A few weeks ago, we began chatting about embroidery scissors that serve as good alternatives to Dovo embroidery scissors.
Dovo has long been my favorite source for excellent embroidery scissors, but sadly, the business has gone under. Never fear, though! There are other good scissors available out there!
Some, of course, are very pricy, but I often find excellent scissors in middle prices ranges that are sturdy, sharp, mechanically smooth, and promise to be long-lasting.
That’s pretty much what I look for in embroidery scissors.
Today, we’re going to look at 3 Claveles, a company from Spain that specializes in a wide range of scissors for all uses. I have a pair of their kitchen scissors that I love. I also have one pair of their embroidery scissors, and they have proved to be a very good contender in the lower mid-range price category for embroidery scissors.
3 Claveles produces seven styles of embroidery scissors, and you can see them all here on their website. Mine are the most basic – the 3.5″ straight-blade embroidery scissors.
While I haven’t tested all seven styles, I would guess that they are all going to be similarly good quality and good performance scissors.
I have the 3.5″ embroidery scissors. They are hot forged from carbon steel. They are very sharp, they have a nice weight to them (i.e. they don’t feel cheap), they have a perfectly smooth mechanical movement (no hangup when opening or closing the blades), and they cut well.
The finger holes are not huge, but they aren’t small. I’d say the are about average. You can see them lined up next to my Dovo scissors above – 3 Claveles on the right, Dovo on the left. The finger holes are about the same.
They accommodate my fingers comfortably. I don’t have long, willowy fingers. My fingers are very short and perhaps “stubby” – they have a wee pudge to them.
I haven’t used these as frequently as my Dovo scissors because I’ve been on a brush-finished kick for a while. I gravitate towards tools that have that brushed finish rather than the shiny finish. I’m not sure why.
The scissors have a shiny, bright nickel-plated finish (something to keep in mind if you have a nickel allergy!), with a very smooth, quality feel.
They remind me of my mother’s heavy, German-made sheers, only not nearly as big or as heavy! Just sturdy, sharp, smooth, and reliable.
So, there’s another good alternative for embroidery scissors if you’re mourning the loss of DOVO.
Where to Find Them
3 Claveles embroidery scissors are not very common in the US. You can order the basic straight and curved 3.5″ embroidery scissors on Amazon, but they ship from the UK. However, they ship relatively quickly with free international shipping. The price is lower mid-range for scissors: just over $20.
If you’re in the US, you can find them available here on my Amazon recommendations page, under “Tools & Accessories”. The straight blades are the first ones listed, and the curved are the second.
If you’re not in the US, you can visit the 3 Claveles website to see who carries them where you live.
This article includes an affiliate link to my Amazon recommendations page, which means that any purchase made through that link may result in a small commission for Needle ‘n Thread at no cost to you. Thanks!
Thank you Mary!
I am so glad you are addressing the quality gap that will happen due to Dovo going under. Please please keep us informed as you find scissor replacements. Any news on their equals in the scissors world? Or have I missed that article..
Again much thanks!
I like the Premax ring-lock scissors that I talked about here: https://needlenthread.wpengine.com/2021/07/dovo-scissors-substitutes.html
and here: https://needlenthread.wpengine.com/2019/01/heres-the-low-down-on-those-embroidery-scissors.html
Dear Mary
So sad Dovo doesn’t exist anymore but I’m you have found an alternative and these Claveles scissors look very good and very similar to the Dovo scissors. I can buy them in the UK as well so I might indulge in treating myself to a pair of them as they are very affordable and my budget will run to a pair. I looked at there other scissors and might also buy a pair of household scissors as I don’t have a pair of very good ones. Thank you for sharing with us your review on the 3 Claveles scissors they look the like the perfect alternative to Dovo scissor. I will definitely be looking at their website to buy a pair.
Regards Anita Simmance
I have had a pair of Mundial red dot hobby scissors for about 40 years and they are my favourites because the plastic handles are so comfortable, they are lightweight and still cut beautifully. You can get them in the uk from Barnyarns and they sell several different sizes.
Hi Mary-
I was given a pair of these and I really like them. Nice alternative to Dovo-which I love. You can find them on Amazon-here’s the link.
I have owned a couple of pairs of ‘3’ Claveles for probably 15 years now. They are stamped with Tres Claveles and not the number 3. They are also very pretty designs which I don’t see on their website, so they must have stopped making them at some point.
They are also very nice embroider scissors and are right up there with my Dovos and my Wasa collections.
Right now I’m preferring tools that are not super shiny as well. For me, it’s that the polished tools will reflect light into my eyes and then I can’t see what I’m doing. NOT good when using sharp pointy tools! 🙂 I have a couple of tools that I took emery board to and took the shine off, they are much nicer to use now.
I am very fortunate to have few pairs of 3 claveles, I should add that I am spanish. In my trips home I always purchase a couple of pairs…..they are different sizes and styles. But, they are good, were better, times changed. Thank you.
I’m looking to replace a pair of scissors that fits my chain. I lost the original pair. Silver color and only 2.25 inches long.
Do you know of a source?
I was very sad to learn last year that Dovo was sold to another scissor manufacturer. They had long been on my wish list. Shortly after I read about it, I used my stimulus check to purchase a pair, so I do have one pair of them. I was so surprised about how light they feel, but they do cut as promised. I was very surprised to learn that my other favorite pair of embroidery scissors that I’ve had since I first learned Hardanger were made by them. They were sold under the Gingher brand, stamped with made in Solinger. In searching the internet about Dovo, I learned that they made that particular line for Gingher for a while. The current Ginger embroidery scissors don’t have that stamp (I have a couple of other Gingher embroidery scissors that while they cut well, just don’t have the same feel or sharpness of the one stamped made in Solinger. I will have to look into these 3 Claveles scissors. = )
My mother has a pair of dissecting scissors that she bought from a medical supply company that she uses for the fine work. They were probably a bit expensive when she bought them, but considering that would have been 1962, I think she’s got her money’s worth.
I can vouch for the 3 Claveles brand.
I bought my curved embroidery scissors over 30 years ago. I have many others, but those are still my favourite ones. Sharp, efficient and reliable.
I also inherited my mom’s tailor scissors of the same brand, that she bought in the early seventies. Hundreds of yards of fabric, yarn and thread and endless children abuse later, they’re still working to perfection.
They look perfect, but both curved and straight are out of stock on Amazon currently.