kitchen scissors are versatile tools for cutting herbs, poultry, packaging, and more. Proper cleaning and occasional sharpening keep them performing safely and efficiently.
Why Kitchen Scissors Deserve a Place in Your Drawer
Unlike chef knives, kitchen scissors let you cut through small bones, trim fat, snip herbs, and open stubborn packaging with one hand. They also reduce the need to dirty a cutting board for quick tasks.
The trade-off is that scissors require different maintenance than knives: you cannot use a standard knife sharpener, and food debris can collect in the pivot joint.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the most common kitchen scissors uses?
- Snip fresh herbs, cut poultry joints, trim bacon strips, open vacuum-sealed bags, slice pizza, cut parchment paper, and clip kitchen twine. Avoid cutting through hard bones or frozen food, which can dull or chip the blades.
- How to clean kitchen scissors safely?
- Rinse blades under hot water immediately after use to remove food residue. Hand wash with mild dish soap and a soft sponge; avoid abrasive pads that scratch the steel. Dry thoroughly before storing. Most scissors are dishwasher safe, but hand washing preserves the edge and pivot tension. Always dry the pivot area to prevent rust and stiffness.
- What is the best way for sharpening kitchen shears?
- Use a sharpening rod designed for scissors or a fine-grit whetstone. Open the scissors wide and run the rod along each bevel at the same angle as the factory edge (typically 15–20 degrees). Work from the pivot to the tip, 5–10 strokes per side. Test on a piece of paper; if it snags, repeat. For heavy dullness, consider professional sharpening. Never use a pull-through knife sharpener—it can ruin the alignment.
- How often should I maintain Viking scissors?
- Clean after every use. Oil the pivot screw with food-grade mineral oil every few months or when the action feels stiff. Sharpen only when the scissors no longer cut through a sheet of paper cleanly—typically once or twice a year for home cooks. Check the pivot screw periodically; a slight tightening can restore cutting performance.
- Can all-purpose kitchen shears replace a knife?
- No. While all-purpose kitchen shears handle many tasks, they cannot chop dense vegetables, slice bread, or fillet fish. Keep a chef knife for those jobs. Scissors excel at precision snips and one-handed cutting where a knife would be awkward.
Product Facts
- Viking Professional 8-Inch Scissors: Made from X50CrMOV15 German steel with an HRC 55-60 hardness rating for sharpness and edge retention. This steel holds a fine edge through heavy kitchen use and resists corrosion, so you need to sharpen less often.
Viking Professional 8-Inch Scissors
