ScissorBrands is independent. We don't sell scissors and we don't take money to feature, rank or praise a brand. This page sets out how that independence translates into the way we write.
## Core principles
- **Verifiability.** Factual claims trace back to a primary source — the maker's own documentation or an authorised retailer. Where something isn't published, we write "not disclosed" rather than fill the gap with a guess.
- **Honest opinion, clearly separated from fact.** Our reviews take a view; that's the job. But the opinion sits on top of the verified detail, and we always name who a brand suits and who should look elsewhere.
- **Balance over hype.** We weigh trade-offs instead of crowning absolute winners. If the honest recommendation is the cheaper pair, we say so.
## How a brand profile comes together
1. **Research.** We gather the maker's specifications and documentation, then cross-check against authorised-retailer listings. Conflicting figures are reconciled in favour of the most authoritative, most specific source.
2. **Write.** A profile is drafted from those facts in a plain, practitioner-focused voice — specific, honest, and free of marketing language.
3. **Fact-check.** Steel grades, founding dates, headquarters, parent companies and price bands are checked against the source material before publishing.
4. **Review and update.** Pages carry a "Last reviewed" date and are revisited as specifications, pricing and availability change.
## Independence and funding
We do **not** accept paid placements, sponsored reviews, or any arrangement that lets a brand influence its rating or ranking. If a product is ever supplied for hands-on assessment, the page discloses who supplied it and on what terms. Because we don't operate a shop, we have no stock and no commission steering what we recommend.
## Language standards
We write in clear, modern English and explain technical terms on first use. We avoid empty hype ("game-changing," "unlock," "the best ever") and inflated claims. The aim is that a first-year apprentice and a thirty-year veteran can both read a page and come away better informed.
## Accuracy and legal care
We don't publish accusations of counterfeiting, fake steel or fraud. Manufacturing claims are reported as the brand states them, attributed accordingly, rather than asserted as proven fact. Where a brand's own information is thin or inconsistent, we flag the uncertainty instead of papering over it.
## Corrections
We would much rather fix an error than defend one. If a detail is wrong or out of date — or you work for a brand with a catalogue update — tell us via the [contact page](/contact/), ideally with a source. We verify, update the page, and note the change when it's significant. Our full assessment method lives in the [review methodology](/reviews-methodology/).