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Being a Hairstylist can be very straining on your body and being diagnosed or showing signs of say Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Repetitive strain injury can be painful or just frustrating. Carpal Tunnel or Repetitive strain injury can really stem from using the incorrect shears for you or having poor posture while cutting all day long. As a Hairstylist you can now prevent or help nurture your body while cutting, by simply changing out your tools to start. Your chosen tool is so important to be the best hairstylist you can be and also having the best quality shears in your budget is important too.
There are many different styles of hair cutting shears you can use that are designed with any hair cutting injuries in mind and today we are going to the best shears for you.
Rotating Thumb shears are the most popular and recommended shears to use when suffering from Repetitive strain injury or carpal tunnel syndrome. The Rotating Thumb feature is designed to take the strain off your wrist and hands and also your elbow while cutting. When your elbow is lower and relaxed it creates less stress on your body while cutting and can prevent further injuries to say your back and shoulder in the future. Also made in Thinning Shears.
The nickname Ergo is short for an Ergonomic shear. An Ergo shear is designed to put the least amount of strain on your hand, arm shoulder and back while cutting. These shears are a great option for Barbers that suffer from hair cutting injuries due to the longer blade, with saying that longer blades are also used for blunt cutting longer hair too. We love Ergo shears as they are designed for ultimate comfort while cutting.
A super Ergo has all the same benefits as the standard Ergo design but they look different. The Super Ergo has an extra finger rest at the end of the shear for your pinky giving you complete comfort and control while cutting. Typically the Ergo design is for barber due to the length of the blades, but the Super Ergo is designed for woman's hair cutting due to the shorter blade lengths.
Reversible shears or also known as Double Threat shears in the Matsui range are a shear or thinning shear that can be reversed and the pivot point to be used as a left or right handed shear. These are designed for hairstylists that like to cut with both hands. The reason we have included them in this blog is because these are another great option for those who want to give their hand a rest and change up their cutting hand. The reversible shear is designed with an ergonomic design which means it's designed with a power grip.This means that the operator aligns their fingers in a manner where they work in conjunction with each other to maximize the hand capacity, which makes the handles comfortable.
We think it's important to have a general understanding about grips and handles with your shears so when you're purchasing your shears you have complete confidence that you have the right pair for you.
Offset grips are the most common grips used or recommended to hairdressing. The way that a shear is Offset is by the angle of the handle is Offset from the end of the blades allowing your hands and wrist to rest in a more comfortable position when cutting. So if you're training to be a hairdresser and don't know much about scissors then an Offset design will always be your safest bet.
The Crane Handle is also known as a "Drop Handle" ; this handle design is more offset than an offset grip. A Crane handle promotes good posture while cutting and is designed to not over exert your wrist shoulders and neck too and take the strain off.
The Opposing grip is a shear that you can cut with the middle finger rather than your most commonly used cutting finger which is the finder next to you pinky or ring finger. although these are great for those with injuries to their normal cutting finger.. They can also cause strain to your arms, wrists and hands after long periods of use. So we wouldn't recommend this grip for those suffering from Carpal tunnel or RSI related injuries.
Firstly before we conclude this blog I wanted to remind you that servicing you shears by cleaning, oiling your shears, changing bump stops when needing, aligning the tension and sharpening at least twice a year. Sharpening should always be done by a professional bladesmith in your area, because if you're paying good money for your shears you need someone properly trained to handle them. The reason why upkeep of your scissors is so important is because with a fully functioning shear it will make it easier and smoother to use with any hair cutting related injuries. 
Getting a Carpal tunnel or Repetitive strain injury diagnosis isn't always a career ender, there are different severities of this injury. With some instances changing your tools is a quick fix, the next option is physiotherapist, better posture or in severe cases surgery. But I think we can all agree that if you can recover or prevent it all then using the right tools is very important. The wrong Shear for you can promote shoulder pain, hand fatigue, Finger and thumb strains which is not fun for any hair stylist.
If you still need some extra guidance on which hair cutting shears are best for you, please don't hesitate to contact one of our friendly customer service members. We always love a good chat with you all.
