Kokoro
Totally Shears
Who it suits
Kokoro is a US-based scissor brand by Totally Shears, offering Japanese steel professional shears with cryogenic tempering since 2017.
Price position
$270–400 · tier 3 of 5
Profile completeness
8/9Profile coverage
- Models
- 5 catalogued
- Product types
- 3 documented
- Materials
- 2 documented
Kokoro grew out of a repair bench: Totally Shears, the New Hampshire company behind the line, serviced and reconditioned shears for 26 years before acquiring the Kokoro scissor brand in 2017. Five models range from the $270 Green Series to the $400 Circle Shears, in 5.5 to 6.0 inch lengths, built from Japanese Hitachi 440C with vacuum heat treatment and ice tempering.
Overview
Kokoro is a US based scissors brand operated by its parent company Totally Shears. The name comes from the Japanese word for “heart,” and the brand translates it as “heartfelt attention.” In 2017, Kokoro-USA and Totally Shears merged operations.
The roots of the company go back to the late 1980s. Founder Edward Lake began his career at Designers Edge International, where he learned shear manufacturing and repair. He handled warranty work and reconditioning for brands like Kasho (by Kai). In 1991, Lake established Totally Shears as a service and reconditioning business. The company acquired the Kokoro brand in 2017.
Product Range
Kokoro offers cutting scissors, thinning scissors, and left-handed scissors. The brand’s specialties include blunt cutting, general purpose cutting, razor cutting, dry cutting, texturizing, thinning (33 tooth and 40 tooth), blending (15 tooth), volume control, and texture control.
According to the brand, Kokoro scissors are made with Japanese stainless steel and go through a proprietary vacuum heat treatment and cryogenic process (ice tempering) for consistent hardness. The company also runs a full service center with over 35 years of experience. According to Kokoro, the service team can repair, restore, and recondition scissors from any brand, often within the same day.
Distribution
Kokoro sells through its official website kokoro-usa.com and through third-party retailers including Precision Shears and Scissor Dude. The brand operates as an importer and distributor from the United States. Pricing is in the mid range for professional shears.
See Also
Where to Buy
Kokoro at a glance
- Budget
- Mid-range $200–400
- Makes
- Cutting Scissors, Thinning Scissors, Left-Handed Scissors
- Based in
- USA
- Catalogue
- 5 models listed
- Established
- 2017
Product Types
Specialties
Materials & Construction
The steel, edges, and handle styles Kokoro works in:
Where to Buy
Official Brand Websites
Authorized Retailers
Retailers stocking Kokoro
ScissorPedia catalogues 2 retailers carrying Kokoro.
- Precision Shears Online store — USA · ships to USA
- SCISSOR Dude Online store — USA · ships to USA
The range, at a glance
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Product photos from the ScissorPedia catalogue; see each product page for provenance.
Products
How Kokoro compares
Same listed origin, adjacent price tier. Rows tinted brass differ; "—" means the field is not documented yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
6 answers you can open one at a timeWhere is Kokoro based?
Kokoro is a USA-based brand, run by its parent company Totally Shears out of South Acworth, New Hampshire. The Kokoro line came together in 2017, with roots in a shear service business going back to 1991.
What kind of scissors does Kokoro make?
The range covers cutting shears, thinning and texturizing shears, and left-handed models. Specialties run from blunt and dry cutting to razor work, blending, and volume control.
What lengths do Kokoro shears come in?
Kokoro keeps to short and mid lengths. The Red cutting shear and Circle Shears come in 5.5 and 6.0 inch, the Red thinner is 6.0 inch, and the Green and Silver Series are 5.75 inch.
What steel does Kokoro use?
Kokoro’s blades are built from Japanese Hitachi 440C stainless, with a Cobalt Molybdenum Alloy used on its Gold series. The brand finishes its shears with a vacuum heat treatment and a cryogenic ice-tempering process.
Are Kokoro scissors available for left-handed stylists?
Yes. Kokoro offers left-handed models alongside its right-handed range.
How much do Kokoro scissors cost?
The Green Series opens Kokoro’s range at $270, the Red cutting shear and Red thinner follow at $350, the Silver Series at $390, and the Circle Shears top it at $400, so all 5 models sit between $270 and $400 at guide prices.
Ratings & reviews
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