So here’s a pair of shredder scissors. The one that I have has 5 pairs of blades.
Cutting narrow papers with shredder scissors
First, I’m cutting narrow papers that are narrower than the blades of the scissors.
Because the stack of papers are narrower than the blade, I was able to cut those in one shot.
Still, to complete a single cut, I had to use both of my hands.
This might be because a paper with a postcard thickness was included.
As I kept cutting papers, some of the shredded pieces got stuck between the blades.
So here is the summary of when cutting narrow papers:
- It works OK if papers are narrower than the blade
- Requires both hands when it gets stiff, such as when you stack more papers, or when you have thick papers
Cutting wide papers with shredder scissors
Let’s move on to wider papers. Here are some stack of US letter papers. This is more typical use case.
When the papers are wider than the blade, I cannot cut through in one shot. I have to continue moving the scissors forward.
Because 5 pairs of blades are biting the papers in 5 positions simultaneously, when I move forward with my second cut, I started to feel a resistance.
Here is the summary of cutting wide papers:
- Cutting wider papers require moving forward with multiple cuts, which introduces a few problems
- Papers get wrinkled, making it harder to continue cutting forward
- Shredded pieces get stuck between blades
Conclusion
Based on my assessment, shredder scissors works for a small amount of narrow papers.
However, when it comes to shredding stacks of papers of all sizes, I have to say that a typical electric shredder machine still gives me a much easier, stress-free experience, even though it’s bulky, takes up space, and needs to be plugged in to a power outlet.
Shredder scissors spark curiosity and creativity
But in spite of some usability issues, shredder scissors attracts me.
It sparks curiosity and creativity, despite some issues.
Would it work better if it’s a cutter instead of scissors?
What about a cutter attached to a cutting board base that fixes the position of stacked papers?
Are there any middle ground between shredder scissors and a shredder machine?
Apparently, there is a decent market for this niche product category.
Amazon gave me 277 results.
Looking at physical products gives you fresh insights.
It’s a great exercise for a UX designer to have a closer look at a physical product, find some issues, and try to come up with some solutions that may address those issues.
Check out YouTube version too.
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