Cutting Composites: Will These Scissors Cut My Material?
Cutting composite materials isn’t always as straightforward as it may seem. These materials—used in everything from aerospace to personal protective gear—can be incredibly strong, slick, and resistant to traditional cutting tools. That’s why selecting the right pair of scissors is essential to achieving clean cuts without damaging your materials or exhausting your operators.
Wolff Industries has worked with composite manufacturers and fabricators for years, developing and recommending scissors built for cutting composites. In this guide, we’ll walk through the most common composite types and explain how to choose the best scissors for each one.
Why Composite Materials Are Tough to Cut
At their core, composite materials are created by combining two or more distinct substances to form a new material with enhanced strength, durability, or weight properties. This makes them ideal for use in demanding environments, but also much more difficult to cut.
Compared to their individual components, composite materials typically offer:
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Higher tensile strength
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Resistance to tearing or deforming
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Slick or adhesive-treated surfaces
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Greater overall durability
All of these factors present unique challenges when cutting, which is why specialized scissors are often required.
Common Composite Materials and Their Properties
Understanding the properties of the material you’re working with is the first step toward selecting the right cutting tool. Here are the most common composites our customers deal with:
Fiberglass
Fiberglass is one of the most widely used composites, found in everything from marine vessels to grating used in food processing plants. It’s lightweight, tough, and splinter-prone, which makes clean cuts especially important.
Carbon Fiber
Carbon fiber is celebrated for its incredible strength-to-weight ratio. It’s used in aircraft structures, automotive parts, and sports equipment. Its stiffness and layered structure can dull regular blades quickly.
Aramids (Kevlar)
Aramid fibers, especially Kevlar, are used in body armor and other protective gear. Kevlar is known for its tensile strength and resistance to heat and abrasion. However, it’s notoriously difficult to cut without the right shears.
Dyneema & Spectra
Dyneema and Spectra are ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers, about 40% greater than most aramids, according to Bally Ribbon Mills (one of our customers). Both are stronger than steel (by weight), more durable than polyester, and highly resistant to chemicals and moisture. They’re so slick and strong that traditional scissors often slip right off.
Why Sharp Blades Aren’t Always Enough
Some scissors companies insist that all you need are extremely sharp blades, blades so sharp you can cut a penny with them. But cutting tough composite materials takes more than sharpness. You need to consider:
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Bevel Angle: The angle of the cutting edge plays a huge role in how cleanly a material is sliced.
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Corrugation/Serration: Serrated blades provide grip, helping scissors bite into slick or layered materials without slipping.
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Leverage: A high-leverage handle design reduces the physical effort required and increases cutting power.
Using the wrong scissors can not only result in frayed cuts but can also lead to operator fatigue or even injury. So, just because enough force might make the wrong scissors cut, it doesn’t mean they’re the right scissors for the job. For both safety and performance, it’s worth investing in the proper tools.
How to Choose the Right Scissors for Your Composite
Different composites have different cutting requirements. Here’s how to match the scissor design to your material:
Consider Tensile Strength
Materials like Kevlar, Dyneema, and Spectra resist stretching and breaking. Cutting these fibers takes considerable force, so high-leverage scissors with sturdy handles and long blades are a must.
Corrugation for Slick Surfaces
If your composite material has a smooth or treated surface, serrated (corrugated) blades are often necessary. These micro-serrations help the blades grip the material, reducing slippage and ensuring a controlled cut.
High-Leverage Designs for Tough Fibers
Leverage-enhancing handle designs help reduce user fatigue and improve cutting efficiency, particularly when cutting heavy-duty materials like aramids or high-strength polyethylene fibers.
Recommended Scissors for Cutting Composites
Wolff Industries offers a full range of scissors suited for composite cutting, each tailored for specific materials and applications. Here are a few of our top picks:
KAI 7240AS – Ideal for Aramids
The KAI 7240AS scissor features proprietary high-carbon stainless steel with a Rockwell hardness of 60 and micro-serrations along the thumb blade. This scissor is a top performer when it comes to cutting aramid fibers like Kevlar, offering precise, clean cuts and excellent blade life.
Wolff 6278M – Perfect for Kevlar
Designed with a patented ergonomic handle and full-length blade corrugation, the Wolff 6278M is ideal for cutting Kevlar and other tough aramid materials. Its high-leverage design makes even difficult cuts feel smooth and controlled.
NASA-Inspired Dyneema Scissors
When NASA needed a tool to cut Dyneema cargo belts aboard the International Space Station, they turned to us. Starting with the KAI 7300 series, we created a modified solution that’s now mission-critical. If our scissors can cut Dyneema in space, they’ll handle your application too.
Wilkinson Scissors – Teflon-Coated Versatility
Wilkinson scissors and snips come with Teflon-coated blades that reduce adhesive buildup and resist corrosion. These are excellent general-purpose tools for cutting fiberglass, carbon fiber, and more.
Need Help Finding the Right Composite Cutting Scissors?
The world of composites is constantly evolving—and so are the challenges that come with cutting them. At Wolff Industries, we’re committed to helping you find the perfect pair of scissors for any composite cutting task.
If you're unsure which model is right for your needs, contact our team or browse our composite cutting scissors collection. And if your application is unique, we’re always up for a challenge.