What You Need To Know About Scissors

Thumb Pressure

We discourage any of the holding positions pictured on this page because it defeats the design of the scissors and will probably accelerate the possibility of repetitive stress injuries; the number one permanent disabling injury for haircutters.

Pushing, pulling, and exerting any force or horizontal pressure when cutting only over rides the purpose of ergonomic scissor engineering.

Because the cutting edge is on the inside of the blade, these techniques will result in the premature wear of the blades, pivot area, and in severe cases nicking and structure damage.

Bending, pinching of the hair, silencers breaking off or falling out, and the scissors inability to perform properly are all symptoms of excessive thumb pressure. 

These incidental nuisances on a daily basis are clues that it is time to make changes in the way you hold your scissors.

Continued use of thumb pressure will result in your total dissatisfaction in the performance of your scissors. Sharpening your scissors will never correct upper control issues.

See Holding Techniques for details.

Finger Inserts:

Scissor are designed to cut with little or no horizontal thumb pressure.  We recommend using a ring insert in the finger ring hole first to stop the finger from sliding in to far.  When your fingers are secure you are in control and the thumb will less likely push forward to create the unnecessary pressure. Use inserts for the thumb ring only if needed.

The weight of the scissor needs to stay with the fingers not on the thumb.  Inserts should feel secure, never tight.  Inserts will assist with upper hand control, but will never take its place.

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