The Best Kouho Scissors for Hairdressers
Kouho is a Japanese scissor maker founded in 1964 in Osaka, incorporating in 1977 as Kouho Co., Ltd. (株式会社光邦). The company began selling hair cosmetics before starting scissor manufacture in 1969; today it produces cutting, thinning, and left-handed shears at the upper end of the professional Japanese price bracket. The two steel grades across the range are cobalt alloy and sintered powder steel. Five picks here cover the key positions from $649 to $1,749, all made in Japan.
What are the best Kouho scissors?
The KX, around $649, is Kouho's entry cobalt model — an offset cutting shear in four sizes from 5.0 to 6.5 inch and the lowest guide price in the Kouho catalogue. The ARX, around $849, is the mid-range professional cutting model in cobalt alloy, available in 6.0 to 7.0 inch with an offset handle. The ZXT Thinning, around $799, is Kouho's volume-control shear in 30-tooth and 40-tooth configurations for blending work. The X Wing Cobalt, around $1,449, is the premium cobalt alloy cutting shear in the X Wing series, available in 5.5 to 6.5 inch. The X Wing Cobalt DLC, around $1,749, is Kouho's flagship — cobalt alloy with a Diamond-Like Carbon coating for reduced blade friction, available in 5.5 to 7.0 inch.
Two steel grades run through the Kouho catalogue. Cobalt alloy is the dominant grade, used across the KX, X, ARX, ZXT Thinning, X Wing Cobalt, and X Wing Cobalt DLC. The WZ, E1, ARB, ARX-DUR, XK-AR, and X-T28 models do not specify a steel grade in current retail documentation — check the individual product pages or contact a Kouho stockist for confirmation. The X Wing Cobalt DLC adds a Diamond-Like Carbon coating to the cobalt alloy base, which reduces friction at the blade face. The ARX-DUR features a 3D ergonomic offset handle and is built to a heftier weight than the standard ARX. The E1 is the only model in the current catalogue with a straight (traditional symmetric) handle and detachable finger rest.
Verified Jun 2026
Five Kouho picks from $649 to $1,749
| Attribute | Kouho KX Cutting Scissors Kouho | Kouho ARX Cutting Scissors Kouho | Kouho ZXT Thinning Scissors Kouho | Kouho X Wing Cobalt Cutting Scissors Kouho | Kouho X Wing Cobalt DLC Cutting Scissors Kouho |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price guide | US$649 | US$849 | US$799 | US$1,449 | US$1,749 |
| Price tier | Premium | Luxury | Premium | Luxury | Luxury |
| Steel | Cobalt Alloy | Cobalt Alloy | Cobalt Alloy | Cobalt Alloy | Cobalt Alloy |
| Made in | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan |
| Handle | Offset | Offset | Offset | Offset | Offset |
| Blade type | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sizes (in) | 5.0 · 5.5 · 6.0 · 6.5 | 6.0 · 6.5 · 7.0 | 6.0 | 5.5 · 6.0 · 6.5 | 5.5 · 6.0 · 6.5 · 7.0 |
| View product | View product | View product | View product | View product |
All five made in Japan by Kouho Co., Ltd. Guide prices at time of writing; confirm current figures on each product page.
Kouho scissors
Kouho opened in Higashinari-ku, Osaka in 1964 as a hair cosmetics shop, began manufacturing professional scissors in 1969, and incorporated in 1977 as Kouho Co., Ltd. The company now has showrooms in Osaka (Chuo-ku and Shinsaibashi) and Tokyo (Shibuya). The two steel grades across the range are cobalt alloy and sintered powder steel; most cutting models in the current catalogue use cobalt alloy.
Guide prices run from $649 (KX) to $1,749 (X Wing Cobalt DLC). The five picks below cover each main position in that range.
The five picks
1. Kouho KX (guide price around $649). Kouho’s entry professional model in cobalt alloy with an offset handle, available in 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, and 7.0 inch. The KX is the lowest guide price in the Kouho catalogue and the widest size run of any model in the cutting range. For stylists stepping into the Kouho cobalt line who want the full size selection. Available through tricut.com and specialist Kouho stockists.
