There is an old adage that ‘The tools make the man’. Although this might not be true in a lot of professions, as a professional hairstylist choosing the right equipment can make your job a lot easier and manageable.
The right tools can make all the difference in the world as they can transform the entire haircutting process from good to amazing. The right equipment can help you improve your skills and take your haircutting expertise to the next level.
As a professional hairstylist, shears are one of the most important tools in your arsenal. They ensure that you are able to provide your customers with the cleanest and most aesthetically pleasing haircuts possible.
So it is absolutely essential that you think about every single aspect of a pair of shears so that you are able to choose the best pair for yourself. There are some important questions that you need to ask yourself before you choose shears that will be the best match for you, and here we will shed light on these questions.
What type of Shears are you After?
The first and arguably the most important question that you need to ask yourself is what kind of shears are you after. There are a large variety of shears available today and all of them have their own sets of strengths and benefits.
As a professional stylist, it is your job to properly identify these benefits as they will help you find the right pair of shears that are best suited for your particular style and technique.
There are different shears for different haircuts and hairstyling techniques. For instance, there are short-bladed shears that can be used to give basic haircuts and are a good choice if you are a beginner, and then there are long-bladed shears that are used for more complex styling techniques like scissors over the comb and are better for use if you are an experienced professional.
Other types of shears include texturizing shears that are very beneficial for hairstyling as they allow thin bulky hair without removing any unnecessary length and thinning shears that are ideal for thinning out large chunks of hair quickly and efficiently.
All these shears have their own unique qualities and benefits and it is up to you to decide which one is best suited for your particular style.
What is your Budget?
After you have picked out the type of shears that you want, the next step is for you to decide the amount of money that you are looking to spend on them. Depending on your budget, you can choose between premium, moderately priced, or low-cost shears.
There are a lot of factors that separate these shears from one another like price, longevity, and the quality of the shears themselves.
- Premium shears start around the $200 mark. These types of shears are usually handcrafted using the highest quality German or Japanese steel. The main selling point of these premium shears is that they last for a long period of time and they don’t require frequent servicing.
- Moderately-priced shears often lie in the price range of $60 to $200 and are normally made using German steel. These types of shears are factory manufactured and can last up to a year with regular use and service.
- Low-cost shears can be picked up in the price range of $20 to $60 and are manufactured using low-grade steel. These shears can last up to three months with regular use but are extremely unreliable and require constant service.
What is your preferred blade length?
Selection of the ideal blade length is also paramount as it ensures that you will have a great grip and be able to do your job properly. The blade length should be coordinated while keeping important factors like your hand length and the technique of hairstyling you will be using in mind.
Shorter blades are normally 5.5 inches in length and are ideal for precise and intricate hair cutting while providing a great level of control. Longer blades however are normally 7 inches in length and are used to give more efficient and quick haircuts.
Both blades have their own benefits and that is why most professional stylists own shears of different lengths in order to meet the needs of their customers.
How comfortable do you want the shears to be?
Finally, when you are choosing the ideal pair of shears for yourself, it is absolutely essential that you make sure that they are comfortable to hold and to use. Features like handle and thumb ring types are equally important as they make sure that you will be able to get the best out of your shears.
These features have a great impact on the quality and the usage of the shears and they are also a determining factor in whether you would be able to give a great haircut or not.
Older shears had uncomfortable and non-ergonomic designs which put extra strain on your hands and arms and caused a lot of pain and discomfort. Newer and more ergonomic shear designs have been developed in recent times which ensures that you are able to give the best haircut possible without putting any additional strain on your hands and risking injuries.
Conclusion
These are some of the most important things that you need to consider when you are choosing the perfect hair cutting shears. Choosing the best shears can be a challenging and at times impossible task if you do not have a clear idea about what you are looking for as the plethora of choices available in the market can make it hard for you to choose particularly if you are new to the hairstyling world.
Asking yourself the above-mentioned questions before you choose a pair of shears for yourself can make this process a lot easier. These questions can help you find the ideal pair of shears for yourself which will help you in satisfying your customers by providing them with the best haircuts possible.
