How to find a shear for new Hair Stylists and Groomers
Posted by Travis Jones on
Any professional hair stylist or pet groomer knows that in order to do great work, you need high quality shears that consistently perform. A typical search for hair cutting shears will turn up thousands upon thousands of styles, lengths, designs, swivel thumbs, and on and on and on. It can be really confusing for new and beginner professional hair stylists and pet groomers to find the right beauty or grooming shears.
You need to get dependable, high quality hair cutting shears that will last for many years. That doesn’t mean you have to go spend $700 for your first shears, especially if you are just starting out. Looking on Amazon or eBay, it’s easy to find shears that claim to be professional for $15. Those types of shears may work for a while when someone is cutting their kids hair a few times, but it definitely won’t work for a career-minded professional. And unfortunately, there are also shears that sell for $100 which aren’t much better.
Most of us have been taught, at one time or another, to shop for generics. We know that pharmacists and doctors tend to buy generic over the counter medications because they know that it is the same product at a cheaper price. When it comes to buying professional beauty and grooming shears, the opposite is the case. Brand names like Kenchii, Kamisori, Washi, and Wolff, have been known throughout the beauty and pet grooming industries for decades. They have built brand awareness for many years by working directly with hair stylists and groomers to find out what does and does not work in day to day hair cutting. All of these companies have traveled many times back and forth to Japan, Korea, and Thailand to work with factories that produce high quality hair cutting shears. Kenchii and Washi shears are all manufactured with high quality Japanese steel. They may be assembled and finished in other countries, such as Thailand and China, in order to bring down the final retail cost for the hair stylist or dog groomer. This makes it possible for the new hair cutting professional to get professional shears at an affordable price.
While there are these really legitimate brands like Kenchii, Kamisori, Washi, and Wolff, there are also a lot of knock-off shears that look very, very similar at first glance. Many of these less expensive shears are made in Pakistan or India. They are designed to look just like the popular name brand shears. While browsing through Amazon or eBay, it can be really tempting to buy a $20 shear that looks just like a Washi Cotton Candy or a Kenchii Five Star. So instead of a $150 beginner shear, the budget minded stylist or groomer opts for the money saving option. It’s completely understandable, but they end up getting harmed in the long run. These cheaply made shears might get through a few cuts, and then they will start to dull, or the hardware will start to break down. The best sharpeners out there can’t make a $20 shear work for a professional stylist or groomer. Not to mention it will cost more than $20 to get it sharpened!
So, what is the best way to avoid getting ripped off when shopping for beauty and grooming shears? Pay attention to who you are buying from! The big, brand name shear companies (like Kenchii, Kamisori, Washi, and Wolff) have many legitimate distributors out there. Many times, the distributors are able to offer small discounts or free shipping and sell on the big e commerce sites like Amazon and eBay. There is nothing wrong with getting shears on these platforms, but just do some quick homework before you complete the purchase. Read the reviews about the shear before you buy. What are other professional hair stylists and groomers saying about the shears? Check out the seller. Do they have good feedback? What is the return policy? Is the seller in the shear business? One good way to tell is by the seller name and the other products they have for sale. If the company is focused on sharpening supplies and shears, you are much more likely to get good service if something goes wrong. If it is a company that sells everything under the sun, you might have a hard time getting the answers and customer service that you need. They might not know that you aren’t supposed to drop shears. They might not know that beauty and grooming shears need to be packaged extremely carefully when they are shipped. Take a few extra minutes to read before you buy beauty and grooming shears. Ask the seller a question or two and see if they respond quickly, and with some credibility. It might save you some money and headaches down the road!
Don’t hesitate to contact us if we can answer any questions to help you find a high quality, brand name beauty or grooming shear.