Why do some sniff old Soviet scissors at flea markets before buying

  • Jan 23, 2022
Why do some sniff old Soviet scissors at flea markets before buying

From time to time, in flea markets, you can stumble upon mysterious eccentrics who are looking for old Soviet metal products and sniffing them before making a final purchase decision. The old Soviet tailor's scissors are especially popular: they are so large and sharp that they can easily cut not only fabric, but also thin sheet metal. For example, soft copper.

The scissors are old, but the steel is solid. Photo: ay.by.
The scissors are old, but the steel is solid. /Photo: ay.by.
The scissors are old, but the steel is solid. /Photo: ay.by.

For a long time, the main manufacturer of scissors for tailors in the USSR was only one single factory - this is the Gorizont enterprise. It has existed since 1915. From the 1930s, new factories began to appear in the country, but they most often produced tailor's scissors using the same technology and from the same materials. Despite the "brutal" Spartan look, scissors made in the Soviet Union were extremely good: sharp, comfortable and reliable. This was largely due to the material used.

Steel has a characteristic odor. /Photo: guns.allzip.org.
Steel has a characteristic odor. /Photo: guns.allzip.org.
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Up to the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, and then after its end, scissors were made of high-quality carbon steel. This material has a characteristic smell, if you bring it to the very nose and sniff it well in an attempt to feel the "metallic aroma". This method of diagnosing a material does not always work without failures, but in most cases it still helps to identify envious high-quality Soviet steel.

Modern blacksmiths collect scrap. /Photo: pifpaf-pro.by.
Modern blacksmiths collect scrap. /Photo: pifpaf-pro.by.

They buy scissors and some other tools, as well as small scrap metal at flea markets, mainly blacksmiths. The fact is that today carbon steel costs a lot of money. It has become especially difficult in the last year and a half, when metal prices have risen considerably (in some places twice). Therefore, for many blacksmiths involved in creativity and craft, buying up scrap remains perhaps the only available option for acquiring raw materials.

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The price of steel has risen sharply in the last year. / Photo: fotokto.ru.
The price of steel has risen sharply in the last year. / Photo: fotokto.ru.

In continuation of the topic, read about 12 Facts About Samurai Swordsthat have become the soul of Japan.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/190921/60593/

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