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Who knew there were other manufactures out there other than Japanese!? That's right - there are also many other manufactures out there, however as we know, it's more common to know about the Japanese shears manufacturer rather than the German, and not much is ever spoken about other manufactures which is why Japanese and German manufacturers are for sure the front runners BUT what are the best German shears manufacturers?
We can sum this one up pretty quickly and easily! There are basically two that are the standouts that have really made their mark in the hair industry. We have Jaguar and Glück. Jaguar has been around for many years and has quite the reputation, whereas Glück on the other hand, hasn't been around for as long but they have certainly made their mark, coming in strong with their high quality shears.
As said above, many of you are super familiar with Jaguar as they have been around for over 50+ years, not everyone knows exactly why they have done so well in the industry for so long or made such a big name for themselves. Let's clear that up!
So basically, Jaguar Started out not as Jaguar but as "City of Blades' ' in 1931 as a family business specializing in blades, knives etc, which then in 1967 they introduced hairdressing scissors into their company which after a few years turned the name into Jaguar. Fast forward a few decades and it brings you to 2004 which the company was then sold to Zwilling J.A. Henckels all while keeping the Jaguar name and product of the already famous company for hairdressing shears intact, they also merged with Tondeo in 2007.
What is Tondeo you ask? Tondeo is a high quality hairdressing scissor company. Tondeo and Jaguar made the final merge by the end of 2011 and from there, JAGUAR and TONDEO formed a separate division of the Zwilling Group and only continued to grow from there. Although both Jaguar and Tondeo are owned by the same company, they have both produced amazing high quality shears that are a cut above the rest and have continued to do so.
Which now brings us to this - Since the merger Jaguar has always managed to produce high quality products and a large number of industrial property rights, making it one of the world's leading manufacturers. So now fast forward to today, hairdressing and barbering professionals around the world use Jaguar products for their career. Jaguar scissors are more commonly used by barbers. Why? Simply because German steel is far more robust and can handle being put under pressure on a busy barbering day more than what a Japanese steel could - but we're not ruling anything out here!
So if that doesn't give you an answer to why Jaguar has done so well in the industry then I'm not sure what else to tell you - they have made an outstanding effort to be a front runner winner! However, Because they've done so well, it doesn't come to a surprise that other German manufacturers have wanted to compete against them. Sure enough, only one so far has gotten close and that is Glück.
Although Glück hasn't been around as long as Jaguar, that doesn't mean they shouldn't share the crown of quality German hair scissors. If you're German, then you should know the meaning behind the word Glück, if not then I'll make it easy for you, Glück means Happiness. The creators of Glück wanted to come up with a shear that not only brought quality and comfort to the aspiring hairdresser or barber but also a sense of joy and of course HAPPINESS when using these shears.
Glück shears have been designed mainly for the aspiring hairdressers or barbers due to its lightweight, easy to use, serrated edges. We all know how tough and expensive it can be when starting out as a hairdresser or barber which is why the founders of the German manufactured Glück have made it affordable to have a quality shear on hand. Yes, currently their range isn't as big as the Jaguar's BUT it makes choosing the perfect shear much easier without being overwhelmed by choice.
Glück can be seen as the easy, light and affordable option, whereas Jaguar can be seen as the more expensive, higher end shear for later in the customers career. Which is what makes these two German manufacturers go hand in hand, the start to the finish or the ying to their yang. There is no competition between them in our eyes because they both do an equally amazing job between each other.
Generally speaking German scissors are used most commonly by barbers. Hairdressers have been known to use them but aren't as necessary due to the hardness of steel used in German scissors. What does this mean? Well, if you're a barber then it's likely you do a lot and we mean a lot of the scissor over comb technique, and can make some quick and hard snips when cutting which is why German steel is a lot harder and robust when it comes to powering through those cuts.
Now the German scissors aren't for everyone, while they can be quite robust, on those soft and delicate cuts you wouldn't want to be using such a hard strong steel, which is where it's a great idea to have both Japanese and German professional cutting scissors on hand to be able to perform the other softer/ more delicate cuts.
Most German tools (especially Glück scissors) tend to come with a serrated edge making sure no hair slips or slides down the blade, They're also great for detailed cuts as the serration doesn't let the hair slip so there's no room for error especially when used on dry hair, so clearly they cannot be used for slice cutting as the hair will jam on the blade and pull on your clients hair. It's also as said above great to use for scissor over comb cutting. So to sum it up, Knowing what German scissors are great for the question shouldn't be what are they good for, the question should be WHO are they good for? And the answer - barbers of course, to get through a busy barbering day!
The difference between German and Japanese scissors is quite obviously the steel used - and that would be either German or Japanese. But other than a product description how else could you possibly tell the difference between the two? Unless you're a steel enthusiast then your chance of knowing the difference is slim. However, the edge of the blade on your chosen scissor is the best way to be able to tell the difference.
The different types of edges are Convex, Semi convex and of course beveled. A convex and semi convex edge is usually made from Japanese steel, leaving the beveled edge made from German steel. These different edges determine the different types of cutting techniques. And yes, before you ask we will explain the different edges a little further.
Convex blades are typically more sharp than any other edge and require a car to be taken when using them (for obvious reasons of course). These scissors are best used for slide cutting, point cutting and feathering. While yes you can use them for blunt cutting, it's not generally recommended. The convex edged scissors are usually razor sharp and require a higher maintenance to keep them that way.
Semi convex edge blades on the other hand are the perfect mix of Beveled and convex edge scissors. It is far from being a beveled edge due to it being a little more on the narrow side but still nowhere close to a convex edge. While the semi convex isn't as sharp as the convex it's still not as dull as what the beveled can be. We recommend using these like convex edge scissors but with smaller sections so you don't run the risk of damaging the clients hair or causing any discomfort from pulling on the hair.
The beveled edge on the other hand, is nothing like the convex edge, it's a more old and least expensive design. Now it may not seem as appealing as the other edges but with the right techniques used you can make a beveled edge shine. The Beveled edge has been around for years on end and typically used by barbers. Why? Because the beveled edge usually requires at least one or both edges to be serrated which creates the hair to not slip or slide through the blades. Which is where the blunt, heavy, scissor over comb cuts come into play. We highly don't recommend using the beveled edge for any slide, feathering or point cutting as it will cause extreme discomfort on the client.
Well hopefully now you know who the best German manufacturer is. But how can we say someone is the best when you, the customer, haven't even tried it yet? So what are you waiting for? Try your German scissor today to feel the difference!
