KARG
- USA
- Est. 2001
-
Budget Luxury
KARG is a USA-based scissor brand by Swiss stylist Mike Karg, built around the KARG.DRY.CUT system with operations in New York and Switzerland.
Mike Karg founded KARG in New York in 2001 around KARG.DRY.CUT, the dry-cutting system he teaches, so the company sells a haircutting method as much as a shear, with KARG AG running the Swiss side. The four catalogued cutting models, all 6.0 or 6.5 inches, sit between $420 and $880...
Mike Karg founded KARG in New York in 2001 around KARG.DRY.CUT, the dry-cutting system he teaches, so the company sells a haircutting method as much as a shear, with KARG AG running the Swiss side. The four catalogued cutting models, all 6.0 or 6.5 inches, sit between $420 and $880 at guide prices, built on proprietary Japanese molybdenum and cobalt-molybdenum-vanadium alloys.
Overview
KARG is a USA based scissor brand founded by Mike Karg, a New York born Swiss hairstylist. The company is headquartered at 12 West 37th Street in Manhattan. KARG operates on two continents, with KARG Inc. in New York and KARG AG in Switzerland.
Product Range
KARG offers cutting scissors, thinning scissors, and left handed scissors. Their specialties include blunt cutting, slide cutting, point cutting, texture control, freehand cutting, face framing, graduated cutting, layering, thinning (10 to 15% and 40 to 50%), blending, and separation. The brand sits in a premium price tier. The shear line is built around dry cutting technique, which is central to the KARG.DRY.CUT system that founder Mike Karg developed.
Background
According to the brand, Mike Karg was named a “Rising Star” by the professional beauty press in 1996. He has stated that his career began in Hollywood cutting hair for actors and musicians. The brand reports that Karg worked as a platform artist for Wella USA and later served as Artistic and Creative Consultant for Goldwell USA before launching his own shear line. KARG won the Launchpad Readers Choice Award for Best Shears in both 2019 and 2023.
Education
The KARG.DRY.CUT system is a haircutting methodology that Karg teaches through in salon education and trade show appearances. The brand reports that Karg currently works across eight salons in the US and Switzerland. For stylists interested in dry cutting techniques, the education component is a significant part of the brand’s value proposition.
Distribution
KARG scissors are available through SalonCentric and through the brand’s own site at mikekarg.com.
See Also
Where to Buy
KARG at a glance
- Budget
- Premium $400–800
- Makes
- Cutting Scissors, Thinning Scissors, Left-Handed Scissors
- Based in
- USA
- Catalogue
- 4 models listed
- Established
- 2001
Product Types
Specialties
Materials & Construction
The steel, edges, and handle styles KARG works in:
Where to Buy
Official Brand Websites
Authorized Retailers
Retailers stocking KARG
ScissorPedia catalogues 1 retailer carrying KARG.
- SalonCentric — USA · ships to USA, Canada
Products
How KARG Compares
| Brand | KARG | Bokhari | SAM VILLA | Washi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | USA | USA | USA | USA |
| Typical price | US$420–US$880 | US$500–US$895 | US$315–US$1,200 | US$139–US$695 |
| Steel | Japanese proprietary molybdenum alloy, Japanese proprietary cobalt molybdenum vanadium alloy | 440C Japanese stainless steel, Cobalt VG1-VG10 stainless steel | 440C | ATS-314, VG-10, ATS-34, V1 |
| Blade types | Convex | Convex | Convex | Convex |
| Handles | Offset | Offset | Offset, Swivel | Offset, Swivel |
| Specialties | Blunt cut, Slide cut, Point cut, Texture control, Freehand cut, Face-framing, Graduated cut, Layering, Thinning(10-15%), Thinning(40-50%), Blending, Separation | Slide cut, Advanced styling, Blending, Texturizing, Wet cut, Dry cut | Point cut, Layer cut, Slide cut, Blending, Texture control, Weight control, Scissor over comb | Slide cut, Point cut, Scissor over comb, Blending, Texturing, Weight removal, Volume control, Texture control(10~20%), Weave cutting, Separation, Weight removal(40%) |
| Founded | 2001 | — | 2007 | 1988 |
| Known for | — | — | — | Founded 1988 by Marc Milman; built on Japanese Hitachi steel |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. KARG is a USA-based brand, started in 2001 by stylist Mike Karg, with KARG Inc. headquartered in New York and a Swiss arm, KARG AG, on the European side.
KARG is built around the KARG.DRY.CUT system, a dry-cutting method Mike Karg developed, and the shear line is designed around that technique.
Yes. KARG’s catalogue includes left-handed models such as the K-Lefty Precision, next to its cutting and thinning shears.
KARG prices in premium territory, with the four catalogued cutting models going from $420 up to $880 at guide prices.
KARG scissors are sold through SalonCentric and directly on the brand’s own site at mikekarg.com.
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