To scissor jig or not to scissor jig....that is the question?

[grepper]

Mr. Mamba,

Just out of curiosity, can you personally tell the difference between a $500 and a $1,000 pair of salon scissors?  Or a $1,000 and a $4,000 pair?  Are people just paying for brand?

How much real value add, other than something like engraving, etc., is there after, say, $500?  Is 440C stainless super expensive? 

I mean, one would be tempted to think that a $500 pair of 5" scissors would be, and please excuse the expression, a damn fine pair of scissors!

[grepper]

Mr. Mamba man,

Forgot to mention.  Your "war story".  Beautifully descriptive, and funny.  ROFL.

[Mike Fairleigh]

Just returned from getting a haircut, and this thread prompted me to ask my stylist (is there such a thing as a barber anymore?) about her scissors.  She pays around $300US for her scissors, and has them sharpened every 6 months at the rate of $25US per pair.  She has used the same sharpener (a retired barber) since she started styling hair about 25 years ago.  I wonder how those prices compare to what the average stylist pays?  It's only a curiosity for me; I won't be buying any $21K sharpening systems anytime soon.

[grepper]

Mike,

HeHeHe... You go to a stylist.

[Mike Fairleigh]

Anyone can go to a mere barber, it takes a man's man to go to a stylist!

[Rob]

A man who knows how to cry....who knows where the towels are kept :-)

[Mike Fairleigh]

But I look so good reading tool catalogs while sitting in the spa!

I spent some time reading up on the Multitool.  Very interesting indeed, and reviews seem positive.  My biggest concern with it is the inability to do variable speed.  A Multitool bundled with a VS (preferably DC) motor might be a very useful tool.  I could see putting a fine wire wheel or a hard buffing wheel on the left side.  I'd also need to spend a little more time understanding their slack belt solution.

[Rob]

 

[Black Mamba]

Here's my personal take on this whole price/quality issue regarding salon scissors. I should note that I don't sell scissors in my business. I'm inundated with suppliers wanting me to sell their products but I have no interest in getting into that arena. I'm aware that I'm passing on a potentially large income stream but I just don't want the extra complication that dimension would bring to my operations.

It's my personal stylist that owns the $4,000 pair of scissors. It rankles her a bit but I tell her that scissors that cost that much are nothing but an " ego " purchase. And that's true.

grepper....you mention the 440C grade of steel. Actually, that grade of steel is pretty low on the scale of quality steels used in salon scissors. Currently, the highest quality ( and most expensive ) steel being used is identified as ATS 314 and comes from Japan. Let's create the following assumptions:

1. Use ATS 314 in the product blades ( forged, of course )
2. Use the finest parts made.....aside from the blade. I'm talking about the pieces in the tensioning devices and any other extraneous extras ( tangs, etc )
3. Employ the most expensive manufacturing process around ( a group of specialist, each with their own area of expertise....often referred to as the " sensai " method ).

Under these assumptions, a 5'' to 6" pair of scissors should cost no more than $800 to $900......absolute tops. Spend more than that and you enter the world of the " ego " purchase. Now, the ego is very important to all of us. It's important to understand, though, that when you spend these big numbers for scissors, you're not getting any finer cutting instrument than the person who spent the far lesser amount.

I'm always asked for buying advice by my clients. For those that want the most bang for the buck and don't want to get into the esoteric world, I suggest the following:

Always stay with a forged product ( as opposed to a cast product ). Stay with a product coming from Japan, South Korea, or Taiwan. Plan on spending from around $300 to $600. You'll get an excellent product that, with good maintenance, will last for years.

[grepper]

Mr. Mamba,

Very interesting, and as I suspected.

Thanks for the info!

Mark

[Rob]

Tell you what Mamba....you might want to reconsider developing a product distribution stream to your business as I suspect your clients would appreciate your no nonsense common sense approach to the subject matter

You could be to the salon world what Jeff is to Tormek.....a domain expert/consultant. You're not selling them anything, you're helping them optimise their tight budgets on the most appropriate tools to support their business....that's not selling...it's client problem solving...totally different mind set

You'd be excellent at it ill wager

Rob