For a first aid kit or medical bag, get the XShear 7.5: thick 420J2 blades, a blunt tip and a 5-year warranty. For a pocket, the XShear Mini. For a belt or car kit, the Leatherman Raptor Rescue folds and adds a strap cutter, ring cutter and glass breaker.
Most kits: XShear 7.5$44.00 at AmazonPrice as of Oct 22, 2026, 3:25 AM EDT
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
How the three shears score
Our spec score runs every shear through the same nine checks from the makers’ own pages and listings: steel grade, an edge for tough material, a safe tip, autoclaving, warranty, sharpening, carry, rescue tools and length. The method is at the bottom of the page.
Plain Prepper spec score out of 10, from each maker’s product and care pages and Amazon listing, read Oct 22, 2026. It is not a customer rating or a cutting test.
Blades twice as thick as most trauma shears, per XShear
Patented blunt, curved tip for cutting near skin
Autoclave safe, and the center bolt comes out for deep cleaning
5-year warranty and free sharpening by mail
Cons
Doesn’t fold, and the holster is sold separately
XShear publishes no weight for the 7.5
No strap cutter, ring cutter or glass breaker
7.5 in longJapanese 420J2 steelTitanium coatingBlunt, curved tipTorx T15 center boltAutoclave safe5-year warrantyMade in Taiwan
Buy it if
Your shears live in a first aid kit, medical bag or IFAK, and the clothing you may need to cut is heavy: a leather jacket, winter layers or work gear.
Skip it if
You want your shears in a pocket all day. The XShear Mini is 6 inches long and weighs 1.55 ounces.
The XShear 7.5 is the shear we’d put in a kit bag, and it scores 9.0, the highest here. XShear builds it around one idea: thicker blades. The maker says its hardened stainless blades are twice as thick as most trauma shears, and its Amazon listing names the steel as Japanese 420J2.
The point is stiffness. XShear pairs the thick blades with a heavy-duty center bolt that its listing says won’t loosen or flex. The maker names motorcycle gear, firefighter turnout gear, heavy winter clothing and wetsuits as things it cuts.
Patient safety is the other half. XShear has a patent on the blunt tip and curved design, which it says gives a gentler edge near the skin. That’s the point of a trauma shear: as Wikipedia puts it, the wide, blunt tip is made to slide across skin while you cut clothing. The inner handles are soft-touch, for comfort and slip resistance.
Care is where it pulls ahead of the Raptor. XShear’s care page says the shears can be sanitized in an autoclave using standard instrument procedures, though they aren’t made to be sterile instruments. For deep cleaning, a Torx T15 bit takes the center bolt out. When they go dull, XShear sharpens them free if you mail them in; allow 10 to 14 days.
The warranty is 5 years, with a 90-day money-back guarantee on top. XShear designs the shears in Michigan and has them made in Taiwan. XShear also lists a national stock number for the coyote-brown version, 6515-01-702-8905.
What it gives up is carry. It doesn’t fold, and it has no rescue tools beyond the blades. XShear sells holsters for the 7.5 separately: a 1-ounce micro holster and a tactical holster with a click-in lock. It also doesn’t publish a weight. When we checked, Amazon’s seller was XShear itself, and the listing was new and in stock.
6 in long2 in blade1.55 ozJapanese 420J2 steelBlunt, curved tipLanyard pointAutoclave safe5-year warranty
Buy it if
You carry shears in a scrub pocket, a small pouch or a kit where every ounce counts, and you mostly cut clothing, tape and bandages.
Skip it if
You expect to cut through heavy gear often. The full-size XShear 7.5 has longer handles for more leverage.
The XShear Mini scores 8.5, just under its big brother, and it’s the pick for a pocket. XShear gives it an overall length of about 6 inches with a 2-inch blade, and a weight of 1.55 ounces. That’s lighter than the 2 ounces North American Rescue lists for its standard 7.25-inch shear.
