With 6 out of the top 10 best selling products of 2017 at Sam Villa being shears, it supports the fact that they are one of the most important tools a stylist can invest in, so choosing the right pair is significant.
Sam Villa, co-founder of Sam Villa and Global Artistic Ambassador for Redken 5th Avenue, shares tips on shopping for this prized tool.
1. Handle Design – Look for an Ergonomic Crane Handle with a forward set thumb that forces the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder into a natural and neutral position to prevent repetitive stress injuries. Not sure about the design? Hold them! Drop arm at side in a neutral position, shake, bring it up naturally and hold the shears. Elbow should be down and relaxed, hands and fingers in a neutral position with the shear blades horizontal, and minimal thumb movement should be needed to open and close the shear.
2. Tension Adjustment – Tension adjuster should place even tension across the length of the blade while the shear is being opened and closed.
3. Polymer Lining – Polymer Lined shears have a strip of polymer in the pivot point to provide a smoother cutting action vs. metal on metal contact, which decreases the life of the blade. Polymer and Teflon linings are usually found on premium hair cutting shears.
4. Blades – Hand Honed Convex Blades start out sharper and stay sharp longer between sharpening vs. Machine Made Beveled Edges that are not as sharp and dull faster.
5. Metal – Look for advanced metals like Japanese Molybdenum Alloy, which is incredibly durable for a long lasting edge but feels soft as the hair is cut to reduce fatigue. Other materials can easilyget nicks, causing more metal to be shaved away when sharpening, thus decreasing the life of the blade.
6. Warranty – Buy from a manufacturer that guarantees their shears against defects in materials or workmanship for at least up to 1 year from the date of purchase.
“We want stylists to LOVE our shears, so if after using them for 7 days and they don’t LOVE them, they can return them for a full refund,” explains Villa.
To learn more about choosing precision shears, visit www.samvilla.com/pro/products/shears