# Affordable shears? (More info) And types?



## msminnamouse (Nov 4, 2010)

So I found out that my shears are NOT finishing shears and they were contributing to my poor scissoring. I have small hands but found that very light shears made me tend to dip the tips down and also tip them up. I need the heft of heavier shears to help balance in my hands. I tried some 8.5 straight Stilettos and WOW. WHAT a difference!!! I didn't know I could scissor this well! I was about ready to give up before!

I can't afford Stilettos. Is there anything cheaper that's like them? Are the cheaper Geib Gators kind of like them? The Aussie ones are rather light, aren't they?

Then something I'd really love for someone to clear up for me are the KINDS of shears and what the differences do. Or maybe there exists a guide to shears that I'm not aware of and haven't turned up in my searching efforts? Like, I don't know if I would benefit from short shank since I have small hands or if I would prefer the opposite... And I'm not sure what the opposite is called. I'm kicking myself for not going to the Groom Expo and feeling the shears.

A guide to shears would make a GREAT sticky if someone wanted to start a new thread. Could cover things like short shank, offset, convex, bevel, chunkers, finishers, curved, straight, swivel, etc. Just all the different specification of shears and what each thing means or does.


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## 2719 (Feb 8, 2011)

Hi I am no scissor (shear expert) but this fall I went to a scissoring seminar held by Judy Hudson and she went into detail about honed and non honed. She also talked about mass produced scissors and high end scissors. I have heritage shears which are okay and I have low end geib gators and high end gators. Both are okay....but none compare to Japanese shears (which I cannot afford). I am sure some Groomers will chime in and help you out.

Here is a little reading for you.


Precision Sharpening Inc. - ALL About Scissors


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## dcail (Feb 1, 2011)

I love my Sensei shears, a great made shear! They are having a 25% off sale until Nov 28if your interested. Sensei Shears Systems under dog shears.


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## Doggroomer812 (May 4, 2011)

*scissors*

To learn more about shears, I totally recoommend the Jodi Murphy scissoring theory and technique dvd...

As for shears, I just bought 2 pairs of these, in the 9 and 10" curves. They kick ass! MIRACLE SLIT - Geib Buttercut Shear Company


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## Doggroomer812 (May 4, 2011)

*oops!*

Oops, wrong ones... those are the ones on my wish list, lol... these are the ones I got ENTREE BLUE TITAN - Geib Buttercut Shear Company


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## Oodlejpoodle's mom (Sep 11, 2009)

dcail said:


> I love my Sensei shears, a great made shear! They are having a 25% off sale until Nov 28if your interested. Sensei Shears Systems under dog shears.


I too LOVE my Sensei shears, I am going to sell many of my CC and Oster shears to buy more, they are very reasonable and cut nicely. I also love my Kenchii's and Geib Blue Breeze.......my favorite hands down are my Geib 26 tooth Katana's, they make poodle coats look great. Good shears make all the difference in the world to me but I have seen many professional poodle people (Handlers and breeders) doing fabulous cuts with shears that were 3 for $99.00.


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## star (Feb 20, 2011)

I like the geib gator and roseline brand.


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## 3dogs (Nov 3, 2010)

Eric Salas- Shear Madness is a great seminar or look for it on his stream of videos he has on his page. My computer sucks with video so I don't watch but my poodle was a demo dog in the Shear Madness Seminar & I learned a great deal. I wish he would make smaller shears since I am getting a true toy poodle & I like using small shears. His shears are 8 or 8.5 & I have his straights & curves but they only touch my Poodles coats. I am not a Geib fan. But they do work for many. Shears is really personal so you should know what you like. I am a short shank person & prefer bent short shanks but those are few & far between. Eric Salas is all I want in a shear & made by Kenchii. You might want to check out Jay Scrugg shears as well have heard good things about them. 

Exactly what is your price range? This will help. I love bevel & convex, just depends on what I am doing with the dog I am working on. Not a fan of curved shears but still working on using them.

