One of the cutest creatures in Minecraft is undoubtedly the sheep! They are the most wonderful, lovely, and gentle beings! However, they do have one significant flaw, a glaring issue, a fundamental mistake in their evolution that renders them imperfect. They are just too fluffy! Therefore, this week we introduce you to an item that can address this concern—shears!
Initially, shears were considered as tools for disarming TNT, but eventually, in version 1.7, it was decided to use them for shearing sheep. Players could collect wool without harming the animals, providing a fantastic alternative to the traditional method. Of course, unless you harbor a deep-seated dislike for sheep. If that’s the case, then you probably felt my long disdainful gaze.
The beautiful wool from these fluffy sheep isn’t the only thing you can gather with shears. You can also collect spider webs, leaves, tall grass, seagrass, all types of ferns, dead bushes, vines, brown and red mushrooms, pumpkins, snow golems, tripwire hooks, and even bees! The variety of items and mobs on this list is truly impressive!
Similar to most tools in Minecraft Bedrock, scissors are known for their durability. However, if you need to enhance them, you can place them on an anvil and, depending on the version you’re playing, apply enchantments such as Efficiency, Unbreaking, Mending, Silk Touch, and Curse of Vanishing.
In the real world, there is a vast array of scissor types. Generally, we can refer to any cutting tool that resembles scissors in some way as such. For instance, there are hair-cutting scissors, shears for animal fur, garden scissors for trimming plants, kitchen scissors for food preparation, serrated scissors used for creating zigzag patterns, and specialized medical scissors designed for cutting clothing off injured individuals.
The earliest scissors emerged in Mesopotamia around 2000 to 1000 BC. They were crafted from two bronze blades linked by a slender, curved bronze plate, allowing the scissors to open and close. From that point on, the design of scissors remained largely unchanged until the sixteenth century.
However, around the year 100 AD, the Romans developed a new type of scissors. These were more similar to modern ones: two crossed blades joined in the middle, with one side serving as a handle and the other as the cutting edge. Despite being significantly more convenient than their predecessors, this new design did not gain much popularity. It wasn’t until 1761 that a man named Robert Hinchcliffe decided to turn them into a business by selling them wholesale, which led to the widespread adoption and use of these new scissors across various aspects of life.
Meanwhile, in Minecraft, we have yet to see a character named Robert Hinchcliffe introduce new scissors, so we will have to make do with what we currently possess. Perhaps someday a villager will begin to evolve and invent steel, while another might create an innovative tool for shearing sheep using this new material. Until my dreams become reality, let’s continue living our ordinary lives and using regular scissors.
