If you’re a lefty and looking for left-handed hair shears, then this is the article for you! It is essential to understand why lefties should use left handed shears for hair cutting. The main reasons are to avoid major hand fatigue while cutting and to cut properly. In this guide, we’ll review the best left handed hair cutting shears so that you can pick the best one for your needs, whether you’re a professional hair dresser or an amateur.
When you use a right-handed pair of scissors, the arrangement of the blades is what causes the biggest problem. The blade that moves upwards while pointing towards the left faces outwards, making it convenient for righties to use since they hold the hair in their left hand and they can see exactly where they’re cutting. However, if you use the same pair in your left hand, you won’t be able to see the line you’re cutting. Additionally, your hand’s movement will end up pushing the blades apart instead of towards each other and you will end up bending the hair instead of cutting it. If you continuously try to pull the blades together while you cut, you’ll end up with stress-related injuries in your hand. You don’t want to feel like you’ve been using gardening shears!
For left-handed hair stylists, struggling to use right-handed shears will create pain and soreness in your neck or shoulders while you cut hair. This happens because it forces you to lift your elbow too much while cutting. Sometimes they can cause injuries as bad as carpal tunnel and repetitive strain injury because to actually cut hair smoothly, you have to force the blades together, which is an unnatural movement.
To determine whether a pair of shears is a true left-handed pair, you should check the blade that is controlled by your thumb. If this blade faces you when the tip points to your other arm, then those shears are true left-handed shears.
Table of Contents
- 1 In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Picks…
- 2 Buying Guide for Left Handed Hair Cutting Scissors
- 3 Best Left Handed Hair Scissors for at Home Use
- 3.1 Smith Chu Salon Left Handed Hair Cutting Shears, Chunker and Thinner
- 3.2 Kinsaro 5.5 Inch Left Handed Hair Shears
- 3.3 Univinlions Left-handed Hair Cutting Scissors
- 3.4 Purple Dragon Left Handed Hair Cutting and Thinning Scissors
- 3.5 JASON Left Handed Hair Cutting and Thinning Scissors
- 3.6 Ruvanti 6.4″ Professional Razor Blades Left Handed Hair Scissors
- 4 Best Professional Left Handed Hair Cutting Shears
- 5 FAQs on Left Handed Hair Scissors
In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Picks…
TOP PICK
Aerolite Left Hand Japanese Professional Hair Cutting Scissors
Diamond point edged blades
Choice of 5.5″ and 6″ lengths
Ball bearing tension control
With removable finger rings
RUNNER UP
Kissaki KT Series 19L 6.0 inches Left Handed Hair Shears
Convex edged blades
6″ blade
Ball bearing tension control
With removable finger rings
BUDGET PICK
Smith Chu Salon Left Handed Hair Cutting Shears, Chunker and Thinner
Hair cutter, 14T chunker, 30T thinner
Convex edged blades
6″ blade
Tension screw control
Buying Guide for Left Handed Hair Cutting Scissors
Types of Hair Cutting Shears
Cutting or straight shears – Hairdressers most commonly use these shears. They consist of two hard and straight-edged blades, which are used to make alterations to the hair length of any hair type.
Thinning shears – Thinning shears are used to remove bulk from the hair while styling, mainly for those people who have thick hair. These have narrow set teeth on one blade while the other blade is straight and they’re not for altering hair length. These shears have a set of narrow teeth on them.
Blending or texturizing shears – These shears are mainly used to cut just a tiny amount of hair with the primary aim of layering texture. Blending shears are designed similarly to thinning shears; however, in contrast to thinning shears, these consist of wider set teeth that can remove considerably more hair because it is paired with a blunt blade.
Size of Shears
Just like all other kinds of shears, to cut with comfort and without fatigue, it is necessary that you choose shears with sizes that fit your hand and the type of hairdressing, styling, or cutting you need to do. The standard shear size used is somewhere between 5” and 6” in length. However, if you have larger hands, then you should use a shear of 6.5” in overall length or more. Choosing the right shear length for your hand will also help in having a better cutting motion range.
