ESD-safe tools have anti-static dissipative handles, which have a very high surface resistivity. This means that the surface of the handle is made from materials which have a large electrical resistance.
Electrical resistance is the strength with which a material opposes the flow of an electric current. Passing an electrical current through a material with high surface resistivity is like pushing water through a pipe full of sand, while passing an electrical current through a material with low surface resistivity is like pushing water through an empty pipe.
The handle sleeves of ESD-safe electronics cutters are made from high-resistivity materials like polyethylene. This means that electrostatic charge moves very slowly and dissipates through the tool over time, rather than leaping through the tool all at once in a single discharge that will overload sensitive components.
