The Best Kokoro Scissors for Hairdressers
Kokoro is a US-based scissor brand operated by Totally Shears, a New Hampshire company that has serviced and reconditioned shears since 1991. The brand acquired the Kokoro line in 2017. The range is built from Japanese steel — Hitachi 440C on the Silver Series — with vacuum heat treatment and cryogenic ice-tempering as standard finishing processes. Five picks run from $270 to $400 across cutting and thinning.
What are the best Kokoro scissors?
The Green Series, around $270, is Kokoro's entry cutting shear in vacuum-heat-treated Japanese steel with an offset crane handle — the starting point in the Kokoro range, available at 5.75 inch. The Red Cutting shear, around $350, uses Japanese steel in 5.5 and 6.0 inch with red accent trim — the mid-tier everyday cutting option. The Red Thinner, around $350, is the thinning companion to the Red cutting shear at 6.0 inch. The Silver Series, around $390, steps up to Japanese Hitachi 440C with cryogenic treatment, low-profile tension knob, and wider-spaced finger rings at 5.75 inch. The Circle Shears, around $400, use Japanese steel with Kokoro's circular handle design in 5.5 and 6.0 inch.
Kokoro’s material specification varies across models. The Green Series and Red models list Japanese steel without specifying the grade; the Silver Series specifies Japanese Hitachi 440C stainless, cryogenically treated for enhanced hardness. The cryogenic process is consistent across the brand’s description of its finishing method. The Circle Shears’ distinctive design is the handle geometry: the circular profile alters hand positioning compared to the standard finger-ring layout. Kokoro also carries a lifetime warranty claim on the Silver Series — confirm the full warranty terms directly with the brand.
Verified Jun 2026
Five Kokoro picks from $270 to $400
| Attribute | Kokoro Green Series Cutting Scissors Kokoro | Kokoro Red Cutting Shear Kokoro | Kokoro Red Thinner Kokoro | Kokoro Silver Series Cutting Scissors Kokoro | Kokoro Circle Shears Kokoro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price guide | US$270 | US$350 | US$350 | US$390 | US$400 |
| Price tier | Mid-range | Mid-range | Mid-range | Mid-range | Premium |
| Steel | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Japanese Hitachi 440C Stainless Steel (Cryogenically Treated) | Unknown |
| Made in | Japan | USA | USA | Japan | USA |
| Handle | Offset Crane | — | — | Offset | — |
| Blade type | Convex edge | — | — | Convex edge | — |
| Sizes (in) | 5.75 | 5.5 · 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.75 | 5.5 · 6.0 |
| View product | View product | View product | View product | View product |
US brand by Totally Shears, New Hampshire. Japanese steel with vacuum heat treatment and cryogenic finishing. Guide prices at time of writing; confirm current figures on each product page.
The Kokoro range
Kokoro is operated by Totally Shears, a New Hampshire company that began in shear servicing and reconditioning in 1991 before acquiring the Kokoro brand in 2017. The line is built around Japanese steel — Hitachi 440C on the Silver Series — with a stated finishing process of vacuum heat treatment and cryogenic ice-tempering.
The practical structure of the range is three tiers by steel documentation: Green Series and Red models use Japanese steel without a published grade; the Silver Series specifies Japanese Hitachi 440C with cryogenic treatment. The Circle Shears are differentiated by handle geometry — the circular profile is a distinct approach to hand positioning — rather than a steel change. Thinning and blending are also within the Kokoro catalogue, though the Red Thinner is the only thinning model currently catalogued here.
The five picks
1. Kokoro Green Series (guide price around $270). Kokoro’s entry cutting shear in vacuum-heat-treated Japanese steel with an offset crane handle and convex edge. Available in 5.75 inch. The Green Series comes with a leather tri-fold case and finger ring inserts — the starting point in the Kokoro range. Available through Kokoro USA and Precision Shears.
2. Kokoro Red Cutting (around $350). Kokoro’s mid-tier everyday cutting shear in Japanese steel with red accent trim. Available in 5.5 and 6.0 inch — the two-size option in the cutting range at this tier. Available through Kokoro USA.
3. Kokoro Red Thinner (around $350). Kokoro’s thinning companion to the Red cutting shear, matching the same Japanese steel and red trim at 6.0 inch with a thinning blade for weight removal. Available through Kokoro USA.
4. Kokoro Silver Series (around $390). Kokoro’s premium cutting shear in Japanese Hitachi 440C stainless steel, cryogenically treated after vacuum heat processing. Available in 5.75 inch with a low-profile tension knob and wider-spaced finger rings. Comes with finger inserts and a lifetime warranty claim — confirm full warranty terms with the brand. Available through Kokoro USA, Precision Shears, and Scissor Dude.
5. Kokoro Circle Shears (around $400). Kokoro’s circular-handle cutting shear in Japanese steel. Available in 5.5 and 6.0 inch. The circular handle design alters hand positioning compared to the standard offset or straight ring geometry. Available through Kokoro USA.
How we chose
Each pick represents a distinct position in the Kokoro catalogue. The Green Series is the entry cutting shear; the Red Cutting and Red Thinner cover mid-tier cutting and thinning at the same price; the Silver Series documents the specific Hitachi 440C grade with cryogenic treatment; and the Circle Shears offer the handle geometry variant at the top of the range. Guide prices are from retailer listings; confirm current figures before buying.
The wider Kokoro catalogue
Kokoro’s specialties include blunt cutting, dry cutting, razor cutting, texturizing, and blending alongside the standard professional cutting and thinning range. Left-handed models are available. The brand’s full current range — including 33-tooth and 40-tooth thinners and a 15-tooth blending shear — is on the Kokoro brand page and at kokoro-usa.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kokoro is a US-based brand operated by Totally Shears out of South Acworth, New Hampshire. The company has run shear servicing and reconditioning since 1991 and acquired the Kokoro brand in 2017.
Kokoro uses Japanese steel across the range. The Silver Series specifies Japanese Hitachi 440C stainless, which undergoes cryogenic treatment. The Green Series, Red Cutting, Red Thinner, and Circle Shears list Japanese steel — confirm the specific grade with the retailer or brand if the exact alloy matters for your buying decision.
Kokoro describes its finishing process as vacuum heat treatment followed by cryogenic ice-tempering. The cryogenic step takes the steel to very low temperatures after the initial heat treatment. The brand states this produces consistent hardness across the blade. The Silver Series is the model where the cryogenic treatment is most prominently documented.
Yes. The Red Thinner is the thinning model currently catalogued on ScissorPedia. It pairs with the Red cutting shear in the same design at 6.0 inch. Kokoro’s specialties also include 33-tooth and 40-tooth thinners and a 15-tooth blending shear — check the Kokoro brand page for the full current range.
Kokoro sells through its own website at kokoro-usa.com and through specialist retailers including Precision Shears and Scissor Dude. The Silver Series and Green Series are available through Precision Shears; all three retailers carry some part of the range — check each for current stock and pricing.