Along with the overall size, the blade length also matters. The longer the blade is, the more hair you can cut with each snip. Hairdressers most commonly use two sizes of shears – long and short ones. A short shear has a blade length of 1.5” to 2.0”, which helps for cutting around tight corners and delicate areas, mainly around the ear and neck area. Longer shears have a blade length of around 2.5”, which are used for cutting more significant amounts of hair. These shears are good for cutting through thick and wet hair.
Blade Types
There are four types of blades that you can choose from. They are:
Beveled edges – Beveled edge blades are the most popular ones and also modestly priced. Even though the blade design of these edges is sharp, they still need some pressure with every stroke, which can cause hand and thumb fatigue if used for extended periods. Additionally, these edges aren’t suitable for hairstyles that need advanced cutting techniques.
Serrated edges – Serrated or corrugated edge blades are the least expensive blades for shears. These come in handy for hairdressing students, since they are easy to cut and learn with. They are designed in such a way that they hold the hair firm and straight while cutting, preventing any slippage, and they feed the hair right into the combed blade.
Convex edges – Convex edges are ideal for advanced haircutting techniques and details. They have a sharp convex edge. These are expensive and require more skill and experience to be used effectively. Their sharper angle allows for close cuts. These are expensive blades because of the higher craftsmanship needed.
Diamond Point edges – Diamond point edges are achieved via molten heat forging the blades, sub-zero ice tempering them, and sharpening them using diamond point abrasives. This provides them a long-lasting advantage and makes them extremely durable. Pure symmetry is formed by diamond point edge blades. When compared to any other Japanese convex blade, the symmetry is so pure that it leaves the hair incredibly healthy when cut.
Type of Handle and Grip
There are three types of handles you can choose from. They are:
Opposing or straight handle – This handle is an obsolete style that is no longer used by barbers. This handle was designed so that you could operate it with your middle and thumb. However, it swiftly tires your hands and shoulders, which is why it is no longer utilized.
Offset handle – The offset handle has a straight body shape and a shorter thumb handle that’s set closer to the swivel screw. It allows your thumb and ring finger to move freely when cutting. This hair shear handle is really popular. While cutting, you must, however, lift your elbow.
Crane handle – Crane handles are among the most pleasant to use. It has a curved grip and an ergonomic design. This design makes it more enjoyable to use since it allows you to maintain your wrist and shoulder at lower levels, reducing arm strain.
Type of Thumb Ring
There are four types of thumb rings that you can choose from. Each with its separate features. They are:
Flat or standard thumb rings have the oldest design and are not very comfortable. Although these designs can work really well for left-handed people.
Because it allows the thumb to rest at a natural angle, a cutaway thumb ring is a more comfortable design.
A bent thumb ring, like the cut-away thumb ring, is a more comfortable design that allows the thumb to rest at a natural inclination.
A swivel thumb ring is designed so that it moves with your thumb, which allows for a natural movement and helps prevent any fatigue or stress that cutting with uncomfortable shears could cause. This thumb ring is the most comfortable and is preferred by hairstylists who work for very long periods.
Quality and Material
Like fabric cutting scissors or dog grooming shears, when purchasing hair cutting shears, it is critical to consider the quality of those shears. Poor-quality shears may survive a month or two before becoming spoilt. You will notice that all high-quality shears are constructed with carbon or stainless steel.
Carbon steel is tougher, which results in a much sharper blade; nevertheless, one disadvantage of carbon steel is that it is prone to corrosion and must be dried quickly if it becomes wet. Stainless steel, on the other hand, is great for creating shears since it does not rust or corrode and the blade remains sharp for a longer period of time. And having long-lasting, razor-sharp scissors is something that every hairdresser or barber desires. Furthermore, high-quality shears are quite simple to clean.
Stainless steel scissors are available in various grades and blends, like Japanese Hitachi, 440c, etc.
