News & Updates
Industry developments, product launches, and ScissorPedia milestones.
Mizutani Warning: Counterfeit Scissors Increasingly Common
Mizutani published a counterfeit warning on its European website in March 2025. The notice describes the company’s authentication concerns and recommended buying route. The statement asks buyers to match the...
HSC Consortium Expands Made in Japan Verification Program
The Hairdressing Scissors Consortium (HSC) publishes a Made in Japan tag program for participating professional-scissor companies. This overview explains what...
Reference Knowledge Base: 380 New Technical References
ScissorPedia’s master reference knowledge base has expanded with 380 new and updated technical references across 28 categories, all available in...
2026 Industry Outlook: Sustainability, Modular Designs, and Next-Generation Steel
This outlook highlights product themes visible in public manufacturer and trade material. It does not predict market adoption or the...
ScissorPedia Reaches 1,000 Product Specifications Milestone
ScissorPedia now includes more than 1,000 individual professional-scissor product guides, giving readers a consistent way to compare current model details....
The Complete Sandvik and Bohler Scissors Steel Guide Published
ScissorPedia has published guides to blade steels from Sandvik/Alleima in Sweden and Bohler in Austria. The references separate mill composition...
New Reference: Hitachi/Proterial Yasuki Steel Family
ScissorPedia has published comprehensive documentation of the Hitachi Metals (now Proterial Ltd., following the 2023 rebrand) Yasuki Works steel family....
ScissorPedia Moves Fully to scissorpedia.com
ScissorPedia has completed its migration to scissorpedia.com — the permanent home for what has become the world’s largest independent scissors...
ScissorPedia Reference Library Expands to 244 Technical Articles
ScissorPedia’s reference library has reached 244 technical articles across 19 categories — a milestone that reflects years of systematic documentation...
AEB-L Turns 96: Razor Blade Steel Still Used in Scissors
In 1928, Uddeholm (now part of the Voestalpine group) developed AEB-L specifically for razor blades. Ninety-six years later, this steel...
The Stellite Question: Why 50% Cobalt Content Changes Everything
When a scissor contains 50% or more cobalt, calling it a “steel” is technically incorrect. You are no longer dealing...
ScissorPedia Launches Education Hub for Scissors Courses
ScissorPedia launches its Education Hub — a comprehensive directory mapping professional scissors education across the United States. The goal is...
2023 CE Compliance Update: Texas, Florida, Illinois
Continuing Education (CE) requirements for professional cosmetology licensure vary significantly across US states, and keeping track of current obligations is...
Extramarise Heat Treatment: Sub-Zero Processing for Scissors
Heat treatment is one of several processes that shape a scissor’s final material properties. Some makers add sub-zero processing after...
Seki City Scissors Industry Valued at 12 Billion Yen
Seki City’s scissors production is valued at approximately 12.45 billion yen, cementing the Gifu Prefecture city’s position as the dominant...
Nano Powder Metal: Mizutani's University of Tokyo Research
Mizutani Scissors occupies a unique position in the professional scissors industry: a manufacturer that has invested in genuine materials science...
ScissorPedia Reaches 500 Product Guides
ScissorPedia has reached 500 individual product guides across more than 100 brands. Each page brings together the available model name,...
Ono City: Japan's Other Scissor Capital Turns 250
When people discuss Japanese scissors manufacturing, the conversation almost always centres on Seki City in Gifu Prefecture. But 200 kilometres...
Aichi Steel AUS-8 vs VG-10: Mid-Range Steels Compared
One of the most common questions from stylists upgrading their scissors is whether the jump from AUS-8 to VG-10 steel...
Japanese Scissor Exports Recover as Global Salons Reopen
After more than a year of disruption, Japanese scissors exports are recovering strongly as salons across major international markets reopen....
The Counterfeit Scissors Problem: How to Verify Authenticity
When a scissor’s identity is uncertain, verify the exact model and seller before buying. No single clue—price, appearance, seller location,...
Bohler N690 Cobalt Steel Gains Traction in Europe
Bohler-Uddeholm’s N690 (also designated N690CO) is an Austrian cobalt-alloyed stainless steel listed for several cutting-tool applications. This overview covers the...
Seki Cutlery Festival 2020 Goes Virtual
Seki City’s annual Cutlery Festival (関の刃物まつり / Seki no Hamono Matsuri), one of the most important events in the Japanese...
Online Scissor Sales Surge as Trade Shows Pause Worldwide
With trade shows cancelled and salon visits by dealers on hold, the professional scissors industry is experiencing an unprecedented shift...
