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This may come as a surprise to some but, believe it or not, when it comes to hairdressing scissors, there is actually more than one handle for the scissors. Along with different blades, lengths, shapes and colours there comes the handles of hairdressing scissors. If you're wondering and thinking 'but wait, the handle I have for my cutting scissors are perfect, I need the same for my thinning scissors then fear not! Because all handle types of hairdressing scissors come in not only cutting scissors, but also thinning scissors and texturizing scissors.
As we also mentioned above hairdressing scissors coming in a range of styles, it doesn't matter if its short blade haircutting scissors or long blade hair cutting scissors, regular hairdressing scissors, barber scissors, left handed scissors, using your hairdressing scissors for different types of hair cutting techniques. No matter the use for them there will always be hairdressing scissors that will match your style and comfort.
So, enough rambling from our end, let's get down to learning about the different types of hairdressing scissors handles. We have the 4 different types of handles including the classic handle, offset handle, crane handle, and swivel handle scissors. Some of these styles are old and some are designed for pure comfort. Read on to find out which will best suit you!
Ahh the classic... which is indeed that - a classic! And in our opinion we should be left in the classic world! While it's still a popular choice, it's believed to be not the most comfortable choice for the long run of your career. The classic design has been designed for a very 'old school' technique of holding your scissors with your middle finger in one of the finger holes, where traditionally nowadays it should be the placement of your ring finger in that finger hole with of course your thumb to follow in the other finger hole.
If you're a novice, you may be thinking - 'but what's wrong with that?' Well, we're here to tell you that while in the short run of things it may not have an impact at all, it will however lead to underlying health issues later down the track like Carpal tunnel syndrome and/or RSI. Which will then end your hairdressing or barbering career earlier then you would like.
Before we continue, for those of you that don't know what Carpal tunnel or RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) is, it's a condition that is caused from repetitive movements in the arm (wrists, fingers and elbows are the main culprits to get it) Carpal tunnel and RSI is usually self diagnosable due to having a numbness or tingling in the hand and sometimes will travel through the arm which is generally caused from a pinched nerve within the wrist.
Offset:
The offset handle scissors are amongst the more common designs. Why? because this handle has been designed to allow a more relaxed and natural free flowing position which reduces hand fatigue and helps to reduce the risk of carpal tunnel and RSI later in your hairdressing or barbering career. It does so by having a slight bend in the handle creating the offset design which is said to help the angling of the placement of your wrist and body so you don't have to end up in an awkward position for your wrist/arm/shoulder or even body for that matter (Rather than the design being flat/straight and creating awkward angles for yourself).
However, you will still need to keep in mind that correct body positioning and keeping your elbow raised whilst cutting hair is still very important regardless of the handle design. The offset is not held how the classic is held. It's held with your ring finger and thumb for the finger holes, which is what most, if not all hairdressers and barbers have been taught.
The Crane handle design while it's not not as common as the offset it's still something that needed to be created for the ones that are already suffering with underlying wrist/arm issues. Hairdressers and barbers that have created old/bad habits from the hairdressing world will find this scissor design much more comfortable. This design allows you to drop your elbow position because of the angle in the arch or the scissor, therefore allowing better body positioning when cutting hair with this particular design.
Swivel:
The Swivel handle design is by far our favourite design. While it's not for everyone it's certainly for people that are wanting maximum comfort and control of not only their haircuts but their haircutting career. The swivel design has a far less restrictive feel by allowing your thumb and wrist to be in the correct position no matter what angle you cut at.
When first handling this design, you may feel unstable if it's not something you're used to before you start to cut. However we can almost guarantee that when you start cutting with swivel scissors you won't want to turn back. When using a swivel design it allows you to really open up your hand when making the opening and closing motion whilst cutting hair which will in long term give you the freedom and comfort knowing your wrists and hands won't need to worry about early injury in your hairdressing career.
Please note - not all hairdressers will experience Carpal tunnel or RSI in their career because as we know EVERY hairdresser and barber are all so different and no two stylists are the same or have the same bodies. Some can handle the workload and others not so much. Which is why we can't stress this enough - choosing the right hair cutting scissor is such an important step that you cannot skip or 'choose whatever looks good'.
After all those descriptions we truly believe you need to find what style of handle is most comfortable for you, the hairdresser/barber. Why? Simply because the style you choose now will have an impact on how well or poorly you will perform your hairdressing skills or barber techniques in the longevity of your career. But if you're really freaking out about which you should choose then please reach out to us here at scissor tech and we will be more than happy to help guide you in your choice. Happy Shopping!
