The 13-Step Scissor Manufacturing Process
Description
A complete breakdown of the 13 manufacturing steps used by Seki City scissor makers, with Japanese terminology for each stage.
The 13-Step Scissor Manufacturing Process
This process is documented by V.ROAD (Yaoki Industry), a Seki City manufacturer. Each step has a specific Japanese technical term used throughout the industry. Understanding these steps helps evaluate manufacturer claims about “handmade” vs. “machine-made” scissors — the reality is that most scissors involve both, with different steps automated or manual depending on the manufacturer and price point.
The 13 steps
| # | Japanese | Romaji | English | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | プレス | puresu | Press / Stamping | Steel sheet is stamped into the rough blade blank using a die press. Higher-end manufacturers may use laser cutting for tighter tolerances. |
| 2 | 焼き入れ | yakiire | Quenching / Hardening | The blank is heated above 1,000°C (varies by steel — VG-10 needs 1,050–1,100°C, GIN-3 needs 1,000–1,050°C) then rapidly cooled, transforming the crystal structure from austenite to martensite. |
| 3 | 背研ぎ | setogi | Back Grinding | The spine is ground to establish the blade’s profile thickness and taper. |
| 4 | 表研ぎ/バフ | omotogi / bafu | Surface Grinding / Buffing | The flat outer surface is ground and polished. Mirror polish reduces friction; satin finish hides daily scratches. |
| 5 | 裏スキ | urasuki | Hollow Grinding (Inner Face) | The most difficult technique in scissor-making. The concave inner face is ground, creating air space so blades contact only at the cutting point. “Only a few people in Japan can do it by hand.” |
| 6 | 刃スキ | hasuki | Edge Grinding / Formation | The cutting edge is formed — convex (hamaguri), beveled, or semi-convex profile. |
| 7 | 洗浄 | senjō | Cleaning | All grinding residue and metal particles are removed before final finishing. |
| 8 | 成形 | seikei | Shaping / Forming | Final handle, finger ring, and finger rest shaping. Some manufacturers forge handles separately and weld them to blades. |
| 9 | 小刃付け | kobatsuke | Micro-Edge Finishing | The final micro-edge is applied — sometimes finished to tolerances measured in microns. This determines out-of-box sharpness. |
| 10 | カシメ | kashime | Riveting / Pivot Assembly | The two halves are assembled at the pivot. Even 0.1mm misalignment will cause uneven blade closure. |
| 11 | 調子見 | chōshimi | Tension & Alignment Check | A craftsperson tests opening/closing feel, blade alignment, tension, and ride quality. Adjustments are made by hand. |
| 12 | 検品 | kenpin | Quality Inspection | Final inspection for visual defects, functional performance, and specification compliance. |
| 13 | 包装 | hōsō | Packaging | Protective packaging with care instructions, warranty, and accessories. |
About ura-suki (裏スキ) — Step 5
Ura-suki is universally recognized as the defining skill in scissor craftsmanship. The concave hollow grind on the inner face creates a gap between the two blades when closed, so they make contact only along the cutting edge line rather than across the entire surface.
The quality of ura-suki directly determines:
- How smoothly the scissors open and close (friction)
- How cleanly they cut (blade contact precision)
- How long the edge lasts (reduced wear from unnecessary blade-to-blade contact)
Japanese sharpeners consider ura-suki skill “the soul of scissor-making.” The S2 Scissors selection guide notes that the ura-suki step is what separates genuine Japanese scissors from mass-produced alternatives.
A note on “step counts”
When a manufacturer claims “150 manufacturing steps” (Tondeo) or “120 steps” (Jaguar) or “30 steps” (Mizutani), these counts differ because they subdivide the core 13 steps differently. Grinding alone can be counted as 1 step or 20 sub-steps depending on how granular the count is. The total number of “steps” is a marketing metric, not a quality indicator.
Sources
- V.ROAD / Yaoki Industry — Manufacturing Process (Japanese, Seki City manufacturer)
- S2 Scissors — Selection Guide (Japanese)
Related: Heat Treatment • Hot Forging • Quality Control • Seki City
Frequently Asked Questions
A Seki City manufacturer (V.ROAD/Yaoki Industry) documents 13 core steps. When manufacturers claim '120 steps' (Jaguar) or '30 steps' (Mizutani), they subdivide these core stages differently — the count reflects granularity, not quality.
Ura-suki (裏スキ) is the hollow grinding of the inner blade face — universally described as the most difficult technique in scissor-making. Only a handful of craftspeople in Japan can perform it by hand.
Seki City in Gifu Prefecture is the center of Japanese scissors manufacturing, alongside Tsubame-Sanjo in Niigata. Seki has approximately 400 blade-related companies and produces 50% of Japan's kitchen knives.