It keeps most of what makes the 7.5 good. XShear lists heavy 420J2 stainless blades, the same titanium coating with a matte black finish, the curved blade with a blunt tip, and the soft-touch, non-slip inner handles. The maker says it handles everyday cutting easily, plus heavier jobs like thick clothing, leather or boots when needed.
Length is the one place it gives up points. A trauma shear’s long handles are a lever: the farther your hand is from the pivot, the more force reaches the blade. Our length check gives full marks from 7 inches up, so the Mini earns half. For tape and dressings, you won’t notice. For a leather jacket, the 7.5 is the better tool.
Build is a little different too. The Mini has a heavy-duty rivet where the 7.5 has a removable bolt, and XShear’s care page says the mini can’t be taken apart. Clean it in place, autoclave it like the larger shear, and if cleaning and oil don’t fix a stiff action, XShear suggests mailing it in for sharpening and maintenance. Sharpening is free.
There’s a lanyard point on the handle. XShear sells two holsters made for the 6-inch Mini, a molded one and a 1-ounce micro holster, and says the Mini doesn’t fit the holsters made for the 7.5. Like the 7.5, it’s covered for 5 years with a 90-day guarantee, and it’s made in Taiwan.
When we checked, Amazon’s seller was XShear itself, and the olive drab listing was new and in stock.
Strap cutter, ring cutter, O2 wrench and carbide glass breaker
Utility holster in the box
25-year warranty
Cons
Leatherman says wash it, and publishes no autoclave rating
Don’t take it apart to clean
Leatherman doesn’t state a blunt tip
5.8 ounces
8 in open, 5 in closed5.8 oz420 stainless shearsLocks openMicro-serrated edge5 rescue toolsUtility holster25-year warranty
Buy it if
You want shears on your belt or in the car, and a strap cutter, ring cutter and window breaker in the same tool.
Skip it if
Your shears need to go through an autoclave. The XShear 7.5 is rated for it and can be taken apart to clean.
The Raptor Rescue is the only folding shear here, and it scores 8.0. Closed it’s 5 inches long; open it’s 8 inches and locks in place. Leatherman says the lock means no flex or give when you cut, and its Amazon listing adds that the shears lock when holstered, so you can wear them upside down on a belt.
It’s also the only pick with rescue tools built in. Leatherman lists a strap cutter, a ring cutter, a 5 cm ruler, an oxygen tank wrench and a carbide glass breaker. The ring cutter is for soft metals only: Leatherman says gold and silver, not stainless steel or titanium. That’s why it scores full marks on our rescue-tool check and why it’s the car-kit pick.
Leatherman’s spec table lists the shears as 420 stainless (its tools list says 420HC) with a bead-blast finish. Leatherman’s sharpening notes say the blade pairs a straight edge with a micro-serrated one. Its Raptor Response page says the micro-serrations on the inner blade keep fabric from slipping and binding. The handles are polyamide 6 molded over 420 stainless, with a lanyard hole and a replaceable pocket clip you can remove.
Two things cost it points. Leatherman doesn’t state a blunt or rounded tip on its page or listing, so it scores 0 on our safe-tip check, as any shear would. And its cleaning advice is mild soap and water, a dry-off and a PTFE lube on the pivot, with a warning not to take the tool apart. It publishes no autoclave rating.
Sharpening is spelled out instead of mailed in: 32 degrees inclusive on the straight edge, and only the serrated side of the micro-serrated edge, with a ceramic or diamond rod. The pivot screw can be tightened or loosened to suit what you’re cutting.
Leatherman builds it in Portland, Oregon, from USA and global parts, and backs it for 25 years. This listing includes the utility holster, as Leatherman’s own page does. It weighs 5.8 ounces, almost four times the Mini. When we checked, Amazon’s seller was Leatherman Tool Group, and the listing was new and in stock.
Side-by-side
Every spec comes from the maker’s own pages or its own Amazon listing. Scroll sideways on a phone.
