How The Materials And Blade Edges For Your Hair Shears Affect Performance | Hair Scissors

Your Hair Cutting Scissors Are Key 

Hair shears to a large extent, determine the quality of a hairdresser's handiwork. Skills and proficiency can be truncated when the wrong professional hair cutting scissors are used. 

Knowing the right professional hair cutting scissors for cutting hair is vital for effecting good performance. 

Choosing the right hair scissors will give a novice a good edge over a hairdresser who has been in the business for a while. When you know how to make the right choice for your hair scissors, purchasing one would not be much of a hassle anymore. 

The right professional hair cutting scissors gives you peace of mind as it comes with comfort and durability.

The right hair shear is important to all stylist and barbers. 

The price of hair scissors varies and its largely dependent on the quality of the materials used and hair shear blade edges. Some professional hair cutting scissors can cost you hundreds of dollars while some will cost you thousands of dollars. 

Professional hair cutting scissors suppliers have in the past sold substandard hair scissors to hairdressers, with hairdressers not being able to identify good hair scissors.

The materials used for manufacturing hair shears vary and they include:

• Stainless steel alloy
• Cobalt base alloy
• Molybdenum Alloy
• Cobalt molybdenum base alloy
• Sintered steel
• Carbide steel
• Titan or titanium coating

These materials will be elaborated on later in this article, but it is imperative to note that the kind of material employed in the manufacturing of hair scissors determines the price. 

So, the higher the material quality, the higher the price. If you're asked to purchase expensive hair scissors, and you're sure it is of good quality, make the move because you'd utilize that hair scissors for a long time.

Hair scissors sharpening is another factor to look into when purchasing your professional hair cutting scissors. Low-quality hair scissors after a few usage and low performance may not be reusable when it gets blunts. 

The quality of the material used in manufacturing a professional hair cutting scissors also determines if that hair scissors can be sharpened again.

With low-quality professional hair cutting scissors, a stylist can also suffer from dull hair shears after just a couple of haircuts. This will result in the hair shear dragging your customers' hair and leaving you with rough jobs.

Also, using the wrong professional hair cutting scissors blade edge can affect a stylist's performance in so many ways, that's why a stylist should know the different types of hair shear blade edges before going to the market to get one. 

The truth is, there are so many hairdressers out there and to effectively compete in that market, you do not just need skills, but also a good knowledge about your craft and the tools needed. What sets you apart from the rest is a combination of both. With the right skills - which can be taught- and the right tools, your shop will be packed with customers on a daily basis. 

It is not magic, it's just science and common sense.

The type of shear you purchase will determine the smoothness and other quality of a haircut.

TYPES OF HAIR SCISSORS

To perform incredibly well during a haircut, you must also find the appropriate hair scissors for your craft. Different hairstyles and hair types will require different hair scissors, also a stylist's physical adaptation will to a large extent determine which one is best.

Little details like this are what determines performance. One you get everything right, you're on your way to becoming the James Bond of hairstylist with shears. You may decide to use all of them but if you're only comfortable with one, then go with that one but it'll come at a cost.

The types of hair scissors are:

1. Razor Shears.
2. Thinning Shears
3. Regular Shears

1.Razor Shears.

Razor shear is a texturing tool which is effective in the reduction of hair thickness and blend layered hair. Razor shear is manufactured with teeth on either side of the hair scissors. This is to enable the scissors to create a smooth texturing effect on any type of hair. 

It has one loop for the stylist's index finger base, while the top is just a single blade, therefore, a razor shear only has one blade that cuts the hair. This blade looks like a comb creates an effect that resembles hair-combing

2.Thinning Shears

Another type of texturizing shear is the thinning shear. This type of hair scissors is effective when it comes to adding texture to hair. Just like razor shear, thinning shear also reduces the thickness in soft hair. The scissors also allow you to remove a chunk of hair in order to create a more balanced style. Thinning shear also have a one-sided teeth like blade while the other side remains smooth. 

A thinning shear allows you to cut away less hair and keeps you in check as you barb. The base of the thinning shear comes with loops for the thumb and index finger, allowing for usage in both right-handed and left-handed barbers. 

