Shannon Longan, age 11, of Gallup, N.M., for her question:

WHEN WERE SCISSORS FIRST USED?

If their blades are less than six inches long, they're called scissors. If the blades are more than six inches long, they more properly should be called shears.

Scissors and shears came into being shortly after man learned to make knives. The first sharp and sturdy scissors, however, weren't developed until the late 1200s.

Scissors are really two knife blades joined together with a pin or bolt to form a double lever. As pressure brings both blades together, the material between them is cut.

Most shears have a larger ring on one handle for several fingers of the cutting hand while scissors usually have small rings on each blade of equal size. They range in size from tiny manicuring scissors to huge power operated metal shears used in steel mills.