When my friend had her baby, her grandmother sent a curious gift: an old, slightly worn pair of scissors. But these weren’t ordinary scissors they had four finger holes and the word “LEFTY” engraved on the blade. We examined them for a while, trying to figure out their purpose. “Is this some kind of medical tool?” I asked, turning them over. “Or maybe they’re for left-handed sewing?” We tossed around several ideas, but nothing seemed to make sense.

Intrigued, I decided to investigate. After combing through old forums and vintage advertising brochures, I finally found the answer: they were instructional scissors made for children. These special scissors were designed so that an adult could guide a child through the cutting motion. The child would place their fingers in one set of holes, the adult in the other, and together they’d learn the skill side by side.