The Best Washou Scissors for Hairdressers
Washou is made by TOA Scissors in Seki City, Gifu, Japan, a brand operating since 1963. The cutting range runs from SUS440C at the entry tier through Molybdenum Alloy, ATS-314 Cobalt Alloy, Damascus, and Super Gold powder-sintered steel at the top. Two blade profiles recur across it: the Yanagiba, a curved blade suited to orthodox cutting, and the Chokuba, a straight blade built for clean, controlled cutting lines. Several models also carry the 3D Offset handle, with a structural three-dimensional angle built into the handle body. Five picks span US$235 to US$1,050, all made in Seki City.
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What are the best Washou scissors for professional hairdressers?
The ESC Performance, around US$235, is the SUS440C entry scissor with a Yanagiba blade in 5.5 and 6.0 inch. The ATS314 YN, around US$402, puts ATS-314 Cobalt Alloy into a Chokuba straight blade on an offset handle in two sizes. The CR ATS314, around US$503, is the crane offset ATS-314 model in three non-standard sizes. The FTIUD, around US$671, is the 3D Offset hot-forged Molybdenum Alloy scissor with a dark gold titanium coating and a Yanagiba blade across four sizes. The Super Gold SGKUD, around US$1,050, is the top-tier Super Gold single-sword convex scissor on a thick 3D handle ring in two sizes.
All five are made in Seki City, Japan, and stocked by Shear Integrity. The ESC Performance and FTIUD share the Yanagiba blade — the ESC Performance in SUS440C, the FTIUD in hot-forged Molybdenum Alloy with a dark gold titanium surface coating on top. The ATS314 YN and CR ATS314 both use ATS-314 Cobalt Alloy, split by handle: standard offset on the YN, crane offset on the CR. The Super Gold SGKUD stands alone as the only pick in Super Gold powder-sintered steel with a single-sword convex blade profile.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | Pick 1 Washou ESC Performance Series Cutting Scissors Washou | Pick 2 Washou ATS314 YN Cutting Scissors Washou | Pick 3 Washou CR ATS314 Cobalt Cutting Scissors Washou | Pick 4 Washou FTIUD Cutting Scissors Washou | Pick 5 Washou Super Gold SGKUD Cutting Scissors Washou |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price band | US$235Price band US$200–400 · Mid-range | US$402Price band US$400–800 · Premium | US$503Price band US$400–800 · Premium | US$671Price band US$400–800 · Premium | US$1,050Price band US$800+ · Luxury |
| Steel | SUS440C | ATS-314 Cobalt Alloy | ATS-314 Cobalt Alloy | Not listed | Not listed |
| Made in | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan |
| Handle | Offset | Offset | Crane Offset | 3D Offset | 3D Offset |
| Blade type | Yanagiba | Straight (Chokuba) | Straight | Yanagiba | Convex (single-sword) |
| Sizes (in) | 5.5· 6.0 | 5.5· 6.0 | 5.7· 6.2· 6.75 | 5.5· 6.0· 6.5· 7.0 | 5.5· 6.0 |
| Product links | View product | View product | View product | View product | View product |
Five Washou picks from US$235 to US$1,050
- 1Washou
Washou ESC Performance Series Cutting Scissors
- SUS440C
- Offset handle
- Yanagiba blade
Washou’s SUS440C entry scissor with a Yanagiba blade, in 5.5 and 6.0 inch. The product page places it in the Performance Series, built for orthodox cutting — SUS440C steel, the curved Yanagiba profile, a straightforward offset handle. The most accessible price on this page, at the two standard salon lengths. Available through Shear Integrity.
View Washou ESC Performance Series Cutting Scissors - 2Washou
Washou ATS314 YN Cutting Scissors
- ATS-314 Cobalt Alloy
- Offset handle
- Straight (Chokuba) blade
The step into ATS-314 Cobalt Alloy, paired with the Chokuba straight blade for clean, controlled cutting. Offset handle, 5.5 and 6.0 inch. Made by TOA Scissors in Seki City.
View Washou ATS314 YN Cutting Scissors - 3Washou
Washou CR ATS314 Cobalt Cutting Scissors
- ATS-314 Cobalt Alloy
- Crane Offset handle
- Straight blade
Same ATS-314 steel as the YN, on a crane offset handle that lowers the elbow through the cutting stroke. The draw here is the size run: 5.7, 6.2, and 6.75 inch — three non-standard lengths sitting between and above the usual 5.5, 6.0, and 6.5 steps, for stylists who find the standard steps never quite fit.
View Washou CR ATS314 Cobalt Cutting Scissors - 4Washou
Washou FTIUD Cutting Scissors
- Molybdenum Alloy
- 3D Offset handle
- Yanagiba blade
Hot-forged Molybdenum Alloy with the works: 3D Offset handle, Yanagiba blade, and a dark gold titanium surface coating over the blade. Four sizes — 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, and 7.0 inch — make it the widest run on this page, covering close detail and fringe lengths through barber cutting at 7.0.
