Review: Clauss Titanium Bonded Snips (Trauma Scissors)

Review: Clauss Titanium Bonded Snips

OK, so I like the extremes of high high tech and low low tech. The middle range is a bit boring for me. I instantly perk up when I hear tritium, titanium and the like as well as forged.

I recently purchased a pairof Clauss Titanium Bonded Snips, basically a set of basic trauma scissors coated with titanium for the advantages of titanium. From their web site,

Titanium Bonded is not painted or plated, but an application of a unique formulation of titanium and chromium nitride to the surface of cutting blades that actually penetrates and treats the metal to create a permanent bond. The patented Titanium Bonding process provides the following benefits; corrosion resistance, adhesive resistance and the process itself makes the stainless steel 3x harder than untreated stainless providing a blade that stays sharper longer.

I have used, abused and broken more than my share of trauma scissors since my 3rd year of medical school, before cell phones and MRIs. At first glance, they appear a step above the fray with better molded finger holes, and of course that cool titanium color. I have only had them for a few weeks, so the claim they stay sharper longer is not yet tested. They do feel a bit sharper than the standard trauma shears. The grips are more comfortable andthere is less play at the pivot.

As for cutting, they do very well. I don’t have a fresh pairof standard trauma scissors for comparison on hand. I did notice that the cutting angle on the finger blade is more acute than most scissors, more along the lines of barber shears than standard scissors, which does give a sharper edge. I think they can use this steeper edge because the titanium bonding adds a bit of strength to the edge ( a more acute angle is weaker in the same metal and more prone to dulling) . The thumb blade is the standard serration.

Cutting through clothing is a snap and there is less jamming, The former is due to the scissors sharpness, and the latter may be due to the quality pivot. Around the house, they make short order of cutting through cardboard and even the indestructible packaging too often used. The grips are comfortable.

The edges are well made. See the microphotographs at 20x and 400x. A more polished edge would lack “teeth’ to grip. The serrations are precise.

I plan to order two more, one for the kitchen for general utility and the other in my emergency bag. I found them online for about 1/2 of the MSRP.

Smooth edges at 20x and 400x.

Serrations look precise at 20x.