The paper presents a new design of a scissor-finger cutting unit, which in relation to known structural solutions of cutting units is characterized by higher efficiency in functioning by reducing the energy intensity of the work. The presented design has been conceived in such a way that the majority of the components are the elements existing in a commercial offer for known design solutions of cutting units. The paper presents also the simulation calculations of operating parameters of a scissor-finger cutting units. Having a good tool to conduct numerical simulations of cutting units can significantly shorten the time of preparing new constructions of cutting units, as well as give the ability to quickly verify and optimize the potential of existing design solutions.