I always try to keep a small set of scissors handy because they are useful for everything from gear repairs to first aid. The problem is that most small scissors are either expensive or junk (or both). They either lack the durability necessary to be useful or they are impossible to use if you have normal sized hands.
A few years ago, I was going through a box of stuff and found a couple of Victorinox SwissCards that I used to keep tucked in some EDC kits. I don’t recall why I removed them from my kits but I did remember that the scissors in these SwissCards are excellent. They are spring loaded which makes them very easy to use even though they are very small. They also tend to be very sharp and they stay sharp for a long time. Perhaps best of all, they only weigh about 7 grams with a small piece of drinking straw (more on that soon) and are 3″ long and 1/10″ thick. In other words, they are small and light enough to pack into just about any EDC, first aid kit or hiking bag.
The scissors are spring loaded to rest in the open position, so if you are going to remove these scissors from the SwissCard to carry them on their own, you will need to find a safe way to store them. I use a small piece of drinking straw. The scissors slip right into the straw which serves to keep them closed. The straw seems to be more than durable enough for this application. It is also very, very light weight.
These scissors are widely available online as replacement parts for around $7 a piece. At that price, you can afford to pick up a couple to stash in all your kits.
Available on Amazon (affiliate link): Swisscard Replacement Scissors on Amazon
