The Best Masuta Scissors for Hairdressers
Masuta is the senior shear line from OBU, an Australian brand based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The range sits above OBU's Minarai apprentice line and is aimed at working stylists and barbers. All Masuta models are built in Japanese steel with a convex edge. Five picks here run from US$305 to US$320, covering cutting, thinning, and slicing in the one range. In Australia the line is distributed by the 365 Salon Group.
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What are the best Masuta scissors?
The Lover, around US$305, is Masuta's 28-tooth thinning scissor — a 25–30% thinning rate for soft blending and volume reduction in 6.0 inch. The Outlaw, around US$305, is the slicing model — a broad blade built for slide cutting and slicing technique in 6.0 inch. The Creator, around US$310, is the entry-level cutter in the Masuta range, in 5.5 and 6.0 inch with a removable finger rest and a left-hand build available. The Sage, around US$310, is the slim-bladed cutter in 5.5, 6.0, and 7.0 inch — the 7.0 inch version suits barber and scissor-over-comb work. The Butler, around US$320, is the swivel-thumb model — a rotating thumb ring that keeps the forearm in a more neutral position through extended cutting sessions.
The Masuta range is built around five named models with distinct technique roles. The Creator is the general-purpose cutter; The Sage is the slim-blade alternative for precision and graduation work; The Outlaw is the slide-cutting and slicing specialist; The Lover is the thinning model; and The Butler adds a swivel mechanism for stylists managing wrist or forearm load. OBU publishes the blades as Masuta Japanese steel finished to 61–63 HRC on The Creator — no specific JIS or alloy grade is published for the range. Left-hand builds of The Creator and The Lover are available as separate SKUs. Guide prices on this page are converted from AUD; confirm current figures at obuscissors.com before buying.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | Pick 1 Masuta The Lover Masuta | Pick 2 Masuta The Outlaw Masuta | Pick 3 Masuta The Creator Masuta | Pick 4 Masuta The Sage Masuta | Pick 5 Masuta The Butler Masuta |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price band | US$305Price band US$200–400 · Mid-range | US$305Price band US$200–400 · Mid-range | US$310Price band US$200–400 · Mid-range | US$310Price band US$200–400 · Mid-range | US$320Price band US$200–400 · Mid-range |
| Made in | Australia | Australia | Australia | Australia | Australia |
| Handle | Offset | Offset | Offset | Offset | Offset with swivel thumb |
| Blade type | Convex | Convex | Convex | Convex | Convex |
| Sizes (in) | 6.0" | 6.0" | 5.5"· 6.0" | 5.5"· 6.0"· 7.0" | 5.5" |
| Product links | View product | View product | View product | View product | View product |
Five Masuta picks from US$305 to US$320
- 1Masuta
Masuta The Lover
- Japanese steel (Masuta published wording — no specific grade)
- Offset handle
- Convex blade
Masuta’s 28-tooth thinning scissor with a 25–30% thinning rate. The curved-tooth blade blends softly with minimal visible lines, suited to volume reduction and all-round texturising. Available in 6.0 inch; a left-hand build is available. Available through OBU Scissors.
View Masuta The Lover - 2Masuta
Masuta The Outlaw
- Japanese steel (Masuta published wording — no specific grade)
- Offset handle
- Convex blade
Masuta’s broad-blade slicing scissor in Japanese steel with a convex edge. The Outlaw’s wider blade profile is built for slide cutting and slicing techniques where the scissor travels along the hair shaft. Available in 6.0 inch. Available through OBU Scissors.
View Masuta The Outlaw - 3Masuta
Masuta The Creator
- Japanese steel (Masuta published wording — no specific grade)
- Offset handle
- Convex blade
The entry-level cutter in the Masuta range. Japanese steel to 61–63 HRC, offset handle, convex edge, removable finger rest. Available in 5.5 and 6.0 inch. A left-hand build and matching duo and trio sets are also available. Available through OBU Scissors.
View Masuta The Creator - 4Masuta
Masuta The Sage
- Japanese steel (Masuta published wording — no specific grade)
- Offset handle
- Convex blade
Masuta’s slim-bladed cutter — a narrower blade profile for precision and detail work compared to The Creator. Japanese steel, offset handle, convex edge. Available in 5.5, 6.0, and 7.0 inch; the 7.0 inch build is listed on the OBU site as the Sage Barber and suits scissor-over-comb technique. Available through OBU Scissors.
View Masuta The Sage - 5Masuta
Masuta The Butler
- Japanese steel (Masuta published wording — no specific grade)
- Offset with swivel thumb handle
- Convex blade
Masuta’s swivel-thumb model. A swivel thumb ring allows the thumb to move independently through the cut, keeping the forearm in a more neutral position through extended salon sessions. Japanese steel, offset base handle, convex edge, 5.5 inch. Available through OBU Scissors.
View Masuta The Butler
The Masuta range
Masuta is the senior collection from OBU, a Port Melbourne, Victoria brand. The five models in the range each carry a distinct technique role and persona name — a deliberate catalogue structure that maps model names to cutting applications rather than a tier hierarchy. All five use Japanese steel with a convex edge across an offset handle platform.
OBU’s Masuta collection is stocked through obuscissors.com, the primary source for current pricing and stock. In Australia the line is distributed by the 365 Salon Group.
How we chose
These five cover the full Masuta catalogue — the general cutter (Creator), the slim-blade detail cutter (Sage), the slicing specialist (Outlaw), the thinning model (Lover), and the swivel-thumb ergonomic build (Butler). Guide prices are converted from AUD; confirm current AUD figures at obuscissors.com before buying.
The wider Masuta and OBU catalogue
Masuta also offers barber variants of several models and dedicated left-hand builds of The Creator and The Lover. Matching duo and trio sets that pair a cutter with a thinner or slicer are listed on the OBU site. The Masuta brand page covers the full range and availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
5 answers you can open one at a timeIs Masuta an Australian brand?
Masuta is the senior shear line from OBU, an Australian brand based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. OBU describes the steel as Japanese steel — the blades are made to Japanese steel specifications. In Australia the Masuta line is distributed by the 365 Salon Group.
What is the difference between the Masuta Creator and the Sage?
Both are offset cutters in Japanese steel with a convex edge. The Creator runs a standard blade profile and is available in 5.5 and 6.0 inch; The Sage carries a slimmer blade that suits close-to-scalp and detail work, and extends to 7.0 inch — the 7.0 inch build suits barber and scissor-over-comb technique.
What thinning rate does the Masuta Lover have?
The Lover is a 28-tooth thinning scissor with a 25–30% thinning rate. The curved-tooth blade distributes that removal evenly for soft blending with minimal hard lines. For heavier volume reduction, additional passes achieve the result; for very fine hair, fewer passes avoid over-thinning.
What is the Masuta Butler swivel scissor?
The Butler is Masuta’s swivel-thumb model. The thumb ring rotates independently, which keeps the forearm in a more neutral position through repeated cutting strokes — a geometry suited to stylists managing RSI or those who find a fixed thumb ring creates forearm and wrist load over a full working day. Available in 5.5 inch.
Where can I buy Masuta scissors?
The official OBU site at obuscissors.com is the primary source for current Masuta pricing, specifications, and stock. In Australia the line is distributed by the 365 Salon Group.