The shear handles are ergonomically designed to place the hand in correct alignment for ease of cutting and are made of Santoprene?, a soft thermal rubber.The blades are made of AU6 Japanese stainless steel with Vanadium giving them a Rockwell of 54 to 58 HRC. The shear blades are held together with an adjustable nut, which increases strength and is easy to use.Recommended uses: Great for trimming flash All fabrics, sewing, and trimming operations Household use Extremely great hobby and craft shears For difficult to cut materialsTypically last 2-3 times longer than other brands of Shears