Scissor Tension
The tension system used within shears can vary from just a simple screw to a more complex ball bearing system. The various systems are:
Dial spring or Leaf spring Tension – This tension system may be cranked in increments and the dial-spring tension allows you to fine-tune the shears without the use of special equipment or oil. It includes a built-in resistance that allows for uniform wear on the blades, extending the life of the shears.
Simple tension screw – This system has the oldest and most reliable design. A flat head screwdriver is used to tighten and loosen the screw.
Ball-bearing tension – This is an advanced system that doesn’t depend on a washer and has a very smooth cutting motion. The tension systems above eventually wear out, but this system is durable. Because of its sophisticated system and features, scissors with ball-bearing tension are often pretty costly.
Price
Shears are available in a variety of pricing ranges. The price range starts at $10 and goes up to $500. It is determined by the steel quality, thumb design, tension mechanism, and several other elements. Amateur and at-home hairdressers who use shears for infrequent haircuts may find nice shears for less than $50, while professional barbers may get nice comfortable shears for more than $100. Purchasing pricey scissors with a high degree of comfort and performance might be worthwhile for experienced hairdressers who work long hours.
Best Left Handed Hair Scissors for at Home Use
Smith Chu Salon Left Handed Hair Cutting Shears, Chunker and Thinner
These Smith Chu shears have razor-sharp blades and are made with the finest quality 440c stainless steel. They are of 6 inches in length and come in three specific patterns for left-handed people, which are:
- Pattern E – standard cutting shear for smooth cutting.
- Pattern I – styling/thinning/texturizing shear with a 35-40% thinning rate.
- Pattern L – styling/thinning shear with a 20-30% thinning rate.
The blades are made with precision with hand-sharpened edges that are used to evenly trim hair with ease and not damage hair or cause split ends. The tips are blunted so as not to accidentally graze the skin. These scissors are designed ergonomically with an easy-grip offset handle design that allows you to cut hair comfortably. None of the left-handed models have finger hole grips. Due to the high quality of the blades, they’re also very durable and stay sharp for a long time.
The pattern E scissors comes with smooth blades for regular hair cutting and trimming. Pattern I comes with a convex blade paired with 14 texturizing or chunker teeth for shaping and sculpting. Pattern L comes with a 30 teeth texturizing blade for thinning hair. These are some of the best hair thinning scissors for lefties at such a low price.
All these left handed barber scissors feature a tension screw system that comes set a little loose in a nice case. A small tension tightening piece is also provided so that you can first adjust your pair until it feels just right. This is important or the scissors won’t cut well and you may feel fatigued in your fingers just by trying too hard to cut.
Pros
Well balanced and cut well.
Completely silent.
The tension adjustment tool works very well.
Very good for shaping.
Cons
The tension screw needs to be tightened a lot before you use them the first time.
Kinsaro 5.5 Inch Left Handed Hair Shears
The Kinsaro 5.5 Inch Left Handed Hair Shears are similar to the Smith Chu scissors except that they’re 1/2 an inch smaller. Lefties get a choice of two types – classic barber scissors and thinning shears.
Both have Japanese 440C forged steel convex blades with 58HRC hardness and a honed edge line that is well proportioned and well balanced even for slide cutting. They also feature ergonomic offset handles with a noise-dampening separator. The thinning shear has 28 V teeth for a thinning rate of 25%-30%. The blunt tips prevent accidental knicks.
These scissors have a slotted screw for easy tension adjusting using the included metal tag.
Pros
Well balanced and well proportioned.
Completely silent.
Very sharp hollow ground blades.
Smooth and effortless cutting.
Cons
The tension screw will need frequent tightening to maintain sharp cutting.
Small finger holes.
Univinlions Left-handed Hair Cutting Scissors
Univinlions makes a variety of shears for left handed people, like:
- A Cutting Shear – These scissors feature a convex edge for hair trimming.
- A Seamless Tooth Blender – These feature a blade with 30 V-shaped teeth for a 25-30% thinning rate.
- An Antler Tooth Blender – These feature a blade with 30 antler-grooved teeth for a 30-35% thinning rate.
