Pro Sharp Edges FAQs

PRO SHARP EDGES - The Premium Source of High Quality Shears and Thinners - Sold at a Reasonable Price!

about hair cutting scissors, shears, and clipper blades. Information for hairstylists

All About Shears

When purchasing a new pair of hair cutting scissors, there is a lot to know.  Here at Nebraska Shears we want our customers to have as much information about shears before making a purchase. There are many factors to consider before one buys a new set of shears such as the country of origin, how the scissors have been manufactured, and steel quality contained within each pair of scissors.

Shear Styles/ Looking For New Shears

There are all kinds of shears on the market today, giving everyone lots of choices.

At Pro Sharp Edges and Nebraska Shears, we sell good high quality shears at a very reasonable price.       

Shisato, Mirage, Debut, Kansai, Dynasty, Aikyo, Yoko, Yuroshi, & Tara                                 

When Deciding on a New Pair of Shears - Ask Questions!

  1. Start by finding out where they are made,  Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, ect.
  2. Find out how the scissors are made.  Forged or Casted. (Forged is higher quality)
  3. Find out what kind of steel each pair of shears contain.  ATS 314, V10, 440C  ect.
  4. Do they feel comfortable in your hand?
  5. How smoothly do they open and close?
  6. Do they come with a lifetime warranty?
  7. Can I contact the shear consultant if I have a problem with my shear?
  8. Is there a legitimate phone number? - try calling them.
  9. Will the scissor consultant resolve any problems that I have in a timely manner?
  10. Is the scissor consultant pushing me into something I do not want to buy?
  11. Does the price seem too good to be true?  This shear normally sells for $600.00 but today I will sell it for $250.00
  12. Ask questions - you have the right to know what you are paying for.
  13. If the shear is not marked, it is most likely from China or Pakistan.
  14. If the shear consultant does not know what kind of steel is in the shear, assume 420 or  420 A steel (Lower grade steel).

Handle Types

  1. Opposing - this is where the two handles oppose each other. Sometimes causing one to raise your elbow higher when you are cutting hair. After a long day of cutting hair, you may feel like your arm is ready to fall off.
  2. Offset - this is where the thumb hole is moved forward to help lower your elbow when cutting hair - reducing fatigue on your arm.
  3. Crane Design - this is where your thumb hole is moved even further forward and downward. The finger blade is also moved downward, resulting in further lowering of your elbow and reducing even more pressure on your arm. This style of shear is sometime harder to get used to, but the benefit will greatly overshadow the end result in reducing arm fatigue.
  4. End Swivel - this is where the swivel on your thumb blade protrudes out the back of your shear.  This style of shear lets you palm your shears easier because the distance is closer between top of shear and bottom of shear.
  5. Up Swivel, single swivel - this is where the swivel is placed on top of your thumb handle, letting your thumb swivel back and forth. This style affords a more comfortable position for your thumb - reducing fatigue and helping to reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome.
  6. Up Swivel, double swivel - this is where there is a double swivel on top of your thumb handle, letting your thumb further swivel up and down, along with back & forth. This style of shear gives the user an even more comfortable position for their thumb - reducing fatigue and helps to reduce carpal tunnel syndrome.

Scissor Country of Origin

Japan absolutely manufactures the best shears in the world. The Japanese have a higher level of craftsmanship compared to Korea, Taiwan and China.  Japan is the number one hair cutting scissor manufacturer in the world because of their quality of work and their overall work ethic.  The Japanese also use a higher quality of steel for their shears which results in a longer lasting edge sharpness.

Korea follows closely behind Japan in scissor quality

Taiwan, China and then Pakistan follow behind both Japan and Korea in shear quality.

Japanese shears are the most expensive because they are the absolute best. These scissors can range from $300.00 to $3000.00.

Korean shears range from $300.00 to $400.00.

Chinese and Taiwanese shears range from $150 to $200.

Nebraska Shears and Pro Sharp Edges do not sell Pakistani shears.

How They are Manufactured

Shears that are forged are the highest quality in the world. Casted shears are not made as well as forged shears but are still widely used in the hair salon industry.

Japanese Steel Shear content -  Rated Top to Bottom - Highest to Lowest rating

Super Gold 2 Japanese Steel - best steel in the world

ATS 314

V-10 through V-1 - *V-10 is the highest rated

Hitachi steels S-3 through S-1 - *S-3 is the highest rated of S steels

Surgical steels

440 C - highest rated surgical steel

440 A

420 A

“Note” some shears are marked Japanese steel but that does not mean they are manufactured in Japan.

Some shears are not properly marked with country of origin. Please assume these shears have been produced in Pakistan or a third world country.

 

Pro Sharp Edges - FAQ

Q - How often do I need to sharpen my shears?

A - All answers are without abuse to the shears such as dropping shears etc.

    Japanese and Korean shears should be sharpened about once a year. Chinese and Taiwanese shears will require sharpening every 4 - 6 months, possibly sooner.

Q - Why do Pakistani shears require more attention?

A - Pakistan does not use high quality stainless steel in their shears. Please remember top to bottom in shear manufacturers based on country of origin: 1. Japan 2. Korea 3. Taiwan 4. China 5. Pakistan and third world countries.

Q - If my shears need sharpened, Who do I trust to sharpen them?

A -  1. Certified Grand Master Sharpener. These highly skilled sharpeners can be very hard to find.

  1. A Certified Master Sharpener.

    *Please remember - using anyone that is not a Certified Master Sharpener is a very risky decision. An under trained and low skilled sharpener can ruin your Good High Quality Shears.

Q - I have heard to never trust a sharpener who takes the shears out to a van to sharpen. Is this true?

A - No, this is not true.

    The person that has a van to sharpen has their sharpening equipment mounted solidly in the vehicle.  The sharpening equipment is larger, higher quality and more secure than a suitcase sharpener, therefore giving you a higher level of sharpening.

Never trust giving your High Quality Shears to anyone who sends them off to be sharpened by someone you do not know. This person could easily be a trainee or someone off the street -  resulting in a very bad and low quality sharpening service.

Q - How do I know if I am getting a good high quality sharpening?

A - 1. Your shears should be highly polished -  looking like a new pair.

  1. The sharpener should have worked both on the inside ride line and sharpened from the outside.
  2. When you close the shears, they should be Extremely Smooth and Quiet.
  3. If you look down the cutting edge, you should never see the edge - as they have just been sharpened.

Q - My shears seem to bending hair or pushing hair - What is wrong?

A - Your shears are just dull. No problem - just have them sharpened. The dulling process is a slow one. As soon as they are in service, they begin to dull. Thus by the time they are pushing or bending hair, they are really dull. Most stylist do not notice this slow process until their shears are in dire need of help.

* Please refer back to Q&A Number 1.

Q - I dropped my Shears and now there is a nick in them - can they be fixed?

A - Yes, please start by removing them from service. Using the nicked shears with only further damage the cutting edge.  Next, take them to a Certified Master Sharpener for a complete and extensive sharpening service. The sharpener will have to remove an extra amount of metal from the cutting edge. Unfortunately, this will result in a shorter lifespan for your High Quality Shears.

Q - How do I properly adjust my shears?

A - Please clean your shears thoroughly and oil them before trying to adjust your shears. Only adjust a little at a time. If you open your shears and they slam shut, they are much too loose -  Tighten them at the pivot point. If you open them and they do not move, they are much too tight - Loosen them at the pivot point.  

Ideally, your shears should fall about halfway closed. Remember, righty tighty, lefty loosy. Too loose or too tight will affect the cutting ability of your shears and also diminish the shear’s lifespan.