Your Cart is Empty
So it’s time to stock up on some new hair scissors. Whether you’re setting up a new salon in NZ or replacing old scissors, you don’t want to cut any corners. Scissors are the most important tool in your business so you’ll want to do your research and make the right decisions so your investment is put to good use.
You want your stylists coming to work keen to pick up their favourite scissors and happily cut away. If the salon has shoddy scissors that don’t allow them to do their best work, well it won’t be the most inspiring workplace.
But with a crowded scissors market, how do you know what to look for? We’ll give you some tips for finding the best in the business.
Every NZ salon should aim to buy only high quality hair scissors. They need to be good when they’re being used every day as cheap scissors don’t last the distance. Scissors must cope with constant cutting which can blunt inferior pairs. There’s also the hostile environment to consider. Some metals aren’t friends with the constant moisture and chemicals we subject hairdressing scissors to.
Durability
Buy the highest quality scissors you can afford. Scissors made from Japanese steel including Hitachi and Aichei manufacturers are one of the world’s best. When looked after correctly, the steel won’t corrode or the finish fade.
Scissor Weight
Don’t sacrifice weight for durability. The weight of the scissors is an important factor to consider. A heavy pair of scissors can cause stylists’ fatigue and calluses and in the long-term can lead to hand and wrist injuries. You want scissors that stylists can barely feel in their hand. The scissors should almost feel like an extension of their fingers. You know, a bit like Edward Scissorhands but with less horror and goth involved.
Ergonomic Handle
If you have a stylist who suffers from hand or wrist pain or worse carpal tunnel, you’ll want to consider the ergonomics of any scissors you buy.
Some NZ stylists who haven’t been hairdressing for long, know of the risks and will do what they can to reduce future hand and wrist problems. Pain and injuries can limit the length of their careers. If that’s the case in your salon, make sure you invest in scissors that have ergonomic qualities.
An offset handle allows the thumb and fingers to sit in a more natural resting position than a classic pair of scissors.
A pair of swivel thumb scissors allows for the greatest movement in the hand reducing the chance of cramps and injuries. If you have experienced stylists in the salon, they may want to try a pair of swivel scissors. They can help avoid a painful carpal tunnel injury that can require time off work to rest.
Scissor Size
Hairdressing scissors come in all different sizes from 4.5 to 8 inches to suit the cut and the stylist using them. Scissors with a long blade might get the job done quicker. Think of how fast Edward could trim a hedge. But they don’t have quite the same control of a smaller pair.
The best size hair cutting scissors are in the hands of the beholder. No doubt you have stylists of all different sizes including their hands so it makes sense to have a range of sizes to accommodate everyone.
Before buying scissors perhaps do an audit and ask everyone what their favourite size is so you make sure you don’t miss anyone. There’s no point buying a variety of sizes if the majority use one size of scissors or if a stylist needs a particularly small or large pair. You want to buy hair cutting scissors that everyone likes to use. Rather than guess, ask your stylists about their preference in scissor size.
There’s a pair of hair scissors to suit every cut. Some are for the bulk cutting while other scissors are for finishing and tidying the cut. From cutting scissors to thinning and texturising scissors, you’ll need a variety to get the job done. Some stylists prefer to use barbering tools rather than hairdressing ones.
The blades on scissors also differ. An apprentice hairdresser may start out using micro serrated scissors where one blade has serrations that help grip the hair to perform a straight cut. These scissors can’t be used for slice cutting or chopping so they need to swap to scissors with a convex edge.
Cutting
The cutting scissors is the bread and butter of hairdressing, suitable for taking off length and getting through the cut quickly. Classic cutting scissors are also suitable for deep point cutting. Longer blade scissors are used by stylists who like the scissors over comb method. For more intricate work like cutting a clean line around the hairline, a fine or narrow tipped scissor is best.
Thinning
A pair of thinning scissors is easy to spot. It has one full blade and the other blade has teeth similar to a comb. Thinning scissors are used to reduce the bulk in thick hair and help create texture, movement and a softer effect than a pair of cutting scissors alone can create.
Texturising
Texturising scissors are like thinning scissors in that one blade is standard, and the other has teeth. With texturising scissors the teeth are wider apart so it removes a more substantial piece of hair than thinning shears. By removing hair, the stylist can create layers for added volume and texture.
Left-Handed Scissors
It might be a right-handed world out there but we can’t neglect the left-handed stylists. At Scissor Tech we make it a priority to have a range of left-handed scissors in stock. And the pretty ones too. Why should only right-handed stylists have all the fun?
Some popular lefty scissors include:
Lefty Matsui Rose Gold Aichei Mountain Offset Scissors
Lefty Matsui Aichei Mountain Silver Offset Scissors
Coloured Hairdressing Scissors
Talking of fun, there’s no need to limit your hairdressing scissor choice to chrome. Inject a bit of life into the salon with some funky coloured scissors. Scissors in neon pink, rainbow, rose gold, matte black, and with a bit of bling are all a pleasure to use but also help a stylist quickly identify which scissors to grab.