- A 14 Tooth Texturizer – These feature a blade with 14 teeth for a 40-50% thinning rate.
- A 6 Tooth Texturizer – These feature a blade with 6 wide teeth for a 10-15% thinning rate.
These Univinlions shears are very similar to the Smith Chu shears except you have two extra types to choose from. They’re made with premium Japanese 440C stainless steel material. They have an ergonomic design with an offset thumb ring and a fixed finger rest, which makes them really easy to work with. They’re all hand-forged, and their blades are sharpened by experienced craftsmen. Additionally, they are super sturdy and durable to work with and measure 6 inches in overall length. However, each of them has a few distinct features as well.
The 6T- Chunker thins hair just a little bit but the wide teeth help give the client a highly chunky or spiky look. It’s great for short hair in particular.
The 14T-Texturizer gives you the highest thinning ratio of 40-50%. These shears provide a variety of textures to your hairstyles. They are different from typical shears by the absence of teeth on the upper blade. This creates a softer appearance while avoiding the jagged, harsh lines that a typical shear would produce. These shears are popular among hairstylists because they add fantastic texture to the hair while still keeping it looking natural.
The Antler tooth blender gives you a moderate thinning ratio of 30-35%. They can remove varying degrees of weight from thick hair. They’re probably the most popular type of texturizer shears to use.
The Seamless tooth blender allows for the lowest thinning rate at 25-30%. These left handed hairdressing scissors are great for providing texture to fine hair, as they don’t leave lines in the hair. The hair is fanned over the teeth of the comb blade by the gentle sliding straight blade, ensuring that no two hairs are the same length.
The smooth and straight edged cutting shear blades are uniformly polished and super sharp. Hair won’t pull while cutting.
Furthermore, all shears include a tension screw system that allows for very tight tolerances in shear grinding and sharpening. Since they’re further honed by hand, the finest tolerance is hard to match by a standard convex edge. An adjustment tool is provided to use the tension screw. There’s a fixed muffler stub on the outside of the thumb ring so that every snip will be as quiet as possible.
Pros
Blades are really sharp and provides precise cuts.
Feels high quality.
Cons
The tension screw needs to be tightened to the maximum for the shears to cut.
The thumbholes are too small for men with large fingers.
Purple Dragon Left Handed Hair Cutting and Thinning Scissors
These 6″ Purple Dragon left handed hair shears come in various combinations of scissors and accessories, but the ones we’re interested in are sets 14, 15, and 21. The blades are made of hand-forged Japanese 440C stainless steel, which keeps the convex edges sharp for up to 3 times longer than ordinary stainless steel. They have very high-quality blades that don’t lock up or dull fast so you can be assured that you’ll get a perfect cutting experience all the time.
These left handed shears feature a removable finger rest with an offset thumb handle, so even professional barbers will find that they can be used for extended periods without fatigue.
Set 14 is what most customers praise and is a blending and thinning shear with 30 V-grooved teeth that don’t leave demarcation lines in the hair and instead softens the look. You can expect a 20-30% thinning rate with these shears. This one comes with a circular notched tool that you use to tighten or loosen the tension screw.
Set 15 comes with a rainbow-colored cutting shear, a pink thinning comb, and a leather scissors case, while Set 21 is the same except that the cutting shear and comb are black in color. Both have a stud for tension control but it is hard to turn, so some customers may find that these don’t cut but rather bend the hair.
Pros
Inexpensive.
They have a nice weight to them.
Cons
Sets 15 and 21 don’t have an easy way to adjust tension.
Some pieces may feel loosely constructed.
JASON Left Handed Hair Cutting and Thinning Scissors
For another good choice of hair cutting shears, blender shears, and thinners, these JASON Left Handed Hair Cutting Scissors are light in weight and very comfortable to use. There is no risk to barbers and stylists of having any orthopedic issues that might be created due to the stress that frequent cutting would cause since these shears are designed to be used with comfort. The provided finger rest is removable.
