Your Cart is Empty
The first big purchase you will make as a professional stylist is your hair cutting shears. Hair shears, like hairdressers, come in all different shapes, sizes and colors.
There are many things to take into consideration when purchasing hairdressing shears. Sometimes looking at all these different scissors can be a bit overwhelming. What do you look for when buying hair cutting shears? Let's break it down and help you find your perfect pair!
The first thing you should consider would be your budget. Hairdressing shears can come in all different types of price ranges. From cheaper, basic shears to very fancy, very expensive ones, you have to decide which will fit in your budget the best. Obviously, this is definitely a case of you get what you pay for. You will be using your shears for every haircut that you do, so it is important that the blades are well made and stay sharp, making them easy to maintain. You can find quality, reasonably priced, hair cutting shears. Most hairdressers and barbers will require a few different pairs of shears, for different hair cutting techniques. So it is important to consider which shears will give you the best hair cutting scissors for your money.
Cheaper shears may not be made from the best stainless steel, and may end up hurting you and your client in the long run. A cheaper pair of shears may not stay sharpened for very long, which may end up costing you more in constant sharpening. With constant sharpening and usage they most likely will not last and you may find yourself purchasing new shears every year. Dull scissors can be uncomfortable for you and your client. Instead of slicing through hair nice and smooth, they will push the hair, causing it to be uneven. They also will pull on hair, causing your clients pain.
If you want to save time and money you may consider investing in one, versatile, good quality shear. It may cost a little more in the beginning but they will last you a long time, and need less sharpening down the line. They will also help make your job quicker and easier. Time is money after all!
The last thing a hair stylist wants to do is buy new hair cutting scissors every year! That could get quite expensive! You want quality scissors that will stay sharper, longer and last a lifetime.
When considering a pair of professional shears it is important to think about longevity. The type of steel your scissors are made from will help determine how long they will last and how long they will stay sharp for.
There are two main types of steel, Japanese steel and German steel. Most high quality scissors will come from one of these places. You can also find shears made in China, Taiwan, Pakistan or India. However, nothing can contest the strong steels that come from Japan and Germany.
Japanese steel is probably the most well known steel used in hairdressing scissors. It is super sharp and lightweight. This steel is best for getting a very sharp, delicate, convex edge blade. Shears made from Japanese steel can be used for all different types of haircutting techniques.
Japanese steel can come in many different types of hardness. This means that you can most likely buy a cheaper Japanese steel shear, however it may be made with a softer steel that will not last as long as a harder one. You'll find that Aichi steel is the strongest and best quality steel. Infused with high quality cobalt this steel is lightweight and makes for one good looking, good feeling shear!
What about German Steel? German steel is loved for its European design and beveled edges. The beveled edge blade is great for barbers, or hairdressers who do a lot of scissor over comb. These shears are a bit of a powerhouse. They can handle a lot of wear and tear and repetitive hard movement. The beveled edge helps to grip the hair when taking larger sections during cutting.
For longevity you really can't go wrong with either Japanese or German steel. Both will help you deliver amazing results, while keeping your blades sharper and lasting a lifetime.
When purchasing shears you also need to take in consideration what type of hair cuts you are doing the most. The hairdresser who is known for her very sharp bob cuts will need a different shear than the barber who does scissor over comb all day. Different haircutting techniques will call for different hair cutting shears. Your cutting style will also help determine the best type of blade for you.
For the hairdresser who focuses more on sharp, precise cuts you may consider a semi convex edge blade. Semi- Convex edge blades will be thin and sharp, perfect for very precise lines.
If you find yourself doing more dry cutting, you will want to consider a very sharp, longer scissor. This could be where you begin to consider a micro-serrated blade. This blade will help prevent hair from sliding down the blade, making dry cutting easier.
Maybe you're best known for your soft, textured cuts. For point cutting and slide cutting you will want a convex edge. The sharp convex edge is best for all texturizing techniques, but not always recommended for blunt cutting. This super sharp edge will suit the most advanced hair cutting pro. You may decide to go for a shorter convex blade. The shorter length will be great for achieving deep point cutting and smooth slide cutting.
And then of course there are the best scissors for Barbers. Barbers usually prefer longer scissors, with a beveled edge blade. The longer blades of the barber shears are great for scissor over comb techniques and helps to speed up your cuts. The beveled edge means the sharpening of the shear will last longer, even when being used quite repetitively and often a bit rougher. You may also want to consider barber scissors with serrated blades. This will help keep the hair in place while doing scissor over comb and other barbering techniques.
When purchasing shears you will want to consider your wrists, hands, elbows and shoulders. Have you begun to experience some wrist pain when cutting? Do you want to help protect your hands and wrists for the long haul?
Professional hairdressing scissors have different types of handles to choose from. The type of handle you choose will not only affect how you cut, but also how you feel after cutting. As hairdressers we quickly learn how precious our hands and wrists are. You can not work without them! We are lucky we live in a time where there has been a lot of research done, and different scissor handles studied to help us prevent injury to ourselves. You want to choose the right scissors that not only look good but feel good in your hands as well!
The most used handle would be the offset handle. Offset handles are found to be most comfortable. The thumb is slightly angled back so that it sits in a more neutral position. This means there will be less stress on your thumb and wrist, helping to prevent future injuries.
You may also find yourself looking at a pair of classic handle scissors. These scissors have a straight handle, the opposing grip handles are symmetrical. This means that the thumb is placed a little further back. This will often lead to quicker hand fatigue and sometimes injury. Classic handle shears are best for someone who uses their middle finger to cut hair.
You'll find the next types of handles may take some getting used to. They are ergonomically designed, and may just help save your wrists!
These are the crane handle and the swivel shear. These shears will help prevent hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder pain. Both shears help to bring your elbow down beside you when cutting hair. This helps to relieve pressure in the shoulder and prevent repetitive stress injuries.
Now you can focus on the personalization of your shears. Are you a classic silver hairdresser? Or a more loud, rainbow shear type. A good quality shear will not matter if it is silver or colored.
Good quality scissors will have the color blended in with the steel. The color is basically part of the scissor. It will not hide any imperfections and will also stand the test of time. Quality color scissors will not have any chips of paint coming off over time.
We have now given you a lot to consider when purchasing a pair of shears. There are so many important factors to consider before the big purchase! What is most important to you? Are you the kind of person who prefers to have one perfect shear for everything , or different ones for all types of cuts.
Are you a classic hair stylist who prefers a more traditional style shear- medium length, silver shear with a convex edge? Or are you a new age stylist with the rainbow swivel shears ? You can't go wrong with any of these shears. It's all about finding the right pair for you. This is why we have a 7 day return or exchange policy. You have to figure out what works best for you and your unique hair cutting technique!
