GROOMING SHEARS VS SCISSORS AND MORE: SPLITTING HAIRS GROOMING

To the point: Here are a list of things to keep in mind when buying a pair scissors or shears. 

1. The fit is what matters most 
2. The quality of the steel determines how long it will hold an edge, it's integrity, price point, and durability. Higher Steel Quality = Higher Price
3. Weight, length and handle can improve or impair productivity and comfort.
4. A convex, semi-convex, or beveled edge have different pros and cons from comfort to price points
5. Many beginners start with shorter shears and use them for close work and use a straight handle shear (about 6"-7") most of the time.
6. Straight shears are about 0.5"-1" longer than curved shears. 
7. Serrated scissors, thinning scissors, are used for basic blending. Variety = styling diversity

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN 07.13.20

Scissors:

• Generally have blades shorter than 6" but it some define scissors having blades under 10,”
• One definition described scissors as being multi-purpose with two blades riveted together.
• Scissors have identical handles with equal sized large finger rings to accommodate more than one finger, left-handed or not. The finger rings vary in size between shears and scissors. 

Shears:  

• Shears have a finger rest extending from one handle. 
• Blades longer than 6” and can be as short as 4.5”. Larger scissors are defined as shears but again it depends on the vocation where they are use. 
• The largest shears have very strong blades used to cut metal, etc.  One handle on shears is larger than the other but not necessarily so.
• Large shears require a strong fulcrum force (Effort) to easily cut through thicker material. The fulcrum is the pivot point between two blades. This may be a dial, tension knob, rivet or screw.  An adjustable screw allows for precision tension and cutting.
• Plastic or rubber ring inserts for the finger and thumb ring stop the fingers from sliding through the rings and allow a tailored fit.
• Shears have a large (elliptical) bow or finger ring and a smaller finger ring for the thumb. 

Getting it right: 
​‘Shears’ and ‘scissors’ have been used interchangeably throughout the references for this article and are often used without regard to detailed differences such as structure vs. function and environment. ‘Shears’ is use mostly when referring to professionals working with hair and using a straight or curved blade of any size. while thinning scissors are specialized scissors.

​Example of Premium Shears Stats

Cutting Shears
Curved Cutting Shears 
​Thinning Scissors
​Fish Bone Thinning Scissors

7inch    (approx. 19.5 cm)
​7inch    (approx. 19.5 cm)
​6.5inch    (approx. 18.5 cm, Teeth: 36)
​7inch   (approx. 19 cm,    Teeth: 18)​

Hardness:
Color:            
Cutting rate: 
Blade Material: 
​ 

62HRC  (Rockwell Hardness Scale)
​Gold
​18 Teeth 40% off;36 Teeth 15%-25%
​JP440C
​

Key Points About Shears:
When looking at grooming shears consider

1. Quality
2. How the shear fits your hand (design)
3. Weight
4. Purpose
5. Length
6. Balance of the shears. 

The size of your hand and fit really determines which shears will be most comfortable. The movement of the shears will be hindered if it is too small for the hand and the same motion will be awkward with less control if too big.  The purpose of the scissors will influence the length of the haircut. Many people begin with smaller/shorter shears and replace them with a longer version as their experience and confidence grows.  

There are straight grooming shears, curved grooming shears and thinning shears used the most for dogs other than clippers or used in conjunction with clippers. The balance and weight of the shears can affect fatigue as the job moves along.​

Handles:
There are several different kinds of handles: 

• Straight or Opposing
• Offset
• Swivel handle or Crane-style

The straight/opposing handle places a greater strain on the back, neck, shoulder, hand, wrist and arm. The last type of handle is a swivel-thumb scissor created to ease these discomforts.  There is also a double swivel, bent thumb and wider spaced handle shears to be considered as ergonomic shears to improve overall comfort while working.
 
Materials

• Steel (mostly iron)
• Stainless steel (less corrosive) 
• VG-10 Hitachi steel (less brittle and stays sharper longer)
• 440 stainless steel
• 440C stainless steel (resistant to corrosion/holds edge longer)
• Titanium coated (used only for color value and has no impact on keeping a sharp edge)
• Stainless steel blades
• 56HRC, Japanese steel (Sensei)
• Japanese Cobalt steel  
• ATS-314 is the finest steel for scissors in the world.  It is the most expensive. 

Stainless steel is recommended for first time buyers due to its endurance. The higher the steel quality equates to the longer it will hold the edge and the lesser the chance of chipping.  
​
DID YOU KNOW? A $30-$60 PAIR OF SHEARS WILL HOLD AN EDGE FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS.