COVID-19 Impact on Japanese Scissors Supply Chains
The COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting global supply chains, and the professional scissors industry is no exception. Japanese manufacturing — centred...
Left-Handed Scissors: Why Reversed Blades Actually Matter
Approximately 10% of the population is left-handed. In a profession as hands-on as hairdressing, that means a significant number of...
Professional Scissors Price Index: A Decade of Change
What does a pair of professional hair scissors cost, and what explains the spread between models? This historical overview describes...
Feather Museum in Seki City: A Hidden Gem for Blade Enthusiasts
Tucked away at 1-17 Hinodecho in Seki City, the Feather Museum (フェザーミュージアム) is one of the most underappreciated destinations for...
2018 in Scissors: Ergonomic Handles and Swivel Designs Dominate
If 2018 had a single defining theme in professional scissors, it was ergonomics. Across virtually every major manufacturer, new releases...
The Apprentice's Dilemma: When to Upgrade From Student Scissors
Every apprentice hairdresser faces the same question at some point: when do I stop using student scissors and invest in...
Kasho Blue Series Updated With VG-10W Steel Variant
Kasho, the professional scissors division of KAI Corporation (貝印株式会社), has updated their Blue and Ivory series with blades made from...
Seki Cutlery Museum: Permanent Scissor Exhibition
The Seki Cutlery Museum (関鍛冶伝承館 / Seki Kaji Denshōkan) in Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, presents the region’s bladesmithing history through...
Damascus Steel Scissors: Trend or Performance?
Damascus steel scissors have become one of the most visually striking categories in professional hairdressing tools. The distinctive wavy, rippled...
Takefu Special Steel SG2 Production Expands for Scissor Market
Takefu Special Steel Co., Ltd. — one of Japan’s premier specialty steel producers — has expanded production capacity for their...
Nickel Allergies in the Salon: Shear Material Research
Nickel allergy is one of the most common contact allergies worldwide, affecting an estimated 10-20% of the general population. For...
Understanding Contract and Specialist Scissor Production
Some brands use contract manufacturers or specialist workshops for part or all of production. Two products may therefore share a...
Sandvik 12C27M: Swedish Steel Grade Recommended for Scissors
Sandvik — the Swedish steel giant now operating its materials technology division under the name Alleima — has explicitly recommended...
How Japanese Stylists Buy Scissors: The Dealer System Explained
The way professional stylists in Japan purchase their scissors is fundamentally different from Western markets. Understanding the Japanese system helps...
DLC Coatings Arrive in Professional Scissors
Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coatings are making their way into the professional scissors market, bringing a technology originally developed for aerospace...
Kikui Cobalt Alloy Innovation: From 1973 to Good Design Award
Kikui has received the 2015 Good Design Award for their cobalt alloy scissors — a recognition that brings renewed attention...
Seki Cutlery Festival 2014: Record Attendance
The 2014 Seki City Cutlery Festival (関刃物まつり) has wrapped up with reports of record attendance for its scissor-specific workshop sessions....
The Rise of Powder Metallurgy in Professional Scissors
Powder metallurgy (粉末冶金技術 / funmatsu yakin gijutsu, abbreviated PM) steels are rapidly establishing themselves as the premium tier in professional...
Beautyworld Japan 2014: New Scissor Launches to Watch
Beautyworld Japan remains the single most important trade show for professional scissors in Asia, and the 2014 edition is shaping...
Understanding the Seki Division of Labour System
Seki City is associated with bungyosei (分業制), a division-of-labour model in which specialist workshops may handle different production stages. The...
Hitachi Metals Legacy: Understanding the Yasuki Steel Family
If you have spent any time researching Japanese scissors, you have encountered references to steel types with colour-coded names —...
Mizutani Omotesando Showroom Expands Scissor Trial Experience
Mizutani Scissors continues to invest in its direct-to-stylist showroom model, with its Omotesando location offering one of the most comprehensive...
2012 Year in Review: The State of Professional Scissors
As 2012 draws to a close, the professional scissors market continues to evolve along lines that have been developing for...
Seki Cutlery Festival 2012: Highlights
The annual Seki Cutlery Festival (関刃物まつり / Seki Hamono Matsuri) returns this October in Gifu Prefecture, and it remains one...
ScissorPedia Launches: A Professional Scissors Reference
Today we are making ScissorPedia publicly available for the first time. What started as a shared spreadsheet in 2008—a practical...