WHAT SHOULD YOU HAVE IN YOUR TOOLBOX?
On average, a professional stylist will have 5 or more high quality tools at their fingertips. Their main shear will typically be 5.5-6”, and becomes their go-to scissor for most of their work. A thinner with between 27-40 teeth will be used for blending and removing lines, while a texturizer with between 10-24 teeth will help remove weight and create volume. A 6-7” shear will be used for specialized cutting techniques such as scissor-over-comb, deep point-cutting, and heavy-duty blunt cutting. And of course a solid backup tool should be in hand for when shears are away for sharpening, and one pro tip is to select a slightly longer shear for your back-up shear, so you can get used to how to use it!
ANATOMY
SHEAR SELECTION GUIDELINES
TYPE OF MATERIAL
The best blades are made using steel sourced from Japan, well-known as the standard-bearer. Do not be fooled into buying anything less. Polishing and honing the blades to a razor-like sharpness is an art form; less expensive shears are machine-made and machine-sharpened, whereas high-end Japanese steel is mixed with carbon and other metals, retaining their sharpness and durability over a longer period.
Scissor steels are ranked based on the specific blend of metals used in their production. From lowest to highest quality, here are the steels used in shear manufacturing: 420 (barely sufficient to protect against corrosion), 440A, 4440B, 440C (highest durability and highest carbon content), S1 (a low-level cobalt steel for hardened shears), S3 (a higher-level cobalt steel with sharper edges), V1 (the V series category refers to one where vanadium and titanium are added, increasing strength), V3, VG-10 (a superior grade known as SuperSteel due to its high carbon content and cobalt), Damascus steel (ade from quality VG10 steel folded onto itself dozens of times), and ATS-314m (great for thick and curly hair).
Why is hardness important? When using higher-grade steel, shears last for longer due to how they hold up to sharpening, which removes a minuscule amount of steel.
LENGTH
Shears are typically 5” to 6.5”, though 4" and 7" lengths are available. Length should be driven by the cutting technique used, with comfort at the top of mind as well. Learning to use longer blades increases efficiency in cutting, and simply requires you to pay attention at all times to the tips of the blades until comfortable and natural-feeling after a day or two.
5 - 5.5” shears are perfect for detailed and precise cutting, navigating tough spaces around necks and ears, and working with short, fine hair. Smaller blades allow you to work close to the head-shape and create detailing, but 5” shears are not highly recommended, as they are infrequently used.
For blending, texturizing, or slide-cutting shears, a 6” length is most recommended. It will give you enough blade to use those tools in a variety of ways without being too long or too short.
Long shears can be used on thicker and longer clumps of hair. Another ideal use for longer shears includes shear-over-comb, which is faster, cleaner, and smoother with a 6.5” blade, ensuring a better blend. Longer blades are also good in cutting hair against skin as in bob shapes, when the longer blade cuts a wide panel, making for cleaner lines. Finally, longer blades are helpful when cutting a fringe, comfortably keeping hands away from faces.
SPECIALTY SHEARS
Thinning shears have narrow teeth and narrow spaces on both blades, reducing volume and allowing cut and uncut hairs to blend together rather than stack-up. Hair lays better, and moves better. Want to learn more about this often misunderstood shear? Check out this link from Scissor Tech:
Blending shears have wider teeth and feature a blunt blade and a blade with teeth. These are used to remove a small amount of hair and maintain layers or textures. Curious about how to use blending shears, and how they differ from thinning shears? This Hanzo link is excellent -- check it out:
Texturizing shears have between 5-14 teeth, spaced more widely apart, allowing you to remove weight, control the weight distribution, add texture, and reduce bluntness. Visible texture and separation is created; negative spaces are noticeable. Can feature grooves in the teeth, which creates something described as castle walls, with obvious notches. Need further information? Sam Villa has a great little video to watch, and you can find it below:
TYPE OF BLADE/EDGES
While serrated or corrugated edges are fine for basic clipping scissors, for advanced cutting, beveled edges are better. However, the best blades suitable for advanced styling techniques are sharp convex blades whose sharper angles allow for closer cuts and better shaping. There are three common types of blades that you may encounter during your search: the convex edge, the semi-convex edge, and the beveled edge.
