repair needed added some pictures

[jljr1944]

I have a pair of scissors that need repair. I am using this picture to show what they should look like. On the pair I have that need repair all 8 of the small pearl slabs are missing and the scissors could benefit from a buffing. The pearl pieces measure apxy 1/4 inch wide by 3/4 inch long. If anyone is interested in the job let me know.
Thanks

Here are a couple of pictures showing what the scissors look like. Don't know if they are worth re handling and cleaning or not. If they aren't worth it you won't hurt my feeling by telling me so.

[orvet]

I don't know a lot about scissors as to their collector value, but I do know they are quite a sophisticated piece of machinery. They are far more than a couple knives held together by a screw.
I don't know of anyone anymore who repairs scissors though I am told there was such a shop in Salt Lake City. The old fellow there would only work on good scissors; if you had cheap scissors he would tell you and he would refuse to work on them.

The last I knew of him was in the 1980s when I managed a cutlery store.

Those appear to be German scissors, I would imagine they have some collector value.
Any knife mechanic could put handles on it like the old ones; but as far as restoring their ability to cut, I don't know. Maybe they are working well not & just need handles.

The hardest thing will be to find some who will work with Mother of Pearl.
Muskrat Man doesn't work with pearl as he is very allergic to the dust (which is poisonous).
I won't work with it as my dogs think they have to oversee every project I do in the shop. While I have a respirator for me, I don't have one for my 3 dogs.

It doesn't look like a hard fix but MOP is hard to work with, it tends to ship & break very easily.

The only think I could suggest is see if you can find the old cutlery store in Salt Lake City.
Maybe the old fellow trained someone to take his place. I think his father had trained him.
Perhaps one of our members from that area knows of the store and if it is still there.
Or maybe someone knows someone else who could or would do it.

Good luck with it.

[jljr1944]

All I am interested in is getting them cleaned up a bit and replacing the pearl. They are German made from the 1800's and they do have a decent collector value. If I could get someone to pin the pearl pieces on for me I could do the sanding and finish work myself.

[Elvis]

I could do the pearl for you, but the set appears to have had a chrome plating at one time and it looks like most of it is now gone. The last thing I had re-chromed was a hatchet for an old Case knife/Ax Combo and that cost $50 about 5 or 6 years ago (that might be their minimun charge). It's do-able, but nothing about it would be cheap. I'm just saying.....

[reddirtknives]

There's a guy in oregon who studied sword making while he was being raised in Japan. when he moved back to the states he realized there were no high quality scissor makers or repairmen for them so he went back to japan and trained at an old factory that makes high end scissors. He now sells their line of scissors and he is also a qualified repairman for them. He sells Japanese whetstones (expensive) and has made quite a business out of just sharpening knives and scissors for people. He should be easy to find based on info given. So as for getting them in proper working condition he is the only guy that I would probably trust with an antique. I talked with him about sharpening and truing out the convex blades on a pair of antique Scissors from Germany that I bought for my girlfriend. I had worked on them as far as cleaning them up but was concerned about pitting in some places and decided not to send. they are the best paper cutting scissors I have now I would call him and ask about best course of action to take heck he might even know a dipper lol what do you call people who do plating? Platers? I imagine it would be plated first and then trued and then personally I would send to (whomever) for the pearl and then back to samurai guy to sharpen to perfection. Or (whomever) could use tape and be carful and save postage lol. These are gonna be some HIGH DOLLAR scissors. Oh. just for looks, All you need is a dipper and (whomever) I'm confused again Enter Elvis where it says (whomever) or MM or ? lol

[conslade]

That style of scissors was known as "Prostitutes Scissors" or "Prostitutes Dagger". Supposedly in the late 1800's and early 1900's, it was against the law in some areas for the ladies to arm themselves with a gun or knife. These scissors could be carried legally and so were popular with the ladies of the night. I have several pairs of them, one marked "Souvenir of Havana".