HARDNESS
The Rockwall Hardness Scale begins at 46 and goes through 66 and provides a scale for standardized metal strength levels.  This is used to see how well a metal will hold an edge. The highest quality of steel to the lowest quality of steel follows: 

1. Hitachi ATS-314
2. Hitachi ATS 440C
3. 10 (VG10)
4. V1 (VG1)
5. 440C
6. 440A. 

DID YOU KNOW? "JAPAN" OR "HITACHI STEEL" IS USED FOR FORGERIES. 

Fulcrum
Shears come with a factory set screw or there is an adjustable tension knob. A metal adjustment screw is more durable than a rubber one.  Tension can improve or ruin the quality of a cut.  It can make the work easier when at the proper point.
 
Types of Blade Edges
Beveled Shears have beveled (small serrations) edges which hold onto hair, particularly fine hair better. In comparison, to convex edge shears, beveled edge shears have a rougher cut.  The beveled edge originated in Germany and is a more traditional, thicker angled edge. The angle can vary but the blade is more durable and less expensive to maintain than a convex edge. This edge requires a little more force to cut with than a convex or semi-convex blade and even though it offers flat surface cutting edge, many argue that it does not support advanced cuts like slide cutting.  

​Semi-Convex blades truly are a combination of the traditional and Japanese style blade. It has the beveled curved edge blade but is narrower than a traditional beveled edge. Less expensive shears offers durability and holds a sharper edge than a traditional beveled edge.

Convex edge shears are more expensive because of the difficulty to make them. The blades originate from Japan and are referred to as a Japanese style blade. This is a finely milled indented edge that is easier to damage if misused. While it is costly to sharpen, it's performance is a cut above its peers. The is hollow ground or hollow grind is a concave surface which is behind cutting edge.  The curve blade allows for cutting at an angle.  This edge has a smooth and quick action called a “butter cut”.  Convex shears are better to use for the professional working with advanced techniques such as chipping, etc.  These shears have a very sharp edge but from a groomers point of view it is better to use them on a clean coat to finish the coat.
 
Curvature and type of Blade
Straight Shears are the most universal shears and are usually about .5”- 1” longer than the curved shears used.

Curved Shears work well around the curved shape of a dog’s body.  The curved blades are used around the face, feet, ears, etc.  
 
Serrated-Edge Scissors  
Thinning Scissors are serrated edge scissors.  Plain ones are used to thin the hair primarily. They cut only a portion of the hair and soften the lines between other cuts.  By cutting the hair at the skin level thinning shears can reduce the hair volume.  By cutting the ends of the hair it can give a less clipped and more natural appearance and are rated by the degree of hair thinning in a cut.  A hair thinning rate of 20 – 30% is very efficient for any dog coat. 

Serrated edge shears are used for wide multitude of purposes, from specialty styling to an everyday natural look.  A basic thinning shear has 27-40 teeth and two notched blades like a serrated comb.  Another variety has 28 teeth on average its serrated comb blade and a non-notched matching smooth blade (Blender). A Blender gets the job done more quickly than the classic thinning shear. Shears with teeth notched on one blade with the other blade having V notched teeth holds the hair better. The larger the V notch, the greater amount of hair will be held and cut. The German style has a 42-46 tooth thinner with a beveled edge is a good work horse for any tool box.

Texturing shears offer wider spaces between blade teeth. The texturing shears have 10-24 teeth unlike the serrated edge shear's 27-40 teeth. There is a ragged-bladed scissor with 'T' shape teeth and creates a softer and more natural appearance. This style of thinning scissor is known as Chunkers/Chunking/Notching (Texturizers or Fishtails) have 5 to 9 teeth.  It is used for the back of legs, ears, and thinning thick hair.  It can give a spike hair look. Heavier shears should be no longer than 7” and will retain its edge better than lighter, longer ones. With the 5” scissors higher teeth count works better around the eyes and nose. 

Fishbone Hair thinning scissors (5.75”) have 18, 14 or 8 teeth.  This strange scissor has a traditional comb blade and the other blade has rounded notches on the outside edge.  The shear can work as a razor tool if needed.

The more even the teeth and gaps between the teeth then the better the blending.  The wider the teeth and narrower the gaps then the results are a more natural look.

The tension on the thinning shears should be set tighter than regular shears.  The tighter the tension the lesser chance of nicks.

​​Length

• 7.5 – 8.5” Length most commonly used by groomers. (EX.:  7.5” curve shear, 8” straight shear). A longer shear can remove more hair per cut than a shorter shear. Classified as finishing shears.
• ​6.0 – 7.0”  Length Especially used for techniques such as deep point cutting, scissor-over-comb, etc.
• 5.5 – 6.5”  Shorter shears allow for more precision with less stress easing stress for the hand while being able to work well in smaller areas.  This length is used for most of the work.
• 5.0 – 5.5”   These shorter, narrow blades are used for detailed work. 
• A shorter (4.5”, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5 or 7”) scissor may be easier to work on a smaller dog with than a longer blade.

