10 steps to choosing the right hairdressing scissors

  Not sure how to choose the right hairdressing scissors? We spoke to Ashley Howard, director of Scissorhands UK, for his top ten tips. 1 Ask a stylist whose opinion you value to recommend a scissor expert. Why? Because the right scissors are as important as a good GP or dentist when it comes to your ongoing and long term career. 2 Ask the scissor company for a demonstration or a test drive of their scissors. Why? Because they are more important than the shoes you are standing in and you tried those on! 3 Ask them about how the scissor sizes relate to the kind of cutting you do. Why? Because short blades are great for certain techniques but potentially dangerous for many every day ones. Long blades can be cleaner, easier and safer to use. A professional should be able to direct you towards the most suitable pair. 4 Ask them to show you the least expensive and most expensive pair. Make sure you hold them and open and close them, then work your way through some of the more expensive pairs doing the same thing.  Why? Because you should be able to feel the difference in your hand. There is a lot of myth and legend around which steels are the best, but you will be able to feel for yourself. If the price doesn't relate, listen to your gut instinct. 5 Ask about the different types of scissor handles available. Why? Because they should explain the advantages of each type of handle in relation to you and your long-term career. It's not about the hair when it comes to handles. See what they say and if it makes real sense, take their advice. 6 Ask about the differences between toothed scissors - i.e. thinning style blades - versus texturising blades. Why? Because they are as different as bleach and tint. Both are very useful, but you need clear training to understand the benefits of each. 7 Ask what their warranty is with their scissors.  (Beware if they sell lots of different brands as the warranties may vary greatly.) Why? You should expect a minimum of one year, no quibble, warranty if anything goes mechanically wrong. You should also accept any other peace of mind they can offer, like a business card, a website and a service centre if they get dropped. Anyway, how else are you going to tell everyone else how great they are without those details? 8 Ask them what the payment options are. Why? If you're going to invest your hard-earned wages into some quality tools of the trade, you might not have a few hundred pounds to splash out all at once. 9 Ask them what discounts are available if you're buying more than one pair of scissors, or if you're recommending your colleagues to them. Why? There's nothing better than recommending great service, which is probably exactly where a lot of your salon clients came from. A good scissor company is like a good salon and rewarding loyalty is how we all grow. 10 Ask them about after sales support. Why? You may want some tuition on haircutting techniques related to what you have just bought. You get that with colour and retail products right? You may also want to know about how to care for your scissors and when they need servicing. The car you drive needs to be serviced and MOT'd regularly, so find out what can they offer you in terms of maintenance. For an extensive guide on scissors and finding the right pair for you read our scissor special in May's issue of HJ. For more detailed information, visit www.scissorhands.info and click on Training to find out more.