Ever notice the random jagged section between the handles of your kitchen scissors—the little metal teeth housed behind your fingers? You have likely also thought, what the heck even is this? If you have never used this portion of your scissors, you are not alone. Many people don’t even recognize this part as functional. It just is… there.
What you should know is that it is actually quite helpful. It is not an accident of design or a bizarre feature of the manufacturer. That little gripping part is an integrated tool you have probably been ignoring for years. Let’s talk about what it is, how to use it, and why this little piece is one of the underappreciated components of your kitchen apparatus.
First: What is this toothed part?
You will find it either where the handles start to curve inward—sometimes it is metal, other times, reinforced plastic, always rugged-looking. If you close the scissors slowly, the ridges come together and lock, creating a gripping surface that looks like it has to do something instead of silently waiting for action in your drawer.
It is usually called a “jar opener,” “nutcracker,” or sometimes even “bone cracker” depending on the brand—but it is essentially a gripping device and nothing more. It enhances the level of traction and control if your hands are not cutting it.
Trick #1: Open jars and bottles without the crying
Let’s say you have a jar lid that will not budge—a poor vacuum-sealed jam that refuses to leave its jar. You tried the dish towel like an amateur. You’ve hit the lid on the counter. Nothing to lose, you say. That’s where the built-in gripper will come to the rescue.
Here’s how:
Close the scissors enough that the teeth simply touch.
Slide the jar lid inside that ridged area—making it snug.
One hand holds the scissors, the other twists the jar. Twist.
The grooves give you traction, and the shape gives you even pressure, so you’re not wrestling with a slippery lid getting sore wrists. This can also apply to the small bottle caps—we’re talking soda bottles, tonic water, cooking sauces. If you have limited grip strength or have arthritis? Better yet. This can assist a lot.
Trick #2: Cracking nuts without a fancy gadget
Don’t have a nutcracker? No problem. If you are working with walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts—basically anything with a shell that is not made of concrete. Your kitchen scissors can be your other tool.
Place the nut gently in the toothed area.
Squeeze the handles slowly until you hear the shell crack (don’t go full Hulk—you’ll crush the nut inside).
Rotate the nut and apply pressure again until you can peel the shell off.
Not as sweet as a proper nutcracker, but it works in a pinch. Just take it slow—you are not trying to obliterate the thing, just crack it enough to get inside.
Trick #3: Poultry bones, beware
Now, this is all dependent on the quality of your scissors. Actually, if they are heavy-duty (indicating that they are poultry or bone shears), you can use the ridged portion to assist in snapping through small bones; think chicken wings or thighs, as in breaking down a bird.
With the bone gripped in the ridged portion, apply steady pressure (the key here is a firm but controlled grip), and it will assist in opening it without your shears sliding or slipping. Just be mindful: this is not the time to try it with your $5 grocery-store shears; if they aren’t cut out for it (pun intended), you could ruin them and injure yourself in the process.
Bonus uses that you might not have considered
That toothed area isn’t only for jars and nut cracking. Think outside the box:
Gripping slippery plastic caps (like vacuum-sealed juice jugs)
Cracking crab legs or lobster shells
Twisting soft corks out of bottles (mainly synthetic ones)
Holding a stubborn twist-tie or stuck plastic seal to slice it cleanly
Essentially, any time both your hands are slipping, slipping, slipping, and you’re about to snap with frustration—that little grip might be your answer.
Why do manufacturers even include this?
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