How to Choose Barber Scissors

Barbering and scissor length

Barbering is mostly short styles. Short back and sides, undercuts, blending into fades, tidying the nape and sideburns: much of the work is cutting short hair close to the scalp. That is why barbers use longer scissors more often than the 5.5 to 6.0 inch that is common in salon work.

Scissor size is the length in inches from the blade tip to the end of the longest handle (not counting the finger rest). For barbering, it helps to give each length a role, like this.

If one pair has to do everything, 6.0 to 6.5 inch is the middle ground. How to match the length to your hand is covered in “How to Choose Your Scissor Size”.

Short back and sides and scissor over comb

Scissor over comb is the technique of lifting the hair with the comb and cutting by moving the scissors along the face of the comb. With this technique, the blade length is the width you cut in one go.

Why a long blade suits it

• It follows the comb easily: a long blade can cover the full width of the comb.
• It cuts a wider section in one go: you can blend smoothly without going over the same area again and again.
• You can use the tip and the heel for different jobs: fine work with the tip and wider work towards the heel, all with one pair.

What to check when choosing long scissors

With long scissors, your hand movement also has further to travel to the tip. If you are using 7.0 inch for the first time, it is safer to try 6.5 inch first and check how it feels switching to and from the comb and moving the tip before you settle on a length.

Blade edge and dry cutting

Barbering involves a lot of dry cutting. There are two main blade edges to choose from.

• Convex edge: the cutting edge is finished as a smooth curve. It closes with a smooth cut and can be used for scissor over comb, blunt cutting and slide cutting.
• Micro-serrated edge: the edge has fine serrations. Hair is less likely to slip along the blade, so it grips short, dry hair well. It is not suited to slide cutting.

The longer barbering models Scissor Lab carries mostly have a convex edge. The differences between blade edges are covered in detail in “Scissor Blade Types Explained”, and choosing for dry and wet cutting in “Scissors for Dry Cutting and Wet Cutting”.

Handle shape

These are the two handle shapes barbers use most.

• Offset handle: the thumb-side handle (shank) is shorter than the ring-finger side. It is widely used in both salon work and barbering.
• Classic (opposing) handle: the thumb-side and ring-finger-side handles are almost the same length. It makes it easy to turn the scissors over in the hand and flip the blades up and down, and some barbers choose it for scissor over comb.

In scissor over comb you may switch between comb and scissors in the same hand. Check that your fingers slip in and out of the rings easily and that your thumb falls naturally into place. The differences between handles are covered in “Scissor Handle Types Explained”.

Pairing Thinning Scissors

In barbering, Thinning Scissors have two jobs: blending the join on short back and sides, and removing weight from the top.

If your Thinning Scissors have the same handle shape as your Cutting Scissors, your finger position barely changes when you switch. Around 6.0 inch is the usual length, but if you pair them with longer Cutting Scissors, 6.5 inch Thinning Scissors are also worth considering. How to read tooth count and thinning rate is covered in “How to Choose Thinning Scissors”.

Building a kit of two or three pairs

You can do barbering with one pair, but splitting the work by role makes each pair easier to use.

1. First pair: 6.0 to 6.5 inch Cutting Scissors. Used widely, from cutting the top to outlines.
2. Second pair: 6.5 to 7.0 inch Cutting Scissors. Used for short back and sides and scissor over comb.
3. Third pair: Thinning Scissors. Used for blending joins and removing weight.

If you want Cutting and Thinning Scissors from the same series, compare the scissor sets as well. One combination for barbering is the Ichiro Master Series Barber 2-Piece Scissor Set. How to choose a set is covered in “How to Choose a Scissor Set”.

Models for barbers

These models come in longer sizes and work well for short back and sides and scissor over comb. You can check the sizes and prices of each model in the comparison table further down this page.

• Ichiro Sword Barber Cutting Scissors: 6.0 to 7.0 inch, offset handle and convex edge.
• Juntetsu Ergo Barber Cutting Scissors: 6.0 to 7.0 inch, offset handle and convex edge.
• Mina Barber Dark Gem Cutting Scissors: 6.5 and 7.0 inch, offset handle.
• Juntetsu Sword Cutting Scissors: 6.0 to 7.0 inch, offset handle and convex edge.
• Juntetsu Mastersmith Cobalt 7.0 Cutting Scissors: 7.0 inch, for anyone looking for one long pair for short back and sides.
• Juntetsu Classic Cutting Scissors: classic (opposing) handle, for anyone who wants a symmetrical shape for finishing details.

For Thinning Scissors, consider the Juntetsu Sword Thinning Scissors (6.5 inch) or the Juntetsu Chomper 16 Teeth Thinning Scissors, which have fewer teeth. You can browse all Cutting Scissors in the “Cutting Scissors” list and filter by size.

Care in a shop with lots of clippings

Short back and sides and fades produce lots of fine, short clippings. Short hair easily works its way around the pivot and onto the inside of the blades, so make this care a habit.

• Wipe the blades after every client: use a soft cloth and wipe the clippings from the heel towards the tip.
• Oil the pivot at the end of the day: open the blades, put one drop of oil on the pivot, open and close to work it in, then wipe off the excess.
• Check the tension: if short hair feels like it is getting caught between the blades, check the tension.

The full care routine is covered in “How to Care for Your Scissors”, and how to check tension in “How to Adjust Scissor Tension”.

Summary

• For short back and sides and scissor over comb, longer Cutting Scissors of 6.5 to 7.0 inch are the guide.
• Add a shorter pair for outlines and detail, and if one pair has to do everything, start from 6.0 to 6.5 inch.
• Match your Thinning Scissors to the handle shape of your Cutting Scissors, and choose the tooth count for blending or for removing weight.

If you can’t decide on a length, start from the length of the scissors you use now and compare a pair 0.5 inch longer. For help choosing, contact us.