If you haven't used caterpillar scissors or splicing scissors or whatever you call them, these aren't just scissors. They have a micro-serrated edge so when cutting copper wire it grips the wire so you can cut thick wire too. short, strong blades give you plenty of leverage, so you can even use the tip to cut wire, zip ties, or whatever you can attach the tip to because it won't slip. (Scissors have a great bite - most heavy scissors or scissors just slide off the smooth, round, thick wire.) HANDLING TIP: Rather than hold them like scissors, place the ergonomic loop flat side against your palm and fingers, usually the middle finger, through the round loop. there is a video. make a cut, clench your entire arm like you're making a fist. This allows more power to be put into the cut. The regular lineman scissors they gave me when I started at the phone company didn't have that flat loop so they could put a lot of pressure on the palm when it came to cutting something fleshy, so we used gloves, like that long it went Slip your finger through the loop. Regardless of the design, experienced welders have told me that standard welding shears are capable of cutting a dime in half. The Penny is made out of zinc which is MUCH harder than copper so it's quite an achievement. (Though I had no doubts, no one ever showed me this party trick.) I'm not saying you should try these shears, but I believe they're made of forged steel and will do all the heavy-duty cuts I've made as an electrician or welder. must be done. I'm sure this model will last for years with a great serrated edge. I've had the original design scissors for 20 years and they still cut great, although I have to twist them hard to cut thick wire. These Fluke scissors are MUCH sharper and give me more leverage than my old scissors, I'm glad I bought them. The ergonomic strap on them allows me to make heavy cuts without gloves and with Herculean effort. This is a great design especially for those who will be using them all day long.