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Guide

Hairdressing scissors for beginners: what's worth paying for

Your first professional scissor is a bigger purchase than your training kit, and it's natural to wonder how much to spend. This guide doesn't tell you a number. Instead it explains what the price of a hair scissor pays for, which of those things matter in your first years, and what you can safely leave for your second pair.

Worth knowing: prices for every model we stock are on its model page, in Australian dollars with GST included. This guide is about what you're paying for, so you can judge whether a price makes sense for you.

What the price of a scissor pays for

  • The steel. Finer steel can hold a sharper edge for longer, and costs more to buy and to work. Our steel guide explains the words on the box.
  • The grinding and setting. How carefully the edges are ground and the blades set against each other decides how smoothly the scissor closes. This is where handwork shows.
  • The handle. Offset and crane shapes take more shaping than a classic handle. Removable finger rests, ring inserts and adjustable tension screws add cost too.
  • The finish. Coloured coatings, polished surfaces and decorative screws add to the price but not to how the edge cuts.
  • Range. A maker that offers the same model in many lengths and both hands has more to make and stock.

What matters most in your first years

When you're building speed and confidence, comfort and control matter more than anything else. A scissor that fits your hand lets you practise longer without strain, and practice is what makes you faster. Put your money into these first:

  1. The right hand. If you cut left-handed, a true left-handed scissor is worth any extra. See the left-handed guide.
  2. The right length. Usually 5.5 or 6.0 inches for a first salon scissor. The sizes guide explains why.
  3. A comfortable handle. Many first pairs are offset, because it keeps the thumb and elbow relaxed. The handle guide helps you choose.
  4. An edge that suits your training. Convex for slide cutting, micro-serrated or bevel for blunt, precise lines. See the edges guide.

What you can skip for now

Some features are lovely but won't make you a better stylist in your first years:

  • very high hardness numbers, which can make a blade more brittle when it's dropped;
  • exotic or limited steel names you can't compare;
  • jewelled or decorative screws and engraved handles;
  • swivel thumb rings, unless you already have a comfort problem they solve.

None of these is bad. They're simply things to choose on purpose later, once you know what you like.

The real cost of the wrong fit

The most expensive scissor is the one you stop using. A pair that's too long, too heavy or the wrong hand ends up in a drawer while you go back to your old training scissor, and you've paid twice. Spending a little time on fit before you buy saves more money than any discount.

Try to hold scissors at different lengths and handle shapes before you decide. Ask colleagues, educators or your sharpener to let you try theirs. Notice where your thumb sits and whether your elbow lifts.

Set or single for your first pair?

A cutting and thinning set can be good value when you need both tools at once. Make sure both pieces suit you, though. In the sets we stock, you choose the length of the cutting scissor and the thinning scissor is 6.0 inches; if you'd want a different thinner, a single cutting scissor may be the better buy.

If you only need one tool right now, buy the cutting scissor and add a thinner when your clients call for it. Our texturising scissors guide explains how to tell when that is.

A quick checklist before you buy

  1. I know which hand I cut with, and this model comes in it.
  2. I've picked a length from the work I do most, not from what looks impressive.
  3. I've held, or at least compared, the handle shape I'm choosing.
  4. I know which edge type this scissor has, or I've asked.
  5. If it's a set, I'd be happy using both pieces.
  6. I've read the returns page so I know where I stand if it isn't right.

If you can tick all six, you're making a considered choice, whatever the price.

Running costs

Budget for sharpening as well as the scissor. A professional scissor needs sharpening from time to time, and a good sharpening keeps it cutting like new. Add a case or pouch so the edges aren't knocked in your kit, and a small bottle of scissor oil for the pivot. These small costs protect the bigger one.

Stepping up later

On our list, the makers line up roughly by stage. Mina is where most people start, with everyday cutting scissors and sets. Ichiro is a step up, with more choice of handle and finish. Juntetsu scissors are handmade in Japan, for stylists ready for a finer tool, and Yasaka offers a made-in-Japan offset with a convex edge.

When you step up, keep what you learned from your first pair. If you loved the handle and length, look for the same in your next one. If something bothered you, that's the thing to change.

Next steps

Start with the choosing guide to settle hand, length and handle, then browse the model pages and add two or three to your shortlist. If you want a second opinion, ask us and tell us what you cut most.