Check out our favourite coloured scissors:
Matsui Rose Gold Aichei Mountain Offset Scissors
Matsui Rainbow Scissor/Thinner Combo
It doesn’t matter what it is we’re buying, we all want good value for money. Scissors that last the distance and are a pleasure to use makes for an excellent investment. Choose a quality brand of hairdressing scissors and you’ll be rewarded with a long life as well as a longer time between sharpening.
Combo Sets of Scissors
Purchasing a combo set allows salons to save on the cost of buying individual scissors. Also some stylists like to use the same brand of scissors because they complement each other. And who doesn’t want flash matching scissors?
Our combo sets are available as twins or triplets, sometimes even quads.
Cheap Hair Cutting Scissors
Cheap isn’t a word we’d use to describe our scissors. Good value for money is more like it. But really, if you’re comparing a pair of our top quality scissors against another competitor, you could say our PRICE is cheap compared to the others for what our scissors deliver. We just don’t stock cheap quality scissors. Ever. Professional hairdressers deserve to use professional grade scissors.
There’s no point buying good quality scissors if you don't look after them. If you want them to last the distance, you need to wipe them over after each use. Once clean and you aren’t using them, store them in a case or holster rather than a drawer full of scissors. A protective holder protects the scissors if they’re dropped and also protects you from an injury caused by falling scissors.
Our scissors and shears also come with products you can use to keep them in top shape day in day out. Use the tension key to ensure the scissors aren’t too loose that they fold or bend the hair or too tight that the blade edge wears prematurely.
For the best results and long life, oil your scissors daily. We supply a bottle of good oil for scissors. At the end of the work day, wash the scissors in hot water and dry thoroughly with a towel to remove any hair or chemicals. Open the scissors and apply a small drop of oil to each blade at the balance face, just above the screw.
The spare plastic inserts or rings mean you’ll never run out. Use the inserts to ensure a good fit so the scissors sit comfortably and you have the right amount of control.
Some of the world’s best brands of hair cutting scissors are featured in our store including Matsui, Kamisori, Yasaka and Sozu. The names are synonymous with quality professional hair scissors.
Matsui
The Matsui brand has proven itself time and time again since its launch in 1998. It’s favoured by stylists the world over because they make Matsui scissors from high-quality Japanese steel.
Their durability and performance make Matsui scissors particularly good value for money. Just like a good pair of shoes you wear over and over, they give back more than you invested.
The Matsui scissors range is extensive so there is a pair to suit every simple or complex hair cutting technique. Scissor Tech New Zealand is committed to stocking most models because they are so well loved.
View the collection of Matsui Hairdressing Scissors.
Kamisori
The Kamisori brand is justifiably proud of its award-winning scissors and shears. The handcrafted hairdressing scissors are made with high-grade steel that is light yet durable.
Check out the Kamisori Shears range.
Yasaka
The Yasaka brand is certainly no fly-by-the-night manufacturer. They’ve spent 40 years perfecting the design and materials that go into every one of their Japanese steel scissors. The Scissor Tech New Zealand store has a range of Yasaka scissors to meet all your professional hairdressing tool needs at the right price.
View the Yasaka Hairdressing Scissorsrange.
Sozu
Similar to the bamboo water fountain used in Japanese gardens, Sozu shears are a beautiful addition to their environment. Most Sozu shears and scissors have a beautiful detail whether it be intricate detailing or a little bling in the form of a Sozu simulated diamond. Scissors Tech New Zealand stocks the Sozu range as it’s ideal for aspiring hairdressers who need a high quality product without spending the big dollars. It doesn’t hurt quite so much when an apprentice drops the scissors on the floor.
Showing off the Sozu Shears here.
Top quality scissors deliver benefits all round. Customers leave the salon with a great cut they love and tell their friends. The stylist finishes faster and moves on to the next waiting client quicker because they had the right tools for the job.
If the wide choice of hairdressing scissors has you scratching your head, don’t fear there’s a simple way of narrowing the field. Use our handy search function and refine your scissors search by type, colour, brand or price. Decide what factor is most important to you and then target in on that.
We understand scissors are a sizable investment in any NZ salon. That’s why we offer several payment options such as After Pay, Layby or instalments without any interest so you don’t need to re-mortgage the salon.
Warranty and Exchange
The right professional hairdressing scissors depend on several personal factors so it can be difficult to know which pair is right. Buying on behalf of a stylist can be even harder.
When you buy from Scissor Tech, it’s reassuring to know we offer a seven day exchange or refund program. If the scissors aren’t right for whatever reason, you can exchange them for another pair or ask for a refund. And there’s no need to return the scissors halfway around the world, we have a return address in New Zealand to make the process quick and easy. You can read more about our warranty and exchange policy.
Assistance Buying Your Hairdressing Scissors
If you want to know more about the difference in brands or the best scissors to suit your stylists’ needs, don’t hesitate to contact one of our experts. We’ve been providing professional hairdressing scissors to the NZ market for many years.