I have shears all over the place because the same company may not always have shears that you like.

Eric Salas
Kamisori
Davis
Ryan
Sharkfin thinners rock & heard good things about their scissors
Blue Ribbon
Lexon
Heritage
Anvil
Onyx

As you can see I have NO Product loyalty. All these shears I love for some reason or another. Ryan, Pet Edge shears both have a Return policy if you don't like shears.


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## msminnamouse (Nov 4, 2010)

It's so hard to purchase without feeling them in my hands first. Buying blindly is a lot of guess work. I know I need around 8.5, offset, and not super light. I need to look into what everyone has written here. I'm not even sure if I'd prefer short shank or not. It's said to be better for small hands but I dunno if the balance will feel right. 

My price range is very low.  It may be a while before I can buy better shears. Even then, I can't waste a lot of money on better shears. I'm on disability.


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## 2719 (Feb 8, 2011)

Hi Msminnamouse...heres another link where the author talks about types of scissors.

I was googling scissoring legs and it came up. I watch a lot of grooming videos and think..."okay, that looks easy enough" and then when I am mid grooming I realise I didn't see how to do some part of the dog. 

Hope it helps.
© Scissoring With Mario DiFante


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## 3dogs (Nov 3, 2010)

I think possibly Ryan's might be a route to try out. They have a return policy if you don't like the shears you bought & there are 3 or 4 different lines that they produce. I think mine are the "Comfort Sharp" & they do just what they are meant to do. I have a small pair of curved shears & mainly use for feet, underline & TK. So, if you buy a pair & they don't work out then just send them back. I also think PetEdge has their own brand of shears with the same policy & I have used that policy when I bought 2 shears from them & 1 week later I sent them both back. Maybe other people know the same policy with other brands.


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## Ladyscarletthawk (Dec 6, 2011)

it's true if the skills are there it really doesnt make a whole lot of difference what shears you have. I can do the same job with a pair of $50 osters as I can with my $180 CC shears.. now Im too broke to buy higher just yet lol. I think if you can work with a SHARP pair of low end models and do a good job, then you'll really see the benefits of a more expensive pair.. and the comfort. For me, the more expensive pair are lighter(depending on model), smoother, and takes less scissoring to accomplish the same task. I gues the way to explain it, and how I always describe my shears is that its like scissoring with a light saber lol.

Convex and beveled edges are very different. Beveled are less delicate, can be dropped and USUALLY still cut fine, are often used for precutting(not mine), and often are way cheaper and heavier than the convex edge. If you drop your convex edge shears.. forget it they will have to be resharpened, are often sharper, smoother (IMO), and definitely cut nicer than the convex edge. I will slice my hand/finger if I rub it along the edge of a CLOSED shear!! I prefer Convex.. oh they are sharpened totally differently.. if the wrong edge is put on you can/will lose a lot of life out of the blade to have it fixed. Plus it will cut differently. 

I have small hands and I have to have short shanks, or at least offset(usually short shanked), fairly light shears. Light saber baby! Whoosh, whoosh! Osters are not that bad .. they came in my coworkers kits chrome with a dark blue tension dial and thumb rest. The dubble duck I had worked good but they are long shanked and are back up cause they hurt my hands. I bought a comfort sharp thinner and a Monk (lite) thinner, and like them both. All are 80 and less. 

Swivel.. oooh like the sharfins.. well if they were a guy.... LOL! The swivels are supposed to be the best for comfort.. if you have your scissoring technique down.. the swivel will move with how you scissor.. not a lot mind you, just enough. This way there is less fatigue.. Im buying a pair from my blade guy in a couple weeks :devil:! I have tried the Sharkfin great whites chunkers (thinner with less teeth, wider gap.. removes a lot of coat but not as much as a shear).. niiice. But I dont like to spend THAT much on my clients lol, at least not right now.


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