All three are trauma shears: bent-handled scissors with a flat lower blade that slides under clothing. The Raptor folds; the two XShears don’t.
Trauma shears vs scissors
Trauma shears are scissors built to cut clothing off an injured person quickly without cutting the person. Three things set them apart from kitchen or office scissors: the bend, the tip and the build.
Feature
Trauma shears
Ordinary scissors
Why it matters
Handle angle
Bent, traditionally about 150 degrees
Straight
A longer lever arm than normal scissors
Tip
Wide and blunt, made to slide across skin
Usually pointed
Lowers the risk of cutting the patient
Build
Rugged: plastic handles, metal blades
Varies
Made to cut seat belts, leather, denim and thin metal
Use
External only; not for surgery
General
They’re for clothing and dressings, not wounds
That description comes from Wikipedia’s entry on trauma shears, which also notes the trade name Tuff Cuts and that fishermen, soldiers and divers carry them as a safer alternative to a knife. Bandage scissors are the smaller cousin, made mainly for sizing and removing dressings.
In a prepper’s kit, they do two jobs. They expose an injury so you can see it and treat it, and they cut tape, gauze and dressings to size. Our IFAK guide covers what else goes in the pouch, and the tourniquet guide covers the item you’d reach for first in a bleed.
What each maker says its shears cut
No maker publishes a standard cut test, so here is what each one claims in its own words, next to the general list from Wikipedia.
Shear
Maker’s claim
Feature it credits
XShear 7.5
Motorcycle gear, firefighter turnout gear, heavy winter clothing and wetsuits
Blades twice as thick as most, heavy-duty center bolt
XShear Mini
Everyday materials, plus thick clothing, leather or boots when needed
Heavy 420J2 blades
Leatherman Raptor Rescue
Clothing, plus straps with the strap cutter and soft-metal rings with the ring cutter
Locking shears, separate cutters
North American Rescue (left out)
The toughest materials
Serrated lower edge
Prestige Medical 87 (left out)
Tough clothing and bandages
Milled, not stamped, serrations
Trauma shears in general (Wikipedia)
Seat belts, leather, denim, even thin metal
Rugged construction
Treat these as claims, not test results. What they tell you is what each maker designed for. XShear built for thickness, Leatherman for a folding tool with extra cutters, and the medical brands for a light, autoclavable shear for clothing and dressings.
The makers credit two features for heavy fabric. One is serrations: Leatherman says its micro-serrations keep fabric from slipping and binding, North American Rescue credits its serrated lower edge, and Prestige says its serrations are milled rather than stamped. The other is stiffness: XShear credits blades twice as thick as most and a center bolt that won’t loosen or flex.
The tip, the steel and the edge
The blunt tip is what makes a trauma shear safe to use on a person. Two of our picks state one; Leatherman doesn’t mention a blunt tip anywhere on its Raptor page or listing.
Shear
Tip, as the maker states it
Steel
Edge
XShear 7.5
Patented blunt tip and curved design
Japanese 420J2, hardened, titanium coated
Twice as thick as most
XShear Mini
Curved blade with a blunt tip
Heavy 420J2, titanium coated
Not stated
Leatherman Raptor Rescue
Not stated
420 (420HC in its tools list), bead blast
Straight edge plus micro-serrated edge
North American Rescue (left out)
Rounded tip and clothing-lift lip
“Premium-grade” stainless, no grade
Serrated lower edge
Prestige Medical 87 (left out)
Not stated
Japanese 420
Milled serrations
Every steel named here is 420-family stainless. The letters after it are grades within that family: 420J2 on the XShears, 420 on the Raptor’s spec table (420HC in its tools list) and plain 420 on the Prestige. The makers don’t publish hardness figures, so we score only whether the grade is named, not which grade is better.
North American Rescue is the odd one out. It describes its steel as “premium-grade” without naming it, which is why it misses that check. It does state a rounded tip and a clothing-lift lip, and it’s the only maker here that lists a lip.