However, you should look out for the thinning hair shear that best fits your level of dexterity. A right-handed hair shear would be difficult for a left-handed barber, especially if he/she needs to add more cutting techniques. Using professional hair cutting scissors, that fit your natural preference, gives you full command over your style.

3.Regular Shear

Regular shears are what most barbers/hairdressers make use of when cutting hair. The shear allows for both left-handed and right-handed users to effectively make use of it. It resembles the regular scissors. The structure includes holes for both the thumb and index with two sharp blades. Not minding its popularity among stylists and barbers, it is better to go for more advanced types of hair scissors. Regular shears do not support barbers making advanced cutting techniques.

MATERIALS FOR HAIR SHEARS

As mentioned above, the materials used in making professional hair cutting scissors determines, to a long extent, how long it will last and how well it will work for you as a stylist. So, when next you're going to the market, look out for these materials and avoid the ones that are cheap or unreliable. 

Cheap professional hair cutting scissors can really be enticing but know that it will eventually cost more. 

When you add up the money used to sharpen your hair shear regularly - some cheap hair shears cannot even be sharpened - and used in regularly replacing your hair scissors, it will cost more than one quality hair scissor.

The materials used for manufacturing hair shears vary and they include:

●Stainless steel alloy

●Cobalt base alloy

●Molybdenum Alloy

●Cobalt molybdenum base alloy

●Sintered steel or carbide steel

●Titan or titanium coating

 1.Stainless steel alloy

This is the most common type of steel, when it comes to manufacturing professional hair cutting scissors. The steel comes in various grades which determine the quality and durability of the hair scissors. 

The type of steel used in manufacturing your hair shear will how long you'd have to wait before going back to the market to purchase a new shear. 

Stainless steels are recognized by the countries they originated from, Germany and Japan have been recognized for manufacturing the best stainless steels in the world. 

A close competition is China, though the 420A from China is a lower quality of the 440C. The steel contains a high amount of carbon and can also be hardened.

Professional hair cutting scissors made with stainless steel alloys are more durable and have good quality. The most used stainless steel is the Japanese 440C. 

The Japanese stainless-steel alloy provides better quality for all metals made from it. It lasts longer and gives you good rest of the mind.

  2. Cobalt base alloy.

Whenever you're in the market for a new hair shear and a seller offers you a shear that is completely made of cobalt, withdraw from the purchase. Cobalt on its own is not enough to make a shear. The quantity of cobalt in any combination is usually about 9%. 

When this material is mixed to create professional hair cutting scissors, it results in better hardness but nicks easily. The wear resistance for professional hair cutting scissors made with cobalt is low, that is why it chips, and the blade loses alignment after a few visits to the sharpener.

Cobalt can keep your professional hair cutting scissors safe from rust and chemicals, however, it should be noted that this material is costly.

  3. Molybdenum alloy.

Just like cobalt, molybdenum alloy also has a strong resistance against chemicals that stops hair shears blades from going dull. The properties of this material make it possible for it to be hardened to a really high level to create toughness. 

Shear edges made from this material can last for a long time. This means that when cutting hair, you would not have to worry about your professional hair cutting scissors failing in the middle of work. No matter the thickness of any type of hair, professional hair cutting scissors made with molybdenum alloy allows you to cut through with ease.

 4. Cobalt molybdenum base alloy

How can you go wrong with a combination of two materials fused together to make one perfect professional hair cutting scissors? Both materials make for a formidable tool and should be on your list. With the cobalt in it, you're sure of your hair scissors not nicking, and with the high chemical resistance of both materials, your hair shear is safe from pitting, rusting and dulling.

 5. Sintered steel and carbide steel

Sintered steel and carbide steel are exotic materials that are being used in the manufacturing of some of the most expensive professional hair cutting scissors today. These materials are unique and hard to come by, so manufacturers place a lot of value on them. 

