The Best TADAKUNI Scissors for Hairdressers
TADAKUNI is a Japanese scissor manufacturer founded in 1953 and based in Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture, now run by the third generation of the Isomura family. The range covers SUS440 and ATS-314 cutting scissors plus a multi-tooth thinning line, all made in-house at the same Tokoname facility. Five picks here cover the range from $292 to $552 at guide prices converted from JPY.
What are the best TADAKUNI scissors?
The NS Standard, around $292, is TADAKUNI's entry professional cutter in SUS440 stainless with an offset handle and convex blade across 5.5 and 6.0 inch. The NS Long, also around $292, extends the same SUS440 model to 6.5 and 7.0 inch for barber over-comb work. The SW, around $455, steps up to ATS-314 steel in an offset handle designed specifically for slide and stroke cutting. The TR, also around $455, uses ACUTO440 steel — the step-up alloy in the TADAKUNI cutting range — in the same offset convex format across 5.5 and 6.0 inch. The MTF Thinning, around $552, covers 22-tooth and 27-tooth configurations for blending and weight removal. All are made at TADAKUNI's Tokoname facility. Guide prices are approximate USD conversions from JPY at ¥154/$1 (June 2026); confirm current figures on each product page.
TADAKUNI handles all production steps in-house: CAD design, wire-cut electrical discharge machining, precision diamond-whetstone grinding to ±0.05mm, and a final hand gap adjustment that holds the blade gap to ≤0.1mm. The steel progression in the cutting range is SUS440 (NS series), then ACUTO440 (TR), then ATS-314 (SW). The MTF and MTJ thinning lines cover three tooth-count and tooth-geometry combinations — 22-tooth SP1, 27-tooth SP1, and 27-tooth SP2 — with the SP designation indicating different tooth spacing within the same count. TADAKUNI also carries a SuperGold powdered steel at the top of the range; the five picks here cover the confirmed priced models on site.
Verified Jun 2026
Five TADAKUNI picks from $292 to $552
| Attribute | TADAKUNI NS Standard Cutting Scissors TADAKUNI | TADAKUNI NS Long Cutting Scissors TADAKUNI | TADAKUNI SW Slide Cutting Scissors TADAKUNI | TADAKUNI TR Premium Cutting Scissors TADAKUNI | TADAKUNI MTF Thinning Scissors TADAKUNI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price guide | US$292 | US$292 | US$455 | US$455 | US$552 |
| Price tier | Mid-range | Mid-range | Premium | Premium | Premium |
| Steel | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Made in | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan |
| Handle | Offset | Offset | Offset | Offset | Offset |
| Blade type | Convex | Convex | Convex | Convex | Thinning |
| Sizes (in) | 5.5 · 6.0 | 6.5 · 7.0 | 5.5 · 6.0 | 5.5 · 6.0 | |
| View product | View product | View product | View product | View product |
All five made in Japan by TADAKUNI HASAMI.,LTD, Tokoname City, Aichi. Guide prices are approximate USD conversions from JPY; confirm current figures on each product page.
TADAKUNI — Tokoname, third generation
TADAKUNI traces to 1953, when Hajime Isomura converted carpentry-tool skills into scissor making at Tokoname City in Aichi Prefecture — the same workshop now run by third-generation owner Yukio Isomura. The company handles everything in-house: CAD, wire-cut EDM, diamond-whetstone grinding to ±0.05mm accuracy, and a final hand gap-set held to ≤0.1mm. In 2022 the third generation launched a direct-to-consumer brand under the TIII mark, selling online from the same Tokoname facility.
The steel structure across the confirmed cutting range moves from SUS440 (NS series, entry) to ACUTO440 (TR series) to ATS-314 (SW series), with VG10 and Super Gold powdered steel also available in the broader line. The MTF and MTJ thinning range covers 22-tooth and 27-tooth configurations for weight removal and blending. All five picks below sell direct through TADAKUNI.
