Cutting shears
Built for dry cutting
Dry hair has more resistance than wet hair, so the edge has to work harder on every pass. Too shallow an angle pulls instead of slices — and that pulling tears the cuticle, causing split ends on layers. This blade is thicker and finished at a steeper angle built for that resistance. No pulling, no split ends.
This shear has a wet cutting version — shop here.
The real cost
The cheap shear is the most expensive shear you can buy
Full-time hair pro, 40 hrs/week, $50 per sharpening. Budget shears repurchased every 2–3 years.
Butter Shears saves you ~$2,200 vs a budget shear over 10 years. The premium brand costs $800 more upfront for the same edge life and sharpening frequency — money that never comes back. One shear. One time.
The steel, explained
What AG16 steel actually means
The HRC number is the Rockwell Hardness rating — the higher it is, the harder the steel, the finer the edge, and the longer it stays sharp. Most brands won't tell you what's in the blade.
Budget steel · 420 grade ~52–55 HRC
Dulls fast. Needs frequent sharpening to stay usable.
Premium · VG-10 59–60 HRC
What most $400–$850 shears are built on. The industry standard for premium.
AG16 cobalt 61 HRC
Higher cobalt than VG-10. 400+ cutting hours between sharpenings.
Price doesn't tell you a shear is good
Brands charge whatever they want for their name. What actually matters is the steel, the edge, and how it's built. Ours is the same grade the big names put in $850 shears. You get the build without paying for the logo.
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🛡 30-day happiness guarantee — not right for your hand, send it back ⭐ Lifetime manufacturer warranty on every shear |
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"Every pair is sharpened and checked by hand before it ships. If something's ever off, you message me and I answer it myself." Jun Koo · Master Sharpener & Founder |
★★★★★
Trusted by 4,000+ hair pros
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Not sure which shear fits you? Answer a few quick questions and we'll match you to the shear for your cutting style & preferences. 60-Second Shear Quiz |
- These are the best shears I've ever used. They're incredibly sharp and exceptionally well made.
- Still just as sharp as the day I received them.
- The quality easily justifies the price.
I recently returned to working behind the chair after a 10-year absence. I never thought I would replace the scissors that I’ve used for 20 years. I don’t know why I waited so long because these are so affordable and such high-quality. I never want to go back to using my old shears now.
I’m a barber and these shears are legit. The consultation was super helpful, the blade is crazy sharp, and they’re so comfortable I can cut all day. Highly recommend!
These are the best shears I’ve ever used. They’re incredibly sharp and exceptionally well made. I’ve been using them since Christmas and they’re still just as sharp as the day I received them. The quality easily justifies the price, and I know I’ll be using these shears for years to come. Butter also provides prompt shipping and excellent communication, the entire experience was incredible.
I have been wanting to try a swivel shear and I’m super happy with my initial few cuts using these. I would say I am nearly used to them already after one day of cutting. Super intuitive. Packaging was great. They came pretty quickly.
They were awesome at first, but then some issues arose. First, I’ve only been using them a little over a month and they are already so dull they just push the hair. Second, something is weird with the pivot **** area. Either hair is getting stuck in there or they will randomly tighten or loosen on their own. I’m constantly having to adjust them to get the proper tension. Probably won’t be recommending these or buying any more. It’s unfortunate because they’re not cheap! I wanted to love these shears so bad.
I was reluctant to purchase these shears, but after chatting with customer service, they were able to guide me to these Nova 6". It took me a week to get used to using a different shear, but they cut great, and for the price, I am happy so far. I will see how I feel after a few months of using them to see if the edge hold up.
Amazing shears and even better customer service
I love them💕
Actually lovely. Dry cutting is smooth. Wet just slices. Curious to see the longevity.
Love these shears i’ve been cutting hair for 40 years and I know a good pair shears and these are. I feel like these will be my go to for sure.
great shears so far. on thing on a reverse slide on left front side it bent the hair on the shear as opposed to slicing right thru
These are awesome shears! The only issue I have is the rings to make the finger holes smaller dont stay on.
Love my shears. Highly recommend.
Absolutely amazing! 10/10 highly recommend! Great quality and great price!
Amazing shears!! They are some of the best shears I have used in quite a while & I have been doing hair for 41 years. I’m interested in seeing how well they hold an edge but so far love them.
The quiz matched me with the perfect shears! They’re incredibly sharp, cut beautifully, and feel amazing to use. Great quality and a great buying experience from start to finish. Highly recommend!
Wow these are insane
Absolutely in love with these shears. And the swivel makes it much easier to keep my hands in a more neutral cutting position.
Hi Shelby, we're thrilled to hear you love the Nova Swivel Hair Cutting Shears! Thanks for sharing your experience.
I just received my new shears but I'm loving them already.
