For instance, it can assist when working with chicken wings, thighs, or drumsticks. The teeth keep the bone from slipping while you apply pressure.
However, this depends on the strength of your scissors. Heavy-duty poultry shears are built for tougher tasks, but lighter scissors may bend or break if used on bones.
Always make sure your scissors are suitable before attempting this.
What That Toothed Section Between Kitchen Scissor Handles Is Actually Used For
It Has Other Useful Functions Too
This small gripper can do more than most people expect. It can help crack crab legs or lobster shells, open tight plastic caps on juice bottles, hold twist ties steady, or grip slippery packaging while cutting.
Some even use it to twist out synthetic corks in a pinch, though it’s not a perfect substitute for a corkscrew.
In general, whenever something is slippery, small, tight, or difficult to hold, this hidden feature can provide the extra grip you need.
Why Do Kitchen Scissors Include This Feature?
Manufacturers add it because multi-functional tools are more practical.
A good pair of kitchen scissors isn’t just for cutting herbs, trimming meat, or opening packaging. With this built-in gripper, they can also function as a jar opener, nutcracker, shell breaker, and poultry tool.
This reduces the number of separate tools needed in your kitchen.
For those with limited space or drawers full of gadgets, this multi-purpose design is especially useful.
Do All Scissors Have It?
No, not every pair includes this feature.
You’re most likely to find it on kitchen shears, poultry shears, or heavy-duty multipurpose scissors. Standard office scissors usually lack it because they are intended for paper, not food or tougher tasks.
To check your scissors, look between the handles. If you see two ridged or notched sections that align when the scissors close, then your pair includes a built-in gripper.
A Few Safety Tips
Before using it, keep a few precautions in mind.
Do not use it on objects that are too hard. Thick bones, very hard nuts, or heavy-duty materials can damage your scissors or cause injury.
Keep your fingers away from the toothed area while squeezing, as the ridges can pinch.
Always clean the gripper thoroughly after use, especially if it comes into contact with raw meat, seafood, sticky substances, or oils. Residue can easily collect in the grooves.
Finally, use it only for kitchen-related tasks. While it may seem strong enough for things like wires or paint cans, using it that way can damage the scissors.
The Hidden Value of a Small Kitchen Feature
That unusual toothed section on kitchen scissors might look insignificant, but it’s actually one of the most practical hidden tools in your kitchen.
It can help open tight lids, crack nuts, grip bones, break shells, and hold slippery items securely. In short, it turns a simple pair of scissors into a versatile kitchen tool.
So next time you pick up your kitchen scissors, don’t overlook that jagged detail between the handles. It may be small, but it can save time, effort, and frustration.
Once you start using it, you may wonder how you ever ignored it.