Length and weight
Longer handles give more leverage; shorter shears fit a pocket. Here’s each shear’s published open length.
Open length from Leatherman’s spec table, XShear’s product pages and North American Rescue’s spec sheet, read Oct 22, 2026.
Shear
Open length
Closed length
Weight
Blade or shear length
Leatherman Raptor Rescue
8 in
5 in
5.8 oz
1.9 in shear length
XShear 7.5
7.5 in
Doesn’t fold
Not published
Not published
XShear Mini
About 6 in
Doesn’t fold
1.55 oz
2 in blade
North American Rescue (left out)
7.25 in (6.25 in also sold)
Doesn’t fold
2 oz
Not published
The Raptor is the longest open and the shortest closed, which is the whole point of a folding shear. It pays for that in weight: 5.8 ounces against 1.55 for the Mini and 2 for North American Rescue’s 7.25-inch shear. On a belt, that’s fine. In a scrub pocket all shift, the Mini is easier to forget about.
How to clean and sharpen each one
Shears that cut clothing off an injured person need cleaning afterward, and the makers disagree on how. Follow your maker’s rule, not a general one.
Shear
Autoclave
Take apart to clean
Sharpening
Lubricate
XShear 7.5
Yes, to sanitize; not made as a sterile instrument
Yes, Torx T15 center bolt
Free by mail from XShear, 10 to 14 days
A drop of oil on the pivot, per XShear’s care page
XShear Mini
Yes, to sanitize
No, riveted
Free by mail from XShear
A drop of oil on the pivot
Leatherman Raptor Rescue
Not published
No; Leatherman says it can affect performance and warranty
Yourself: 32° inclusive on the straight edge; serrated side only, ceramic or diamond rod
PTFE lube on the pivot, after every cleaning
North American Rescue (left out)
Yes, 143°C / 290°F
Not stated
Not stated
Not stated
Prestige Medical 87 (left out)
Yes, 143°C / 290°F
Not stated
Not stated
Not stated
For the Raptor, Leatherman’s instructions are mild soap and water, then dry the tool fully to prevent corrosion. It warns against harsh chemicals like acetone or brake cleaner, which can damage the non-metal parts. Oil all pivots whenever the action feels stiff and after every cleaning.
For the XShears, XShear allows any commercial disinfectant or bleach solution, then a water rinse and a full dry, since many disinfectants can corrode the surface. It says the shears can be autoclaved but aren’t designed or approved as sterile instruments.
Unlike Leatherman, it says 100% acetone can lift adhesive residue. For a deep clean on the 7.5, a T15 bit takes the center bolt out; XShear says to reassemble the parts in the proper order.
Find the right shear for your kit
Pick where the shears will live and what you most need to cut. The answer uses only the makers’ published specs.
Usually, yes. TSA’s rule for scissors in a carry-on is that the blades must be less than 4 inches from the pivot point, and the officer at the checkpoint has the final say.
Carry-on blade check
Under 4 inches: allowed in a carry-on under TSA’s rule for scissors. The officer still has the final say.
TSA, “What Can I Bring?”: scissors, read Oct 22, 2026. Measure from the pivot screw or rivet to the tip.
Shear
Published blade length
Carry-on, by TSA’s rule
XShear Mini
2 in blade
Under 4 in
Leatherman Raptor Rescue
1.9 in shear length
Under 4 in by blade; TSA has no entry for its glass breaker or ring cutter
XShear 7.5
Not published
Measure from the pivot before you fly
North American Rescue 7.25 (left out)
Not published
Measure from the pivot before you fly
In checked bags, TSA allows scissors of any size but asks that sharp objects be sheathed or securely wrapped to protect baggage handlers and inspectors. Keep them in a holster, or wrap the blades.