2. Kouho ARX (around $849). Kouho’s mid-range cutting shear in cobalt alloy, available in 6.0, 6.5, and 7.0 inch with an offset handle. The ARX sits between the entry KX and X lines and the upper ARB and ARX-DUR models — a practical mid-tier professional cobalt shear covering the longer sizes used for scissor-over-comb and long-hair work. Available through tricut.com and Precision Shears.
3. Kouho ZXT Thinning (around $799). Kouho’s volume-control and blending shear in cobalt alloy, available in 30-tooth and 40-tooth configurations in 6.0 inch with an offset handle. The 30-tooth version removes more hair per pass for heavy blending; the 40-tooth configuration gives finer control for softer texture. The only confirmed cobalt alloy thinning model in the current Kouho catalogue. Available through tricut.com and specialist Kouho stockists.
4. Kouho X Wing Cobalt (around $1,449). Kouho’s premium cobalt alloy cutting shear in the X Wing series, available in 5.5, 6.0, and 6.5 inch with an offset handle. The X Wing Cobalt sits above the ARX line in price and construction, positioning it at the upper end of the working-professional Kouho range before the DLC flagship. For stylists who want the cobalt grade at the X Wing level. Available through tricut.com and specialist Kouho stockists.
5. Kouho X Wing Cobalt DLC (around $1,749). Kouho’s flagship cutting shear — cobalt alloy with a Diamond-Like Carbon coating on the blade surface, available in 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, and 7.0 inch with an offset handle. The DLC coating reduces friction during the cutting stroke and adds surface hardness to the cobalt base. The X Wing Cobalt DLC is the highest-priced and widest-size production model in the current Kouho catalogue. Available through tricut.com and specialist Kouho stockists.
How we chose
Each pick represents a distinct tier in the Kouho range. The KX opens the cobalt catalogue at entry price in the widest size run; the ARX covers the mid-range in the longer 6.0 to 7.0 inch sizes; the ZXT Thinning is the cobalt thinning pick; the X Wing Cobalt steps to the upper end of the standard cobalt cutting line; and the X Wing Cobalt DLC is the DLC-coated flagship. Guide prices move; confirm current figures before buying.
The wider Kouho catalogue
The Kouho X (around $749) is the entry cobalt cutting model in 6.0 to 7.0 inch — similar pricing to the WZ but with a standard offset rather than the WZ’s smaller-hole barber geometry. The Kouho ARB (around $999) puts a crane-style handle on the ARX platform for stylists who want shoulder elevation. The Kouho ARX-DUR (around $949) offers the same 6.0 inch length as the ARB with a 3D ergonomic offset handle in a heftier weight. The Kouho X-T28 (around $749) is a 28-tooth blending shear with a double-step tooth design for finer texture control than the ZXT. Full model listing on the Kouho brand page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kouho scissors are made in Japan. The company is headquartered in Chuo-ku, Osaka, with a showroom at the same address. A Tokyo showroom opened in Shibuya in 2001. All Kouho shears are manufactured in Japan.
Kouho works in cobalt alloy and sintered powder steel. The cobalt alloy grade is confirmed across the KX, X, ARX, ZXT Thinning, X Wing Cobalt, and X Wing Cobalt DLC. For models not listed here, check the product page or contact a Kouho stockist.
The X Wing Cobalt DLC is Kouho’s highest-priced production model, listed at around $1,749 guide price. It uses cobalt alloy steel with a Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating on the blade surface. DLC reduces friction during the cutting stroke and adds surface hardness. Available in 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, and 7.0 inch through tricut.com and specialist Kouho stockists.
Yes. The ZXT Thinning is the primary catalogued Kouho thinning shear, available in 30-tooth and 40-tooth configurations in cobalt alloy at a guide price around $799. The X-T28 is a 28-tooth blending shear with a double-step tooth design at around $749.