View Washou FTIUD Cutting Scissors - 5Washou
Washou Super Gold SGKUD Cutting Scissors
- Super Gold
- 3D Offset handle
- Convex (single-sword) blade
The top tier: Super Gold powder-sintered steel, the highest grade on this page, with a single-sword convex edge — a convex blade ground on a single side — and a thick 3D Offset handle ring. Washou’s note on the design is that the weight of the blade carries the cut. Available in 5.5 and 6.0 inch.
View Washou Super Gold SGKUD Cutting Scissors
Washou’s Seki City range
Washou is made by TOA Scissors Co., Ltd. in Seki City, Gifu — a manufacturer working since 1963 in one of Japan’s established blade-making centres. The cutting range climbs through clear steel tiers: SUS440C at entry, Molybdenum Alloy and ATS-314 Cobalt Alloy in the middle, Super Gold powder-sintered steel at the top. Two blade profiles run across it — the curved Yanagiba and the straight Chokuba — and the 3D Offset handle, with its structural angle built into the body rather than a flat offset profile, appears on several models. Expect non-standard sizes too: 5.7, 6.2, and 6.75 inch sit alongside the usual 5.5 and 6.0.
The five picks span US$235 to US$1,050, covering four steel grades, two blade profiles, three handle configurations, and a titanium-coated model.
How we chose
All five are made in Seki City, Japan, and stocked by Shear Integrity. Between them they cover four steel grades (SUS440C, ATS-314 Cobalt Alloy, Molybdenum Alloy, Super Gold), three handle configurations (offset, crane offset, 3D Offset), two blade profiles (Yanagiba and Chokuba/straight), and a titanium-coated model — across US$235 to US$1,050. The FTIUD takes the size-range spot at four sizes from 5.5 to 7.0 inch. Guide prices move; confirm current figures before buying.
The wider Washou range
The Washou ATS314 NKM (around US$500) is a second ATS-314 offset model with a different blade specification, in 5.5 and 6.0 inch — an offset alternative near the CR’s price. The Washou Damascus FTNDUD1 (around US$534) puts a 10-layer Molybdenum Damascus blade on a 3D Offset handle in 5.5 and 6.0 inch — the Damascus entry at the 3D Offset tier. The Washou Super Gold SGUDHK (around US$805) is a smaller Super Gold offset scissor in 6.0 inch only, at a lower price than the SGKUD. Thinning scissors — including the ATS-UD4, NKMT, and NYMB models with left-handed options — are on the Washou brand page.
Frequently Asked Questions
5 answers you can open one at a timeWhere is Washou based and what is the 3D offset handle?
Washou is made by TOA Scissors Co., Ltd., based in Seki City, Gifu, Japan — one of Japan’s principal blade-making regions — and the brand has been operating since 1963. The 3D Offset handle appears on several Washou cutting models: the product pages describe a structural three-dimensional angle built into the handle body, distinct from a flat-profile offset. The Super Gold SGKUD page adds that the thick 3D ring is designed to let the weight of the blade carry the cut. For full handle geometry, consult the product page or the Washou brand website.
What are Yanagiba and Chokuba blade types in Washou scissors?
They are the two blade cross-section designations used across Washou’s cutting range. Yanagiba is the curved profile suited to orthodox cutting — the ESC Performance and FTIUD both carry it. Chokuba is the straight blade built for clean, controlled cutting lines, found on the ATS314 YN. For the precise geometry of each profile, consult the individual product page or the Washou brand website.
What is Super Gold steel in Washou scissors?
Super Gold is the powder-sintered steel grade listed on the SGKUD and SGUDHK product pages. Powder sintering — or powder metallurgy — produces steel by pressing and heating powdered metal rather than casting from molten stock, which allows a finer, more consistent grain distribution in the finished blade. The SGKUD pairs it with a single-sword convex edge and a thick 3D handle ring. It is the highest steel grade in the Washou cutting range featured here; full specifications are on the product page or the Washou brand website.
What is the crane offset handle on the Washou CR ATS314?
A crane offset positions the finger ring lower than the thumb ring, creating a downward-angled profile when the scissor is held. That geometry lowers the elbow during the cutting stroke, which can reduce shoulder and arm fatigue when cutting at a raised position over a long session. The CR ATS314 combines it with ATS-314 Cobalt Alloy and a straight blade in three non-standard sizes: 5.7, 6.2, and 6.75 inch.
Does Washou make thinning scissors?
Yes. Washou makes thinning scissors including the ATS-UD4 Thinner, NKMT Thinner, and NYMB Thinner, with both standard and left-handed versions available. This roundup covers cutting scissors only. The full thinning range is on the Washou brand page.