The Raptor is the one to think about. Its shears fall under the limit by Leatherman’s published shear length, but TSA’s scissors entry says nothing about the glass breaker or ring cutter. If you can’t risk losing it at the checkpoint, put it in your checked bag and fly with a Mini.
Shears we checked and left out
These are shears people search for. Each one missed our 7.0 floor or a basic check, so we don’t recommend them here.
Shear
Score
What held it back
What it does well
North American Rescue ZZ-0063, 7.25 in
5.1
No steel grade or warranty published; no sharpening support or holster
Rounded tip, clothing-lift lip, serrated edge, O2 wrench, autoclave to 143°C, 2 oz
Prestige Medical 87 EMT utility scissor, 7.5 in
4.5
No tip design or warranty published
Japanese 420 steel, milled serrations, autoclave to 143°C
Prestige Medical 607 fluoride scissor, 7.5 in
3.0
No tip, edge or warranty published
Non-stick coating for tape, 420 steel, autoclavable
SOG ParaShears
Left out before scoring
An 11-tool multi-tool with 2-inch shears, a different kind of product
Folds, with many tools
Unbranded “Raptor-style” folding shears
Left out before scoring
No maker documents to check the listing against
Look like the Raptor for less
North American Rescue and Prestige both rate their shears for the autoclave at 143°C (290°F), and NAR’s 2-ounce weight is the lightest published for a full-size shear here. A low score means the maker doesn’t publish the facts a home kit buyer needs, mainly a warranty and, for Prestige, the tip design. It doesn’t mean the shears cut badly.
How to choose trauma shears
1
Decide where they’ll live
Pocket, belt, kit bag or car. That settles size and folding.
2
Look for a blunt tip
The maker should say so. It’s what makes them safe on skin.
3
Check the edge
Serrations or thick blades for denim, leather and straps.
4
Check the cleaning rule
Autoclave, or soap and water? Will you clean them after use?
5
Read the warranty
Five years or more, from a maker that sharpens or explains how.
6
Skip the knockoffs
Buy a named brand whose listing matches the maker’s page.
If you’re building one kit for the house, the XShear 7.5 is the one we’d buy. It has the safe tip stated in writing, it can be autoclaved and taken apart, and XShear sharpens it free. If the shears will ride in your car, the Raptor’s glass breaker and strap cutter earn their extra weight. Our car emergency kit guide covers the rest of that kit.
Questions people ask
What are trauma shears used for?
Cutting clothing off an injured person quickly so you can see and treat the injury, and cutting tape, gauze and dressings. The blunt tip slides along the skin while the blades cut. Wikipedia notes they’re for external use only, not surgery.
What’s the difference between trauma shears and scissors?
Trauma shears are bent, traditionally at about 150 degrees, which gives a longer lever arm. They have a wide, blunt tip made to slide across skin and are built to cut denim, leather and seat belts. Ordinary scissors are straight and usually pointed. Bandage scissors are a smaller version for dressings.
Does TSA allow trauma shears?
In a carry-on, TSA allows scissors with blades less than 4 inches from the pivot point, and the officer has the final say. In checked bags any size is allowed, sheathed or wrapped. The XShear Mini’s 2-inch blade is well under the limit.
Can you autoclave trauma shears?
Depends on the maker. XShear says its shears can be sanitized in an autoclave but aren’t made as sterile instruments. North American Rescue and Prestige rate theirs to 143°C (290°F). Leatherman says to clean the Raptor with mild soap and water and publishes no autoclave rating.
How do you sharpen trauma shears?
Follow the maker. XShear sharpens its shears free if you mail them in. Leatherman says to sharpen the Raptor’s straight edge at 32 degrees inclusive, and the micro-serrated edge only on its serrated side with a ceramic or diamond rod.
Can trauma shears cut a ring off?
Not the blades. The Leatherman Raptor Rescue has a separate ring cutter, and Leatherman says it’s for soft metals only, such as gold and silver, not stainless steel or titanium. None of the other picks has a ring cutter.
