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 Japanese 59–60 HRC
What most $400–$850 shears are built on. The industry standard for premium.
AG16 cobalt · Japanese 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 |
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.
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.