The cutting scissors also have a convenient reversible ergonomic blade and handle design which allows them to be used for a longer period without causing fatigue. Its blades and opposing straight handles can be reversed and occasionally used with the right hand if required for certain hairstyles. It is simple to hold and designed in a way to support the fingers comfortably.
The blender has 30 v-shaped teeth which provide a thinning rate of 20-25%. They are designed to remove excess hair weight and any cutting lines for a soft and natural look.
The thinners have 30 antler teeth, each with three grooves to pull hair into the teeth and remove a medium amount of weight with every snip with the thinning rate being 30-35%.
These hairdressing scissors are ideal for professional hairdressers and amateurs. They are made of sleek 440c Japanese stainless steel with a mirror polish. The 2.5 inches blades are convex-edged and hollow-ground concave and are so sharp that they’ll glide through any kind of hair like butter without damaging hair ends. Additionally, they also have an adjustable tension screw for custom tension tuning that you can do with the provided circular notched tool.
Pros
Very sharp.
The straight cutting scissors have reversible blades and handles for both hands use.
Cons
The opposing straight handles may not be for everyone.
Ruvanti 6.4″ Professional Razor Blades Left Handed Hair Scissors
The Ruvanti Professional Razor Blades Left Handed Hair Scissors are hand-made with premium quality Japanese stainless steel and come with highly durable and rust-free 2.7 inches convex edge and hollow-ground concave razor blades, which make them great for cutting extra-thick hair. The overall length from the tip of the pinky finger rest is 6.5 inches, which is ideal for slightly larger hands. There are two finger rests on the offset handles, so you can choose which one is more comfortable to use.
They provide great control and the aligned blades give a smooth haircut without any hair getting caught between its blades. These can be used by amateurs and professional stylists. These scissors are considerably lightweight, weighing only 4.2 ounces, and require barely any pressure to be applied while cutting. This helps in avoiding any hand fatigue. The scissors handles have removable finger rings so that they’re anti-skid, which makes them safer to use. If the finger holes are too tight for you, they’re easy to remove.
The gold-plated tension adjustment screw is different from the ones above and can be adjusted by hand or with a small pair of pliers.
Pros
Cuts like a dream.
Doesn’t need force to cut.
Inexpensive.
Cons
Finger holes are too tight for large fingers.
Best Professional Left Handed Hair Cutting Shears
Aerolite Left Hand Japanese Professional Hair Cutting Scissors 5.5″ and 6″
The Aerolite Professional Hair Cutting Scissors come in two different sizes for left-handed people – 5.5” and 6” and is our pick for the best left handed hair scissors. These shears come with a lifetime warranty and are made from Japan’s finest Hitachi ATS-314 stainless steel, which gives them a high degree of strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance. With their military-grade aircraft alloy handles, these hair tools are featherlight and minimize arm and shoulder strain, even when used by professional hairdressers for long periods of time.
The blades are forged over molten heat, tempered at sub-zero temperatures, and brought to razor sharpness using diamond point abrasives. This provides them with long-lasting durability. Pure symmetry is formed by diamond point edge blades. When compared to regular convex blades, the symmetry is so pure that it leaves the hair incredibly healthy.
It’s easy to open and close the scissor with the heavy-duty reinforced screw assembly and mini industrial Swiss ball-bearings. You get simple instructions on how to adjust the tension and once you do, they’ll stay at that without the need for constantly readjusting. Machines balance blades to perfect parallel alignment with the aid of computer software.
These scissors are primarily intended for professional use, and they may be used for cutting, layering, and other precision techniques. These are made in such a way that they do not cause weariness after use. The offset thumb grip and pinky finger rest are ideal for this. These scissors also include premium blade oil and two extra finger rings in addition to the ones already in place so that any size of fingers should feel comfortable.
Pros
The blades are premium diamond point edged and don’t need to be sharpened for a long time.
Ball-bearing tension control doesn’t need frequent readjustment.
Two sets of removable finger rings for a comfortable fit.