Are Leatherman Raptor shears worth it?
If you want shears that fold, ride on a belt and carry a strap cutter, ring cutter, O2 wrench and glass breaker, yes; it scores 8.0 with a 25-year warranty. If you need to autoclave your shears, the XShear 7.5 scores higher at 9.0.
Why are trauma shears bent?
Wikipedia says the blade is traditionally bent at about 150 degrees, which gives a longer lever arm than normal scissors. A longer lever puts more force at the blade for heavy clothing like denim and leather.
How we pick, and how the score works
Why trust us
Plain Prepper is owned and edited by Isaac Daniels. Every spec on this page comes from the maker’s own product and care pages or the brand’s Amazon listing, and the travel rule from TSA, named in the sources below. We don’t run cutting tests, so we never present a result as measured by us.
Prices and photos come from Amazon and show the time they were read.
How we pick
Trauma shears from well-known makers that publish specs.
Specs read from the maker, not from other review sites.
Each Amazon listing checked as genuine, new and in stock the day we published.
Every product checked against CPSC recalls; we found none for these shears.
Every pick scores 7.0 or better.
How the spec score is calculated
We read nine facts from each maker and put every shear through the same table below. Weighting those lines gives the score out of 10. Customers’ stars and cutting tests play no part.
Where a maker doesn’t state a feature, it scores 0 on that line. That’s why the Raptor gets nothing for a safe tip: Leatherman doesn’t state one. XShear’s care page covers all its trauma shears for the autoclave and the 5-year warranty, the Mini included.
Check
Weight
How it’s scored
Steel grade named
10%
10 if the maker names the steel grade; else 0
Edge for tough material
15%
10 if the maker names serrations or thicker, heavy blades; else 0
Safe tip stated
15%
10 if the maker states a blunt or rounded tip; else 0
Autoclave published
10%
10 if the maker says it can be autoclaved; 5 for washing instructions only
Warranty
15%
Warranty years ÷ 5 × 10, up to 10; 0 if none is published
Sharpening support
10%
10 if the maker sharpens them or publishes how; else 0
Carry
10%
10 if it folds or a holster comes in the box; 5 if the maker sells a holster that fits
Rescue tools
5%
Share of four: strap cutter, ring cutter, O2 wrench, glass breaker
Length for leverage
10%
0 at 5 in open, rising to 10 at 7 in or longer
Sources
XShear, XShear 7.5” Heavy Duty Trauma Shears, XShear Mini 6” and holster product pages, care page and return policy, xshear.com, read Oct 22, 2026: blades, coating, tip, bolt and rivet, autoclave, disassembly, sharpening service, warranty, guarantee, origin, NSN, holster fit.
XShear, brand Amazon listing B01LZQBO4S, read through Amazon’s Creators API Oct 22, 2026: Japanese 420J2 steel, center bolt.
Leatherman Tool Group, Raptor Rescue product page with specifications and care FAQ, leatherman.com, read Oct 22, 2026: weight, lengths, steels, lock, tools, holster, sharpening, cleaning, ring cutter limits, warranty, origin.
Leatherman Tool Group, Raptor Response product page, leatherman.com, read Oct 22, 2026: micro-serrations on Raptor-family shears.
Leatherman, brand Amazon listing B0BTTNJQ2K, read through Amazon’s Creators API Oct 22, 2026: lock when holstered, utility holster included.
North American Rescue, NAR Trauma Shears product page (ZZ-0063), narescue.com, read Oct 22, 2026: steel, serrations, tip and lip, O2 wrench, autoclave, size, weight.
Prestige Medical, 7.5” EMT Utility Scissor (model 87) product page, prestigemedical.com, and brand Amazon listing for model 607, read Oct 22, 2026.
Transportation Security Administration, “What Can I Bring?”: scissors, tsa.gov, read Oct 22, 2026: under 4 inches from the pivot in carry-ons, sheathed in checked bags, officer’s final decision.