 
Weight
Weight plays a huge part in balance of the shear and what fits your hand comfortably without stressing the wrist.
 
Where to start:
The sharper the blade, the cleaner and less resistant the cut. Most importantly, the better fit for the hand means more comfort giving easier cuts. A classic handle may limit usability. There are many shiny, sharp imitators out there. Look for brands with stability and quality for an affordable price. 

1. Geib
2. Kenchii
3. Lily's Pet Professional
4. Rubold
5. Sharf
6. Purple Dragon has quality products for left-handed folks.

These are some brands repeatedly seen throughout the research done for this piece. The cheapest will not be the best choice but the higher end means nothing if it does not fit the hand well.

One recommendation is using a pet grooming 88 Filipino style 440C shear with the wider blade 7.5. If you do not expect much, the kits are inexpensive but it offers you the time to find what you really want or the direction to go when evaluating more expensive decisions or individual tools. The bonus is that you are taking care of your pets needs, building your confidence and experience, and while having a minimal investment if this is something you want to do on a regular basis.

Word of caution: 
The cheapest kits will be a waste of time and money.  Only use the shears on hair, otherwise the reason for purchasing them is lost.  Keep grooming tools in a special, protected place with limited access. Sharp shears are not kid friendly. We hope this helps anyone looking for shears or scissors to groom their dog to understand a little more about their choices. Please investigate the care for these tools as it is information not provided here. Also, be sure who ever sharpens your blades knows how to work on grooming shears. Ask about micro serrations. A manufacturer’s service may be your best choice.

For more information:
Visit the Marlo Beauty website listed in our references below for information about maintenance, cleaning, and further care.  It is a wonderful, informative article that encompasses so much more than caring for shears. 
 
References:
“Choosing the Right Shear for You.” Scissor Mall, https://www.scissormall.com/faq-choosing-the-right-shear-for-you#offset-opposing-crane-handle-shear.

Conner, Daryl. “Choosing the Right Scissors for You.” Groomer to Groomer, 13 Oct. 2020, https://www.groomertogroomer.com/choosing-the-right-scissors-for-you/.

“Convex Edge or Beveled Edge Shears.” The Difference between Convex Edge Shears and Beveled Edge Shears, https://www.hairfinder.com/hair2/shears.htm.

“Difference between Shears and Scissors.” Home Quicks, 11 June 2015, https://homequicks.com/difference-between-shears-scissors.

“Dog Grooming Shears Buyer's Guide.” OPAWZ, https://www.opawz.com/blogs/general/dog-grooming-shears-buyers-guide.

Facebook.com/getarazor. “Top 10 Hair Cutting Shears for Beginners & Professionals [Udated 2022].” Getarazor, 2 Jan. 2022, https://getarazor.com/best-hair-cutting-shears/.

Law, Serena. “5 Best Dog Grooming Scissors: Affordable Shears for 2022.” Daydreamdog, 18 June 2020, https://daydreamdog.com/best-dog-grooming-shears/.

Luv2Sew. “What's the Difference between Scissors and Shears?” What's the Difference Between Scissors and Shears? |, 25 Oct. 2010, http://blog.havelssewing.com/whats-the-difference-between-scissors-and-shears/.

Marlo Beauty Supply. How to Choose the Best Professional Hair Cutting Shears. https://www.marlobeauty.com/pro2pro/how-to-choose-the-best-professional-hair-cutting-shears/a378/.

Scissors - Knife Center. https://www.knifecenter.com/shop/scissors.

“Scissors.” How Products Are Made, http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Scissors.html.

“Size of Hair Scissors.” Size of Scissors, Good Shears Length or Haircutting Scissors Length for a Beginning Hair Stylist, https://www.hairfinder.com/hair/hair-scissors.htm.

“To Use Trello, Please Enable JavaScript.” Trello, https://trello.com/c/46SO04bM/2271-en-terminology-of-scissors-boldbarber.

Ultimate Guide: Best Dog Grooming Scissors and Thinning Shears. https://trimepil.com/dog-grooming-scissors-thinning-shears/.

“What Every Hairstyling Professional Should Know about Shears.” Washi Scissor Company, https://washiscissor.com/shear-knowledge/.

“What Is the Difference between Scissors and Shears?” Oishya, 12 Nov. 2021, https://oishya.com/journal/what-is-the-difference-between-scissors-and-shears/.

“Wholesale Meisha+7’+Professional+Pet+.” 0 Item Found for Wholesale Meisha+7+Professional+Pet+, https://www.dhgate.com/wholesale/search.do?act=search&dspm=&sus=&searchkey=meisha%2B7%22%2Bprofessional%2Bpet%2B&catalog=#pusearch1812.