There is so much that goes into choosing which shears to use when cutting hair. It is definitely not as simple as here's a pair of shears, get to cutting ! We are here to teach you all the nitty gritty about hair shears and what is available to you !
Different Types of Hair Cutting Scissors
There are different types of professional hair cutting scissors that you will need to learn about when cutting hair. There are three main types of hairdressing scissors, Regular cutting scissors, thinning shears and texturizing shears. Here's why you need them all!
- Regular hairdressing scissors- There is nothing that "regular" about these scissors! They aren't your everyday kitchen scissors, you need these to cut hair. Good hair cutting scissors or hair cutting shears have sharp blades and many uses. Good quality hairdressing scissors are made from Japanese steel. This helps to deliver the best pair of scissors possible. These scissors can do it all - blunt cut, point cut, feathering, even slide cutting. It is important to know all about your hairdressing scissors (Don't worry we have even more ways to help you with this!)
- Thinning shears/ Thinning scissors - This type of hair cutting scissor does not look like your regular scissors. They have one blade that is a regular straight blade and one that has many teeth, usually between 25- 40 teeth. They are not used for creating straight cutting lines, These teeth remove hair without removing any length. Thinning scissors can be used to remove weight from thick hair, softening lines or for texturizing fine hair.
- Texturizing shears- Sometimes known as chunking shears these shears are similar in style to your hair thinning scissors. They have a straight blade and teeth, between 7-14. They help to remove large chunks of weight and add a great chunky texture to hair. They are only to be used in very thick or coarse hair.
Scissor Blades
Professional hairdressing scissors can be broken down into different categories by the length of their blades. Each blade length is best for a different cutting technique.
- Short bladed cutting scissors- Short blade scissors include sizes 4.5 and 5 inch scissors. They may seem small but they can be powerful. They are best used for small detail work. If you are a stylist who finds yourself with a lot of longer mens cuts or shorter womens cuts ( Like pixies ) these are a must have. The shorter blade is perfect for adding texture and detail around the ears or on the neckline.
- Medium length/ regular length scissors -Every hair stylist will have at least one pair of these. They include sizes 5.5 and 6 inches. Most scissors come in these sizes. This regular pair of scissors is a great all rounder. They can be used for blunt cutting, point cutting, slide cutting and other texturising techniques.
- Longer blade hairdressing scissors- Don't be scared by the long blades. These range in size from 6 inch to 8 inch. Commonly known as barber scissors, the long blade is a must for barbering techniques like scissor over comb. However if you are big into blunt cutting techniques such as bobs, long blades are for you. Longer blade hairdressing scissors require you to open and close your scissors less times when cutting straight lines, this makes for straighter lines with less effort.
Scissor Edges
Another thing to consider when deciding on a pair of professional hairdressing scissors is the edge. The cutting edge is the part of the blade that will be cutting through the hair. Scissors have three main options of blade edge- Convex, Semi Convex and Beveled.
- Convex- The convex edge blade is as sharp as they get. Also known as a clam shell blade this blade smooths down into a very sharp point. This edge is perfect for slide cutting and slice cutting as it cuts through the hair like butter. It is not meant for blunt cutting as it is so fine it will push the hair and also cause damage to the blade.
- Semi- Convex - The semi- convex blade is the all rounder, great for all hair techniques. Sharp enough to slide cut but not as fine as a convex edge so can blunt cut perfectly.
- Beveled edge- You will find the beveled edge on most barbering scissors. It is a sharp blade, but with a heartier surface area. This means that the hair stays on the blade more when cutting. It is perfect for scissor over comb or blunt cutting.
So as you can see...
There are so many options for hair shears. They are not just any old shear or scissor ! This is why we recommend doing your research and reaching out to our customer service, made of hairdressers who are here to help ! We want to help you find the perfect shear!
