The Best Passion Scissors for Hairdressers
Passion is made by Dowa International, a Japanese scissor maker based in Tokyo with a London office, and has been in production since 1980. The cutting line climbs from ATS-314 at the entry tier through Cobalt Alloy at mid-range to Damascus at the top. The Alto Barber pairs a Damascus outer layer with an ATS-314 cobalt cutting core. Five picks span US$160 to US$538, available through DOWA International and Shear Integrity.
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What are the best Passion scissors for professional hairdressers?
The Avanti, around US$160, is Passion's most affordable ATS-314 offset model in two sizes. The Vertex, around US$196, is the ATS-314 offset model with slim sword blades and fine tips in four sizes from 5.5 to 7.0 inch. The Cobalt Super II, around US$266, is the Japan-made Cobalt Alloy offset model with a clam blade and tension locking screw in three sizes. The Cobalt Raptor, around US$278, is the Japan-made Cobalt Alloy model with weighted Takefu VG10 blades and ergonomic handles in four sizes. The Alto Barber, around US$538, is the Damascus model with an ATS-314 cobalt cutting core and straight blade for barbering in 6.5 and 7.0 inch.
The Avanti and Vertex are both ATS-314 offset picks, separated by size run and blade design: two standard sizes on the Avanti, four sizes with slim sword blades on the Vertex. The Cobalt Super II and Cobalt Raptor are both Japan-made Cobalt Alloy picks, split by blade and handle: clam blade on the Super II, weighted Takefu VG10 cobalt blades with ergonomic handles on the Raptor. The Alto Barber is the Damascus pick and the barbering-length model in two sizes.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | Pick 1 Passion Avanti Cutting Scissors Passion | Pick 2 Passion Vertex Cutting Scissors Passion | Pick 3 Passion Cobalt Super II Cutting Scissors Passion | Pick 4 Passion Cobalt Raptor Cutting Scissors Passion | Pick 5 Passion Alto Barber Damascus Cutting Scissors Passion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price band | US$160Price band US$100–200 · Entry-level | US$196Price band US$100–200 · Entry-level | US$266Price band US$200–400 · Mid-range | US$278Price band US$200–400 · Mid-range | US$538Price band US$400–800 · Premium |
| Steel | ATS-314 | ATS-314 | Cobalt Alloy | Cobalt Alloy | Damascus |
| Made in | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan |
| Handle | Offset | Offset | Offset | Not listed | Offset |
| Sizes (in) | 5.5· 6.0 | 5.5· 6.0· 6.5· 7.0 | 5.0· 5.5· 6.0 | 5.5· 6.0· 6.5· 7.0 | 6.5· 7.0 |
| Product links | View product | View product | View product | View product | View product |
Five Passion picks from US$160 to US$538
- 1Passion
Passion Avanti Cutting Scissors
- ATS-314
- Offset handle
- 5.5 · 6.0″
Passion’s most affordable ATS-314 offset scissor, made in Japan: offset handle, removable finger rest, in 5.5 and 6.0 inch. The product page describes it as the most affordable model in the range — a straightforward ATS-314 offset in the two standard salon lengths. Available through DOWA International and Shear Integrity.
View Passion Avanti Cutting Scissors - 2Passion
Passion Vertex Cutting Scissors
- ATS-314
- Offset handle
- 5.5 · 6.0 · 6.5 · 7.0″
The slim-blade ATS-314 pick: slim sword blades with fine tips for precision, a ball bearing screw system, and weight balanced toward the hand — a development of the Passion Zeta design with those blade refinements added. Four sizes from 5.5 to 7.0 inch, the widest run among the ATS-314 picks here. Available through DOWA International and Shear Integrity.
View Passion Vertex Cutting Scissors - 3Passion
Passion Cobalt Super II Cutting Scissors
- Cobalt Alloy
- Offset handle
- 5.0 · 5.5 · 6.0″
The clam-blade Cobalt Alloy pick: a Cobalt special alloy blade in a clam profile — a convex curved blade cross-section — on a classic offset handle with a tension locking screw. Three sizes, 5.0, 5.5, and 6.0 inch, including the 5.0 short detail length. Japan-made.