The five picks
1. TADAKUNI NS Standard (guide price around $292). TADAKUNI’s entry professional cutting scissor in SUS440 stainless steel with an offset handle and convex blade. Available in 5.5 and 6.0 inch. The NS Standard is the starting point for the Tokoname-made range, finished in-house with the same ≤0.1mm gap tolerance applied across the lineup. Available through TADAKUNI direct.
2. TADAKUNI NS Long (guide price around $292). The same SUS440 offset convex construction as the NS Standard, extended to 6.5 and 7.0 inch. The longer blade suits scissor-over-comb work, bulk removal passes, and barbers who need more stroke per cut without switching steel or handle geometry. Available through TADAKUNI direct.
3. TADAKUNI SW (around $455). TADAKUNI’s slide and stroke cutter in ATS-314 steel with an offset handle and convex blade. ATS-314 is a powder-processed stainless with high chromium and molybdenum content — the grade TADAKUNI designates specifically for slide and stroke techniques where the blade stays in sustained contact with the hair. Available in 5.5 and 6.0 inch. Available through TADAKUNI direct.
4. TADAKUNI TR (around $455). TADAKUNI’s ACUTO440 cutting scissor with an offset handle and convex blade. ACUTO440 sits above SUS440 in the TADAKUNI steel progression, offering tighter edge retention between sharpenings while staying within the vertically integrated Tokoname production line. Available in 5.5 and 6.0 inch. Available through TADAKUNI direct.
5. TADAKUNI MTF Thinning (around $552). TADAKUNI’s thinning range in three tooth configurations: 22-tooth SP1, 27-tooth SP1, and 27-tooth SP2. The SP designation indicates tooth-geometry variants within the same count — lower tooth counts remove more hair per pass, while the SP1 and SP2 spacing patterns shift the blend line. Offset handle, made at Tokoname. Available through TADAKUNI direct.
How we chose
Each pick covers a distinct step in the TADAKUNI range — entry SUS440 cutting in two length classes, the ATS-314 slide cutter, the ACUTO440 step-up, and the multi-tooth thinning line. The NS Standard and NS Long share a steel grade and price but serve different length requirements. The SW and TR are priced identically but differ in steel: ATS-314 for slide techniques, ACUTO440 for general precision. All five have confirmed JPY prices on TADAKUNI’s own shop; USD figures here are conversions at ¥154/$1 as of June 2026.
The wider TADAKUNI catalogue
TADAKUNI also works in VG10 (V-Gold 10) and Super Gold powdered steel, with left-handed cutting models also available. The brand runs a free trial programme so stylists can test before buying. Current model listings and JPY pricing are on TADAKUNI’s own shop at tadakuni.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
TADAKUNI scissors are made at the company’s own facility in Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The third-generation owner Yukio Isomura runs vertically integrated production, covering grinding, EDM machining, and final hand adjustment in-house.
The catalogued cutting range uses SUS440 (NS series), ACUTO440 (TR series), and ATS-314 (SW series). TADAKUNI also works in VG10 and a Super Gold powdered steel at the top of the range. Each product page lists the confirmed grade for that model.
The NS is TADAKUNI’s entry professional cutting scissor, available in four sizes across two pages: NS Standard (5.5 and 6.0 inch) and NS Long (6.5 and 7.0 inch). Both use SUS440 steel with an offset handle and convex blade, made at the Tokoname facility. Guide price is around $292 at JPY-to-USD conversion.
Both the SW and TR carry a guide price around $455 in the confirmed priced range. The SW uses ATS-314 steel, a powder-processed alloy with high chromium and molybdenum suited to slide and stroke cutting. The TR uses ACUTO440, a step-up alloy above SUS440. Both are offset convex cutters made at Tokoname. Confirm the steel grade on each product page before buying.
Guide prices on the five catalogued TADAKUNI models run from $292 to $552 in approximate USD converted from JPY. The NS Standard and NS Long sit at $292, the SW and TR at $455, and the MTF Thinning at $552. All prices are conversions from JPY at ¥154/$1 as of June 2026; current JPY prices are on TADAKUNI’s own shop at tadakuni.com.
TADAKUNI sells through its own online shop. The brand’s direct-to-consumer store at tadakuni-scissors.myshopify.com lists current models and pricing in JPY.