Mork
Mork
About Mork
In brief
Mork is a Japanese scissor maker from Ono City founded in 1893, with four generations of fully integrated, single-factory production.
Cutting Scissors · Thinning Scissors · Left-Handed Scissors 5.5–7.5 in
Profile updated Apr 2026
Price
Price not documentedWhere to buy
1 retailerBuying routes
Where to buy Mork
Retailers ScissorPedia has catalogued. Prices and stock are on each store’s site.
Japan 1 retailer
Maker’s own dealer information: official site ↗
Catalogue map
The Mork range
4 models · 5.5–7.5 in
Cutting Scissors 4 models US$200–300Price band US$200–400 · Mid-range
- Mork BW Powder Metal Cutting Scissors US$300
- Mork Hi PRO Cobalt Cutting Scissors US$250
- Mork RK-PRO Cobalt Cutting Scissors US$250
1 more models are listed in the full catalogue below.
Mork will build a pair to your spec: blade shape, length, handle, and screw type can all be chosen, because every step from raw material to finished shear happens in the company’s own Ono City, Hyogo factory. Founded in 1893 and run by the Kawashima family for four generations, the Japanese maker works in cobalt, stainless, and powder metal steels.
Company Background
Mork Scissors is based in Ono City, Hyogo Prefecture (小野市, 兵庫県), a region known as “the city of scissors” (はさみの町). Ono’s scissor heritage spans over 250 years, originally rooted in agricultural tool production. The company itself traces back to 1893, when first generation founder Eiji Kawashima began manufacturing Japanese grip scissors during the Meiji era.
The business has passed through four generations of the Kawashima family. The second generation, Yoshikazu, transitioned from traditional Japanese grip scissors to Western tailoring scissors as Japan’s clothing shifted from kimono to Western dress. He pioneered mass production techniques using cast iron handle parts. The third generation, Yukio, focused on steel research and introduced numerically controlled heat treatment equipment, a technology that eventually spread to over 50 companies in the region. The current fourth generation leader, Reichi Kawashima, shifted the company’s focus to professional hair cutting shears, building on 130 years of scissor specific knowledge.
Integrated Production
What sets Mork apart from many Japanese shear makers is their fully integrated production model. Across much of the Japanese scissor industry, it is common for different stages of production to be handled by different specialist workshops. One shop forges the blanks, another grinds the blades, another assembles the final product. Mork does everything under one roof.
According to Mork, they build specialized machines for each process in their own factory, handling every step from raw material to finished shears. This allows them to customize individual pairs to exact specifications. A stylist can choose their preferred combination of materials, blade shape, blade length, blade thickness, handle shape, handle length, screw type, finger hole size, finger rest dimensions, and even sound dampener colors. Each pair gets a product number and its data is stored, which means maintenance and resharpening can be done with full knowledge of how that specific pair was originally built.
Awards and Innovation
Mork won the 50th Hyogo Prefecture Technical Merit Award for their contactless double-bearing system. This screw mechanism reduces friction between the blades without direct metal on metal contact at the pivot point. According to professionals who have used it, the result is significantly less hand fatigue during long cutting sessions. Mork reports that stylists suffering from arm fatigue and tendinitis have found relief using shears with this system.
The company also developed its propeller blade (プロペラ刃) design. According to Mork, this geometry keeps hair captured from root to tip during the cut.
Furusato Nozei Availability
Mork shears are available through Japan’s Furusato Nozei (ふるさと納税) hometown tax system. This is a uniquely Japanese purchasing channel where taxpayers can redirect a portion of their local taxes to a municipality of their choice and receive local products in return. For Ono City, professional scissors are one of the signature offerings. This is not a typical retail channel, but it reflects Mork’s deep connection to their home region.
Beyond Hairdressing
Mork has obtained medical device manufacturing and repair business licenses. The company applies their multi-generational scissor expertise to developing surgical instruments, including tools for artificial blood vessels and ventricular assist devices. They also handle maintenance and partial processing for other manufacturers’ products, including jobs that other companies have turned down as impossible.
Sources
- Mork official website: mork.co.jp
- Ono City Furusato Nozei product listings
- 50th Hyogo Prefecture Technical Merit Award records
See Also
How Mork compares
Similar origin and adjacent price band. Brass rows differ; “—” means the field is not documented yet.
| Spec | MorkMork | AlphaAlpha | Alu-CobaAlu-Coba | AuroAuro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Japan | Japan | Japan | Japan |
| Typical price | Price not documented | Price not documented | US$200–250Price band US$200–400 · Mid-range | US$424–499Price band US$400–800 · Premium |
| Steel | Cobalt, Stainless steel, Powder metal st | SG2 | Cobalt steel | Cobalt Alloy |
| Edge type | — | — | — | Straight |
| Handles | — | — | — | Offset, Straight, Crane |
| Left-handed | — | — | — | — |
| Thinning | — | 1 models | — | 2 models |
| Specialties | Blunt cut, Slide cut, Point cut, Texture control, Volume … | Volume control, Slide cut, Stroke cut, Blunt cut, Texture… | Base cut, Step cut, Volume control, Texture control | Cobalt alloy builds, Multi-tooth thinning options, Handle… |
| Founded | 1893 | 2006 | 1946 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
5 answers you can open one at a timeIs Mork a Japanese scissor brand?
Yes. The Kawashima family has run Mork across four generations since 1893, based in Ono City, Hyogo Prefecture, and every pair is built in Japan.
What is Mork known for?
Mork is known for fully integrated, single-factory production, where every step from raw material to finished shear happens under one roof. That setup lets a stylist specify their own blade shape, length, handle, and screw type for a custom-built pair.
Does Mork make left-handed scissors?
Yes. Mork makes left-handed models too, sitting beside its cutting and thinning scissors.
How much do Mork scissors cost?
Japanese specialist retailers list current prices for individual Mork models.
Where can I buy Mork scissors?
Mork shears are sold through Japanese specialist retailers, and in Ono City they are also offered through Japan’s Furusato Nozei hometown tax program.
Ratings & reviews
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