The beveled edge blade style is one of the oldest and least expensive designs. It can cut well, but requires more force than a convex blade. One of the main advantages of such an edge is the durability of the blade due to the thickness of the edge. A beveled edge shear can perform very well if made of very high quality materials. A significant drawback of this type of blade is that it is not suitable for more advanced cutting techniques such as slide cutting.
Convex edges have a very sharp edge and require less force, allowing for more advanced cutting techniques. Making this type of shear is a more labor-intensive and detailed process. It produces a much smoother and more precise cutting experience. Convex blades are excellent for slide cutting, point cutting, and precision cutting techniques. They require less frequent sharpening, and thus have a longer lifespan than other shear types.
Semi-convex edges are sharper than beveled edges and are very durable. They are a cross between convex and beveled shears. The blade is slightly curved with a narrow beveled edge. Semi-convex shears are a durable option and may be more affordable than true convex shears.
TYPE OF HANDLE
The crane handle features a curved grip, one of the most ergonomic grips you can find. The extreme offset drops the elbow position, relieving the stress on both the shoulder and wrist. The most popular type of handle is the offset handle – a short thumb handle sitting atop a straight body design that allows the stylist to hold the ring finger and thumb more open while working.
SCISSOR TENSION
Most scissors have either a screw or spring system, which can be adjusted. Ball-bearing shears have a much smoother cutting motion, and do not need replacements — you will pay the premium.
CAST VS FORGED SHEARS
Cast shears are made when liquid metal is poured into a mold and allowed to cool, hardening into one piece. The one downside to casting is that as the metal cools, it expands and leaves molecules more separated, allowing shears to become brittle and chip or nick more easily. During the forging process, the handle and the blades are made separately, often in different grades of steel, and then welded together. A compression force is used to shape the metal pressing the molecules closer together, creating a longer lasting edge. It is virtually impossible to tell the two apart by sight.
TITANIUM-COATED SHEARS
Titanium is used to apply unique colors to the steel surface, and has no positive impact on edge retention or overall performance. It's done for esthetic purposes to make the shear appear more attractive. Keep in mind, titanium coating does not last forever.
MAINTENANCE AND MORE
DAILY MAINTENANCE
- After every haircut, wipe the blade from the pivot of the shears to the ends with a cotton cloth.
- At the end of the day, clean them before putting away -- chemicals can dull your blades, while hair and dirt left on your shears can cause rusting and pitting.
- Oil shears daily in the screw area -- use a single drop of oil between the blades and screw, then open and close your shears several times, working the oil behind the joint, and then finally wipe away any excess oil.
- Check tension daily and adjust as needed -- if the shear bends hair it usually means that the shear is too loose, and remember that new shears will need adjustment after the first few cuts as the screws and washers set in place.
- Keep blades closed when not in use or when setting the shear down -- an open shear exposes the fragile edges to nicks or bends.
- Only cut hair -- any other material can bend or nick the edges. Service when needed.
OILING SHEARS
WHEN TO SHARPEN SHEARS
ADJUSTING TENSION
CUTTING TECHNIQUES
POINT CUTTING
Point cutting can create more natural looking separation or negative space within sections. Keeping the blades in line with the direction of hair as you point cut prevents the eye from seeing the point of origin of the negative space. It does, however, take time, and with hundreds of extra cuts, your blades will show the wear. Consider purchasing a point-cutting shear that has curved teeth to quickly remove weight while creating separation and negative space in the hair.
SLIDE CUTTING
Slide cutting allows you to create vertical layers, cutting each hair to a different length as you slide along the hair, especially helpful with dry finishing. To do this without tearing the cuticle, however, you need a slide-cutting or dry-slide shear, which feature a type of edge finish that does not grip hair. These shears are ideal for all motion cutting techniques and create beautiful soft edges.
WET-CUTTING SHEARS
You’ll probably find yourself reaching for your wet cutting shears most often, so it makes sense to invest in quality shears. Look for convex blades, high-quality materials, and an ergonomic handle. Wet cutting shears can be used for a wide range of techniques on wet, damp or dry hair.
DRY-CUTTING SHEARS
Longer blades, a convex edge and sword blade design give you the power to glide smoothly through dry hair. Use your dry cutting shears for deep point cutting, texturizing, condensed cutting, and working with thick or coarse hair. Dry cutting shears are also excellent for cutting and adding deep texture to hair extensions.