Cons
Expensive.
Kissaki KT Series 19L 6.0 inches Left Handed Hair Shears
These Kissaki KT Series 19L 6.0 inch left handed hair shears are made from 60 – 61 Rockwell-Hardened Japanese 440C stainless steel, which gives its razor-sharp convex edges and hollow-ground blades the ability to perform crisp and straight cuts with every snip. They are an excellent choice for beginning barbers looking for a high-quality shear.
These 6″ professional left handed shears have an offset handle, fixed finger rest, and a ball bearing tension adjustment mechanism, and is designed for professionals and students who have a high hair cutting workload. They come with finger inserts that allow you to get a close yet comfortable grip, whether your hands are big or quite slim.
When not in use, these shears may be stored in the specially designed shear case, which also includes lubrication and a leather cleaning cloth.
Kissaki is one of the most reliable shears brands that stands behind their goods. They set the bar high by providing a best-in-class lifetime guarantee that covers components, materials, and craftsmanship.
Pros
Has a ball bearing tension control system.
Has removable finger rings to suit large and small fingers.
Comes with a lifetime warranty.
Cons
None
ShearsDirect Japanese True Left Handed 3-Finger Hole Swivel Shears
These 6 inch ShearsDirect True Left Handed 3-Finger Hole Swivel Shears are Rainbow titanium Japanese 440C stainless steel TRUE left handed swivel thumb shears that feature 3 finger holes, an adjustable tension knob made from pink gemstones, and a fixed finger rest. Two of the finger holes are fixed and meant for the ring and middle finger, while the third is for the thumb. It is offset and swivels so that you can position your thumb in the most natural way for the ultimate comfort. There is a fixed finger rest for your punky finger. This design is for hairdressers that find traditional finger hole positioning unnatural and need better finger support.
The blades are very sharp and cut through any kind of hair easily. A case is included.
Pros
Great quality blades.
Allows anyone’s thumb to rest in its natural position.
Cons
The hole for the middle finger may get in the way for those not used to this design.
Washi Cotton Candy Lefty 3 Pc Shear Set 5.5″ or 6.0″
The Washi Cotton Candy Lefty 3 Pc Shear Set includes one cutting shear and two texturizing/thinning shears. They are available in two sizes – 5.5” and 6.0” so you can choose the size that’s most comfortable for your hand. These are probably the best thinning shears for a student stylist and come with 16 and 30 teeth.
For the beginning stylist seeking a professional-level shear set at an affordable cost, the Lefty Cotton Candy hair shear set will be ideal. Choose the color that complements your style (pink, green, or purple). They are lightweight and comfortable, with ergonomic handles for all-day comfort.
These are made of Japanese 440C steel and include a convex anti-push edge for clean, accurate cuts. They feature sharp and long-lasting blades due to their high quality. These can be adjusted with click dial tension control with jewel embellishment. The thumb handle is designed with a little downward curvature to comfortably accommodate most hands. The handles have removable ring inserts to accommodate any size finger.
Pros
Good value set for a beginner stylist.
Lightweight.
Cons
None
FAQs on Left Handed Hair Scissors
How often should I lubricate a hair shear?
To increase the life span of your scissors and keep the tension consistent, professionals should lubricate them daily after cleaning and drying them no matter how many clients they’ve had in that day. This will protect them from any chemical corrosion and catching moisture. It also helps dislodge any fine bits of hair that didn’t come out while cleaning.
How often should I sharpen hair shears?
Hair shears should be sharpened between 6-24 months on average. This depends on factors like what you are cutting with the scissors and the quality of the scissors. For example, Lower-quality scissors dull out sooner than higher-quality scissors, and cutting dry hair is harder than cutting wet hair. You can consider these factors to decide when to get your scissors sharpened.
Why are barber shears so expensive?
The reason why barber shears are expensive is because of their high quality. They are made with premium quality steel, sharper blades and also give a professional quality guarantee. They are made by skilled craftsmen to give them the best chance to cut hair well.