A brand new pair of hair shears can do wonders, especially if you are a beginner who is just starting. But, even if you are a professional stylist, changing your old ones for a new pair of Kamisori shears [1] will allow you to showcase your skills. As a matter of fact, when you use a pair for a very long time, the blades tend to lose their sharpness and that is bound to affect your skills. Even with amazing potential, you will not be able to cut smoothly and comfortably if your shears are not sharp enough or if they do not have the proper range of motion.
How Will You Know That You Need A New Pair Of Hair Shears?
It is very difficult to judge whether or not your shears need to be replaced. Hair shears do not have a specific period of time during which they work well, and therefore you will have to take different factors into consideration that usually affect the performance [2].
Given below are certain circumstances that will allow you to figure out if it’s time to shop for a new pair of hair shears.
1. The shears do not feel comfortable anymore and using them is causing immense stress due to excess pressure on your shoulders, the back of your neck, hand and elbow.
2. The blades have lost their edge and the scissors pull hair while cutting it. If this happens, then it will be quite uncomfortable for your client and it will also result in uneven cutting of hair.
3. Your hair shears do not make the same sound as before. Usually, hair shears which are in good condition make a very sharp and clear snipping sound while cutting hair. When they stop working properly this sound will change and it will become duller.
4. While cutting hair, if it slips from the blades, then you it is the right time to change your hair shears. Hair scooting away from you means that the scissors are no longer able to grip the hair in place which, in turn, will again result in uneven cutting.
5. If you have dropped your hair shears several times, then you should definitely consider changing them. Dropping your hair shears will affect their mechanism. As a result, they will not perform well. Initially, they might work well but after sometime, you will notice that the hair shears are losing their edge or the grip might start to fail.
What Kind Of Hair Shears Should You Buy ?
If you decide to replace your old shears, you will need to consider several things. If, as a stylist, you have already acquired the basic skills of hair cutting, then you might want to look at different types of hair shears, especially if you want to try out new techniques.
This will depend on several factors like what kind of cutting you want to do with the new hair shears, how long lasting you want them to be (you might be looking for an affordable, temporary pair to try out new skills), how frequently you will be able to sharpen the blades, and of course, your budget. Listed below are a few shears that work really well and you can use them to do almost any kind of job.
Straight Shears
These are the most basic shears and they are of two kinds; long straight shears and short straight shears. The longer ones take care of a larger surface area while the short shears are used when you need to cut with a lot of precision.
Thinners
Thinners are the best shears to practice new skills with. They are comfortable and easy to control. If you want to hone your skills as a beginner then you should definitely get a pair of these.
Ergonomic Hair Shears
Often, stylists use traditional shears and do not consider any other designs. However, using these shears might result in the development of repetitive stress injuries. The most common type of repetitive stress injury is carpal tunnel syndrome which happens when you use symmetric handled shears for a long time.
These shears [3] put excess pressure on your hand, elbow, neck, and shoulder, causing severe pain. Therefore, when you decide to change your shears, you should definitely consider ergonomic hair shears. Ergonomic hair shears have a neutral grip handle with an extended crane. Such a design does not put too much pressure and is much more comfortable to use.
Apart from the aforementioned factors, when you go shopping, remember to buy a pair of hair shears that truly reflect your personality as a hairstylist (consider some bling and a splash of colour!) and you will surely be able to find a suitable design.
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