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Having a good quality shear is so important when you're a barber for many reasons. Why is it important? Well that's simple... As a barber your main tools that you use all day long are your clippers and your professional hair shears.
Men's hair is more coarse than woman's hair which means if you don't have a strong and razor sharp blade to cut men's hair then you can develop hand fatigue or really just grow to become frustrated while cutting hair. There's really nothing better than cutting all day long with a comfortable, sharp and strong shear.
So that comes to the topic of our blog today.. What makes a good Barber Shear? or What is in a good shear, that makes that shear so good?
What is a barber shear?
This topic may seem very obvious and straightforward to some but it's still important to understand the difference between salon hair cutting scissors and Barber Scissors. Firstly, we want to start off by saying that salon hair scissors is just a term to explain the difference between the scissors. You can use Barber Scissors on women's hair and salon scissors on men's hair and a man doesn't have to purchase barber scissors and a woman doesn't have to purchase salon scissors.
The difference between the two is the length and size of the scissors. A Barber Shear is anything between 6 - 7.5 Inches and longer where a salon hairdressing scissor is between4.5 - 6 Inches.
A shorter hairdressing shear is easier to work with when using salon hair cutting techniques, where a barber shear that's longer is best used for all aspects of barber cutting and especially the scissor over comb technique. However, it comes down to preference with barbers on what size shears they feel most comfortable using.
The size of the barber shear you find most comfortable is all based on the size of the hands. If you have smaller hands a barber shear around 6 inches would be most comfortable, but if you have larger hands that a 7 inch Barber Shears or longer will be more comfortable.
Barber Shears also include Thinning Scissors and Texturizing Scissors for those barbers that want every tool to elevate their barbering skills
Steel
Knowing the best steel to have in your Barber Shears is important to know when shopping for new Barber Shears.
The best steel on the market for Barber Shears is Japanese Stainless Steel. Japanese steel is the oldest steel in the world for craftsmen in the best Chef's Knives and Professional hair shears. When Japanese steel is the steel that forged Samurai Swords, then you know this steel has to be sharp. Japanese steel is the strongest, sharpest and most durable steel for Barber Shears in the world.
Popular brands that use Japanese Stainless Steel made hair cutting shears are Matsui, Yasaka, Sozu, Joewell, Kamisori to name a few.
The next best steel would be German Steel. German steel is known for being strong and robust. It’s no surprise that Germans are known for the best cars in the world.. then knowing that their steel quality for haircutting scissors would follow suit.
Popular brand that use German steel made shears in their hair cutting scissors are Jaguar, Gluck, Henbor, Tondeo, Dovo and Gotta to name a few.
Best Brands
Matsui-
Matsui hair scissors are known for their up to date designs in haircutting scissors, their quality of Japanese steel they use and also the beautiful color designs in their shears. Matsui uses some of the highest quality Japanese steel on the market and has a lifetime warranty. The price of a Masui shear is a midrange to high, but definitely not over priced with the high grade steel and designs behind the shears that you expect to see in all of the most expensive brands around the world.
Most importantly Matsui hair cutting shears have a wide range of Barber Shears to choose from and we can say with confidence that no matter what style you chose, there really is no bad choice when it comes to Barber Matsui hair cutting scissors.
Yasaka-
Yasaka hair shears are known for their mid to high range quality in Japanese steel. The steel they most commonly use is a super sharp and light weight steel. Their sleek smooth designs are Chosen by many because they prefer a lighter steel and because the Yasaka steel stays sharper for longer.
Sozu-
Sozu barber cutting scissors are made from Japanese steel but with a lower price tag then most Barber Shears. Sozu has found a way to give you a quality pair of Barber Shears made from the quality Japanese steel but for a lower price, so don't mistake them for cheap.. think of it as a steal for the quality of shear you get with their price.
Sozu is a great brand for those wanting a top quality shear but with a lower budget, for training barber's or home barbers.
Jaguar-
Jaguar is machine shear made from German steel. Jaguar is a reputable brand for strong robust shears and often used by barbers. Jaguar blades do well with cutting very coarse and unruly men's hair. Their designs are appealing to those male barbers that like a traditional looking shear.
Comfort
Comfort is important when cutting all day long. You can have the sharpest and most durable shear but if that shear is not comfortable then forget about it. When a shear is not comfortable it can cause hand fatigue, achy arms and shoulders and worst case scenario, it can cause RSI or Carpal Tunnel related injuries.
The most comfortable style to look out for in Barber Shears are Offset designs, Ergo designs or Drop Handle designs. All these designs have significant ergonomic benefits to your hands and body so that you don't over tire while cutting.
Comfort can also be benefitted from a razor sharp cutting edge so that your fingers do not strain while cutting. Think about when you're cutting food with a blunt knife and how much effort that takes to cut up food over a sharp knife, well the same principles apply to a sharp Barber Shear blade.
Another important comfort tip has nothing to do with hair cutting scissors but more to do with your posture while cutting. So this is a friendly reminder to be mindful of your posture while cutting.
So what makes a good Barber Shears is for sure the material it's made from, the length that's best for you or what you are most comfortable using and of course the durability of the shears. If you want to prolong the life of your shear then it is super important to maintain the sharp edge of the blades by getting a professional bladesmith to sharpen them twice a year and to clean and dirt or hair off your blades at the end of each working day at least.
As mentioned before the reference to a barber shear means a blade the length longer than 6 inches, but if you're more comfortable cutting with a shorter blade then that is up to personal preference.
Using a longer blade cuts your hair cutting time in half so that's why a longer blade is more popular for barbers. Also self proclaimed barber shear will stay sharper and will be made from a stronger as most of the time a heavier steel so it does not wear quicker from coarse and thick men's hair.
If you ever needed any extra help and guidance choosing the perfect pair of Scissor Tech shears for you then please feel free to reach out to one of our friendly customer service representatives.
