From Cooks Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen. Been a no-fail recipe for me for years. If your flour is more than 3 months old, toss it. Be careful measuring it. You don't necessarily need to sift, but give it a couple of swirls with a spoon prior to putting in a measuring cup to lighten it up and make sure you don't compact it in the measuring cup.
For One Double-Crust 9-inch Pie
2 1/2 cups (12.5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
8 tablespoons all-vegetable shortening, chilled
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
6?8 tablespoons ice water
1. Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade until combined. Add shortening and process until mixture has texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture; cut butter into flour until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse crumbs, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about ten 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.
2. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 2 tablespoons more ice water if it will not come together. Divide dough into two balls and flatten each into 4-inch-wide disk. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days before rolling.
Edit: and that wire thing you use is called a pastry cutter. That's what I use too and they turn out great crusts.
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