The sintered steel is very hard, which makes it hard to sharpen. So, you have an expensive professional hair cutting scissors that's mostly not reusable. Purchasing a hair shear made from these materials means that the stylist needs to be extra careful with his or her professional hair cutting scissors.

 6. Titan or titanium coating

Titanium coating allows for manufacturers to add colors to professional hair cutting scissors. So it does not come in the regular traditional colors. This is usually used in order to make shears more expensive, but that does not guarantee good quality. 

A titanium-plated professional hair cutting scissors, however, does not scratch easily. Titanium simply makes hair shears more appealing to users. If you're a stylist who desires an aesthetic tool for working, then purchasing a titanium-plated hair shear is the way to go. 

However, you should know that the quality of the hair shear is not what it appears to be.

A bright colorful hair shear might appeal to your eyes but may not be what it seems to be. When purchasing a professional hair cutting scissors that have been coated with titanium, you should ask about the other materials that were used in the manufacturing of that shear. This will give you a better idea of the quality and durability of the scissors. You'll see beyond the beautiful colors that cover the professional hair cutting scissors.

What you need to know before you invest in a new pair of hair shear.

TYPES OF HAIR SHEAR BLADES

Hair shears have three common types of blades, these are:

1. Convex Edge
2. Semi-convex Edge
3. Beveled Edge

These different shears to a large extent determine how well a stylist can make a haircut. But how then you choose the one that's best for you? 

Making this choice can sometimes be difficult as these shears pack a ton of different advantages. The need not to miss out on any of these advantages will leave you inconclusive about making a choice.

Firstly, before making a choice, make sure that you go for the blade type that packs the kind of performance that you desire. The different blade types will affect how well a stylist performs and also determine the stylist professional cutting ability.

Choosing a shear blade type is top priority when it comes to performances, therefore, it should not be taken lightly. When next you're in the market for a professional hair cutting scissors, lookout for the best blade type, and knowing the best might be tricky.

Below are the descriptions of the different blade types. This will help you make a good and informed decision when next you're looking to purchase a new shear.

1.Convex Edge Shears

The convex edge blade has a really sharp edge that requires less force when cutting. It enables a barber to have really smooth cuts with less effort but it also requires a lot of care as the sharp edges can easily cut through skin. A convex blade type allows a barber to make use of more techniques when cutting. This blade type is perfect for a barber who likes to try out new techniques, however, this blade type is not easy to make when compared to other blade types. Its low supply makes this blade type more expensive.

2. Beveled Edge Shears

Most hairdressers purchase hair shears with beveled edge. The blade is one of the oldest blade types that is still being used in manufacturing hair shears. Unlike the convex blade type, beveled edges need more effort and less care as it isn't extremely sharp. However, the beveled edge is one that can remain in your drawer for a long time. Another advantage to consider is that this blade type is not as expensive as the convex blade type. However, this blade type, unlike the convex edge, does not allow for more advanced techniques.

3. Semi-Convex Edge Shears

If you're looking at owning both a convex and beveled blade type but scared of how much it'll cost you, then you can purchase the semi-convex edge blade type. Hair shears made from this blade type are a hybrid of both. With this blade type, you can own a sharp hair shear edge that would last for a very long time. This blade type is also not as expensive as the convex shear, so it is also affordable. Semi-convex blades allow for the use of more cutting techniques over beveled blades.

CHOOSING THE BEST SHEAR

Now that you have been familiarized with all types of shears, hair scissors, materials used in manufacturing professional hair cutting scissors and their blade types, how then do you choose the best sheer that is most appropriate for you? 

Read: everything you need to know about your hair shears.

First, you should be mindful of what hand you use; if you're right-handed, go for a right-handed scissors that will have its finger blade at the front. For left-handed hairstylists, the professional hair cutting scissors that fit best should have its blade at the back in your left hand.

Make sure that the hair shear fits well into your hand, i.e. the hair scissors are not loose whenever you hold it with your fingers. It is advised that you insert more than one finger into the finger hole if you do have tiny fingers. A good grip is essential for good hair cutting.

Also, you should put into consideration the different blade types. This will enable make the right decision when picking your hair shear.