Choosing Grooming Shears: A Buyer's Guide
Are you ready to graduate into a “better” grooming shear, but uncertain what is the best choice? Don’t feel alone. Most pet groomers learn to groom with mediocre or hand-me-down scissors and are rarely taught much about this tool. Scissors are perhaps the single most symbolic tool of our craft. Go figure! This article will clarify the features of shears to empower your decision-making.
What is the difference between cheap scissors and the pricey models?
Two things: the quality of the metal and the workmanship. Inexpensive shears are made of inexpensive material that will not hone to as fine an edge as better-grade metal. This affects sharpness, how long the edge holds, and the smoothness of blade action. You want sharpness in order not to bend the hair while cutting, and to provide good definition in your cuts. Workmanship matters too: cheap shears are assembly-line produced with much of the work done by machine, while the best shears are handcrafted by trained craftspersons who take responsibility for each tool from start to finish. Some talented masters achieve fantastic results with cheap scissors — but the compensation is paid for in accumulated stress to the hand and wrist. Many average or better groomers don’t see their scissoring results “take off” until they use higher-quality shears.
Convex edge or bevel edge: Japanese or German?
Perhaps the biggest decision in purchasing shears: “Japanese style” convex-edged, or the “German type” bevel edge. Convex edges are hollow ground to an extremely sharp edge, giving a very quick, smooth action — sometimes called “butter cut”. Bevel edges are often serrated, giving a firmer, crisper cut. Which is best is a matter of taste, comfort, and technique. Hollow-ground convex-edged shears are great for full-body sculpting such as Bichons and Poodles, work well on thick coats, and are great for scissoring down Cockers. They are extremely sharp and fast — possibly more than you are ready for.
High-quality stainless steel blades with beveled and serrated edges are my choice for softer schnauzer-type coats and super-fine coats like Maltese: the serrated blade holds the hair while the other edge cuts. They are also a good choice if your technique does not open the blades very wide — I recommend this type for the beginning groomer.
Curved or straight blades?
Although you can do everything with straight shears, curved blades really help with topknots, faces, ears, feet, and rumps. Turned upside down, they help set angulation, tuck-ups and terrier underchests. I have a small 5.5″ curved shear that makes defining Schnauzer eyebrows a snap. Large 10″ curved shears are great for trimming rear skirts on Golden Retrievers, collie mixes and other undercoated dogs. Every groomer deserves curved shears.
What size is best?
The fully equipped professional should have several sizes. Longer shears scissor off more hair per cut, increasing efficiency and helping achieve a smoother finish. I first started using 10″ shears on Bedlington Terriers, whose coats show every snip. If you scissor large areas such as Standard Poodles, try 10″ — great for setting the topline on Bichons and shaping the body on any medium-to-large sculpted groom.
There is something to be said for smaller shears, 5.5″ to 6.5″: good control, and less stress to your hands on small areas — an important consideration with accumulated stress syndrome. Most groomers work with 7.5–8.5″ shears, average for our work. Use the size where you will use the whole blade: if your technique is still at the snipping stage, get a smaller shear and practice using more of the blade. Your scissoring style and the work at hand should factor in: lots of mixed-breed clip-downs with cute faces? A curved 7.5″ stainless steel serrated-edge could be a good investment.
What about thinning shears?
Let’s clarify terms. “Thinning shears” have both blades with notched teeth — good for bulk thinning such as Cocker coats. Shears with one straight-edged blade and one notched blade are really “blenders,” and yes, you should have at least one pair. Blenders can also thin: finishing teddy-bear faces on Lhasa or Shih Tzu types so they don’t look choppy; blending clipped areas on terrier heads to erase clipper lines; erasing unfortunate scissor marks; thinning Cocker skirts; scissoring sporting breeds for a natural look (especially heads and necks); scissoring tops of feet on Newfoundlands and Samoyeds where you want a natural-looking “cat foot.” Basically, blenders are great for any work where you want a softer definition.
So-called “twin thins” are two pairs of shears fastened together — a blender and a straight edge. They cut length and weight behind the blending action: excellent for long straight coats like Lhasa, Shih Tzu and Maltese, for scissoring Pomeranians and Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers without a scissor mark, and for taking length from tails.
What’s the deal with ergonomics?
Glad you asked. In recent years manufacturers have incorporated ergonomic design elements so the handle better suits the natural hand position and movement of the thumb. Most common is the offset thumb ring — slightly shorter and angled differently than the finger ring. Bent thumb rings angle further; swivel thumbs have free-moving rings to accommodate the movement of the hand. On the finger side, the shank is sometimes curved for comfort. A short shank can make shears more comfortable for smaller hands or when controlling longer blades. Your hands will tell you which features they like — pay attention and “listen” to your hands. Mine told me it doesn’t like the swivel thumb; it is a happy hand with an offset bent thumb and curved handle.
About our shears
I sell Arius-Eickert shears exclusively — a company I trust for integrity. Arius-Eickert is a family-owned business that originated in Solingen, Germany, now located in the U.S., passing the craft down through generations. Shears are handcrafted and assembled with attention to detail; even the less expensive tools get rigorous attention to balance, action and edge. Arius-Eickert also commits to your satisfaction: if you are not happy with any shears, for any reason, you may return them within two weeks for replacement or refund. You will never get “stuck” with something you don’t like — I have personally tested that policy. Think through your choice: your next shears should move your work forward and add to your toolbox. Happy grooming!
About the author
Barbara Bird has been grooming for a gazillion years in Tucson, Arizona. She learned through an excruciating and lengthy apprenticeship to a top groomer and local handler. She has owned her salon, Transformation Pet Center, since the early 1980s and is certified with the NDGAA.