View Passion Cobalt Super II Cutting Scissors - 4Passion
Passion Cobalt Raptor Cutting Scissors
- Cobalt Alloy
- 5.5 · 6.0 · 6.5 · 7.0″
The weighted-blade Cobalt Alloy pick: weighted blades in Takefu VG10 cobalt alloy — suited to cutting through thick hair with extra power — with ergonomic handles and a ball bearing screw. Four sizes from 5.5 to 7.0 inch, tied with the Vertex for the widest run on this page. Japan-made.
View Passion Cobalt Raptor Cutting Scissors - 5Passion
Passion Alto Barber Damascus Cutting Scissors
- Damascus
- Offset handle
- 6.5 · 7.0″
The Damascus pick and the barbering specialist: a Damascus outer layer over an ATS-314 cobalt cutting core — the cutting edge is the same ATS-314 cobalt steel used in the Vertex and Avanti — with a straight blade edge suited to barbering and a classic offset handle. Two barber lengths, 6.5 and 7.0 inch. Japan-made.
View Passion Alto Barber Damascus Cutting Scissors
Passion’s Japan-crafted range
Passion is made by Dowa International, a Japanese scissor maker based in Tokyo with a London office, and has been in production since 1980. The cutting line uses ATS-314 at entry and mid tiers, Cobalt Alloy at the mid-to-upper tier, and Damascus at the top. All five picks are made in Japan. The Alto Barber pairs a Damascus outer layer with an ATS-314 cobalt cutting core.
The five picks span US$160 to US$538, covering both origins, three steel grades, two Cobalt Alloy models with distinct blade and handle specifications, and a barber-specific Damascus pick.
How we chose
The Avanti and Vertex are both ATS-314 offset picks, split by blade design (standard versus slim sword blades with fine tips), and size run (two versus four sizes). The Cobalt Super II and Cobalt Raptor are both Japan-made Cobalt Alloy picks, split by blade (clam versus weighted) and handle (offset versus ergonomic). The Alto Barber takes the Damascus and barber-length spot. Three steel grades, at US$160 to US$538. Guide prices move; confirm current figures before buying.
The wider Passion range
The Passion Cobalt Aqua (around US$190) is an ATS-314 model with ergonomic handles and a wide mid-section blade built for slide cutting—in three sizes from 5.5 to 6.5 inch. The Passion Cobalt Crown (around US$209) is the Cobalt Alloy model covering the widest size run in the range—four sizes from 6.0 to 7.5 inch—for stylists needing the longer barber lengths. The Passion Cobalt V10 (around US$215) is the shortest-size Cobalt Alloy model in three sizes from 4.5 to 5.5 inch—the only Passion cutting model available at 4.5 inch. The Passion Nimbus (around US$475) is a weighted Damascus model with ergonomic handles and straight clam blades—a Damascus pick at the standard 5.5 and 6.0 inch lengths. Thinning scissors are on the Passion brand page.
Frequently Asked Questions
4 answers you can open one at a timeWhere is Passion based and who makes it?
Passion is made by Dowa International, a Japanese scissor maker based in Tokyo, and has been in production since 1980. Dowa’s London office in Acton handles UK and European sales and sharpening.
What are the slim sword blades and fine tips on the Passion Vertex?
The Vertex product page lists slim sword blades with fine tips. A slim sword blade profile has a narrower blade body than a standard width shear, reducing contact with the hair during the cutting stroke and improving precision at the tip; fine tips allow more control when point-cutting and working around hairlines and ears. The Vertex is described on the product page as based on the Passion Zeta design with these blade refinements added, alongside a ball bearing screw system and weight balanced toward the hand.
What is the Damascus on the Passion Alto Barber?
The Alto Barber product page lists Damascus steel with an ATS-314 cobalt cutting core. The Damascus outer layers provide the blade’s surface pattern and body; the ATS-314 cobalt core provides the cutting edge — the same cobalt steel used in the Vertex and other ATS-314 models in the range. The page also lists a straight blade edge suited to barbering, and the Alto Barber comes in 6.5 and 7.0 inch — the two barber-length sizes in this list.
Does Passion make thinning scissors?
Yes. Passion makes thinning scissors including the Cobalt Thinning, Cirrus Thinning, and other models. This roundup covers cutting scissors only. The full thinning range is on the Passion brand page.