What Length Hair Shears Should I Choose

Choosing hairdressing shears is no easy job! We have so many different things to consider. First there's the brand, then the handle, the blades, the color etc. etc. Often we over look the length of our professional shears. Different length shears can be used for different cutting techniques, making the length of your shears actually quite important. If you are needing help choosing which length shears are best for you, we can help.

Smaller sized scissors

Small shears are usually classified as ones that are between 4.5 inches and 5.5 inches. A shear that is 4.5 inches may seem small in your hands and it is definitely not for everyone. Smaller sized scissors are best used for small details. If you spend a large part of your day doing short pixie cuts, or very detailed texture cuts adding a smaller shear to your kit may be best for you. Using smaller sized shears for blunt cutting and other straight line cutting will most likely cause you discomfort and take forever! However, breaking out the smaller shears to add texture and point cutting to a blunt cut may be exactly what you need! You may find that most hairdressers love having a shorter pair of scissors for advanced cutting techniques.

Regular sized scissors

What exactly are regular hair cutting scissors anyway? We would consider that regular scissors range from 5.5 inches to 6 inches. Regular sized hairdressing scissors are your everyday scissor. You can use these standard cutting shears for almost any hair cutting technique! They're the first ones you reach for when you begin a cut. You may find that regular shears feel most comfortable in your hands and can help you do everything from trimming hair to slide cutting. These professional hairdressing scissors will be your best friend for a long time.

You will find regular sized shears will have different cutting edges. Your everyday shear may have a semi convex edge, which is great for almost every hair cutting technique. Some shears may come with a convex edge, for your advanced cutting techniques like slide cutting, slice cutting or even deep point cutting. Convex edge blades are great for these techniques but we wouldn't recommend them for everyday use. The super sharp edge may dull quickly if not used correctly.

It is important to note that most texture shears will be regular length. Texturizing shears and thinning shears do tend to be kept at around 5.5 inch and 6 inch shears. They are easier to use at a regular length and this helps to guarantee they do not remove too much hair. A texturizing shear will have between 5-14 teeth and is great for chunky texture. Your thinning shears will have from 25- 40 teeth, they remove less hair but are great for removing weight. A hairdresser and barber should have at least one of these in their kit !

Longer scissors

Longer scissors are most commonly known as barber shears They range in size from 6 to 7 inches. The longer blades of these shears make taking larger sections of hair easier. Longer shears are known best for their ability to make scissor over comb fast and easy. Scissor over comb is one of the most used barbering techniques, so having a larger shear that makes this cut faster and more efficient is a must! Often these long barber shears are serrated scissors with a narrow beveled edge. This special blade helps to grab the hair and prevent it from slipping off the blades while doing scissor over comb. Scissor over comb technique is also used for doing short women's hair, like a pixie cut. If a pixie cut is your thing, choosing scissors that are longer, may work for you!

Longer scissors are not just for barbers! These days we can also find longer blades sharper with semi convex edge blades. These blades can be used for every day hair cutting techniques. Long shears are great for straight line cutting ( think a chic bob cut ). Cutting hair with long hair cutting shears may take some getting used to, but you may find it makes your lines sharper and your cuts quicker.

Which hairdressing scissors are best for you?

This, of course, all comes down to your personal preference. There used to be the belief that your shear blade should be the same size as your middle finger from tip to palm. However, we have now come to find that this is not always the case. A hairdresser with a smaller hand may be most comfortable using a smaller shear, or even a barber may find they love using a smaller shear for more detailed work. This is why we recommend our Triple sets - like these , our Matsui VG10 Offset triple set. This set comes with everything you need to find your perfect length, a 5.5 inch shear and 6 inch shear and a 6 inch thinning shear. Or if you want to dive in deeper to what length hairdressing scissors you need- check out our Refresh Set here . This set includes a 5.5 inch shear, 6 inch shear, 7 inch barber scissors and 6 inch thinning shears. Having a wide variety of shears will guarantee you are always ready for any cut that may come your way !