The Scissors Are Inside the Package I Need Scissors to Open

Some scissors come sealed inside hard plastic that you need scissors to cut open.

That seems like a design issue. The solution is right there, visible through the package, unavailable until you solve the problem it was purchased to solve.

There’s usually a cardboard backing with a photo of the scissors, in case you’ve forgotten what you’re trying to reach. The plastic is sealed around the edge. You look for a tab. There may be something that resembles a tab, but pulling it does nothing. It’s just a small decorative disappointment.

So now the task is to find another cutting tool. If you already have good scissors, congratulations. You can open the package containing your good scissors’ replacement. If you don’t, you’re down to whatever is in the kitchen drawer, which is usually a pen that doesn’t work, three takeout menus, and a screwdriver you’re fairly sure belongs to something.

Maybe a box cutter will do it. Now you’re using a blade to get at the safely packaged blades. The package has apparently assessed you as a threat and taken appropriate precautions.

To be fair, scissors shouldn’t just fall out of a box onto somebody’s foot. A little packaging makes sense. But there’s a fair amount of room between “keep the product in the package” and “make the customer cut through a clear plastic wall.”

And once you do get an edge open, you still have to get the scissors out. The cut plastic curls up and gets surprisingly sharp. The cardboard tears in the wrong direction. You’re holding half a package and trying to decide whether enough of the opening counts as an opening.

All this for a tool whose entire job is cutting things. It isn’t fragile. It doesn’t need to stay fresh. Nobody is worried the scissors will leak onto the other products.

Eventually, the new scissors come free. They’re ready to cut paper, ribbon, maybe the corner off a bag of chips. Small jobs. The most demanding assignment of their career was getting out of the package, and they weren’t allowed to help.

Keep the old scissors handy. Apparently they’re part of the opening instructions.