Which Scissors for Which Haircut
By SalonScissors editorial team Updated
How we chose: One pick per cut from our range, on listed length, edge, handle and maker specs. We sell them and haven’t run cutting tests. Prices checked 15 October 2026.
Apprentice buying one pair? Start with a 5.5” convex cutter and add a thinner when your course asks for one. The Ichiro Ergo set pictured above has both. Barber? Jump to short back and sides and scissor-over-comb, or read the barber scissors guide.
Which scissors suit a bob?
A 5.5” or 6.0” cutter with a flat or convex edge. A bob is all outline, so you want enough blade to cut each line in one or two closes.
Choose 5.5” Inch Cutting Scissor. Right-handed, straight handle, convex slice edge and a 60 mm blade. Keep in mind: level rings feel different if you learned on an offset.
Which scissors suit a fringe?
A short cutter, 4.5” to 5.5”, with fine tips. You’re working just above the eyes, so tip control matters more than reach.
Choose 5.0” Cutting Scissor, or 4.5” for the closest work. Right-handed, offset handle, convex edge. Keep in mind: it’s a detail pair, so keep a longer cutter for the rest.
On a tighter budget, the Mina Sakura II comes in 5.0” for A$124.95.
Which scissors suit layers?
A 5.5” or 6.0” cutter with a convex edge. Long enough to cut a guide through a section, fine enough at the tips to point-cut the ends.
Choose 6.0” Inch. Right-handed, offset handle, convex edge, and listed from 5.0” to 7.0”. Keep in mind: it’s right-handed only. The Ichiro Matte Black lists left-hand sizes from 5.0” to 6.0”.
Which scissors suit long hair?
A 6.0” or 6.5” cutter with a slice or convex edge. A longer blade covers more of a wide section each time you close.
One fixed size, so there’s nothing to select. Right-handed, French handle, VG10 steel, slice edge. Keep in mind: that’s a lot of blade near the ears, so keep a shorter pair too.
Which scissors suit curly hair?
A 5.0” or 5.5” cutter with fine tips. Curls are often cut dry, one at a time, so you need tips that fit inside a curl without catching the next.
Choose 5.25” Inch Cutting Scissors. Right-handed, symmetrical rings, convex slice edge. Keep in mind: symmetrical rings hold your hand like a classic straight handle.
Which scissors suit a graduated cut?
A 5.5” cutter you can control at the nape. Much of it is angled work at the back of the head, so try an offset handle if those sections lift your elbow.
Choose 5.5” Inch Cutting Scissors. Right-handed, offset handle, semi-convex slice blade. Keep in mind: left-handed? The Design Master Offset LEFTY comes in 5.5” and 6.0” for A$429.
When do you need thinning scissors?
When the cut needs weight out, after the outline is done. A blender softens lines and heavy spots; a chunker or texturiser takes out visible pieces. Check the maker’s cut ratio as well as the tooth count: two 40-tooth thinners can remove very different amounts.
Choose 30-Teeth Blender (Popular) to soften a line, or 14-Teeth Chunker for visible texture. Right-handed, offset grip. Keep in mind: the photo shows the 14-tooth chunker.
Left-handed or on a budget? The Mina Umi thinner comes in Right or Left for A$109.
Which scissors suit short back and sides?
Clippers for the sides, plus a 6.0” or 6.5” cutter for the top and the blend. Blending by hand? Add a long cutter for scissor-over-comb and a blender for the line between clipper and scissor work.
Choose 6.5”. Right-handed, offset handle, wide convex blade. Also listed in 6.0” and 7.0”. Keep in mind: it’s right-handed only; left-handers, see the LSF below.
Which scissors suit scissor-over-comb?
A 6.5” or 7.0” cutter with a long straight blade. It runs further along the comb on each pass. The scissor-over-comb guide covers the comb, and when to reach for clippers instead.
Choose 7.0” Cutting Scissor, or 6.5” for more control. Right-handed, offset handle, flat edge. Keep in mind: keep a shorter cutter for detail around the ears.
Left-handed? The Joewell LSF Lefty comes in 6.5” and 7.0” for A$649. The barber scissors guide has more long cutters, texturisers and a first barber kit.
Quick questions
Can one pair cover every haircut?
For most salon work, yes. A 5.5” or 6.0” cutter does bobs, layers and most fringes. Add a second pair when one job keeps fighting you: a 5.0” for detail or a 7.0” for over-comb. The size guide shows how the inch size relates to the blade.
Do apprentices need thinning scissors?
Not on day one. Learn your outlines with the cutter, then add a thinner when your course asks for one. The Ichiro Ergo thinner (30 teeth, A$189) is a simple first one.
Which edge suits slide cutting?
A convex or slice edge on a model the maker describes for sliding. Skip micro-serrated blades for this: they grip the hair, which helps a blunt line but stops a slide.
Do left-handers need different sizes?
No, the same lengths apply. Buy a true left-handed scissor: the blades are reversed, so they close cleanly in your left hand and you can see the line you’re cutting. The left-handed guide compares the left-handed cutters.
Find your pair
Know the cut but not the size for your hand? The scissor finder narrows it down by hand, length and budget.