Scissors come in various different steel qualities and strengths. In my opinion you need 440C Japanese stainless steel with 61 or over hardness (HRC). The "C" is important as there's a 440 and a 440A - both of which are inferior quality. Hardness (HRC) seems to be given a range e.g. 60-61HRC or 61-63HRC - until you get to serious posh (for which read "expensive") where a definite HRC is listed. The type of steel scissors are made from and hardness is usually written (as an example): JP-440C 61HRC - the JP is for "Japanese" and yes it does make a difference so if no "JP" it's not the same and personally I'd leave them alone.

Apparently, the next best after Japanese Steel is German Steel - then you start going India/Asia etc. and I'd leave all that alone if I were you, ditto and double ditto if it doesn't say where the steel is from.

I've read lots and LOTS of stuff about stainless steel hardness and quality and have put together a summary chart of pertinent information (if you're interested) HERE

My first decent set were JP440C 60-61HRC (Freelanders - seemed to have gone broke during Covid) which were still going strong when I sold them after upgrading to (Fenice) 62HRC. Yes I could tell the difference, but there was absolutely nothing wrong with my first set - used every week on my 4 (at the time) dogs for almost a year and still as good as new when I sold them. I'm just a doggy tragic retiree with nothing better to spend my money on now I can't wear high heels any more  🙂.

Where To Buy:

I've been a buyer of scissors from Aliexpress for years with no trouble - just remember that prices on ads are subject to GST at checkout. You do have to wait quite a while for stuff to come directly from China or Hong Kong, but you save hundreds of dollars on what similar scissors would cost you in Australia. Be aware that anything below the quality I've quoted won't cut as well, won't sit as well in your hand, won't last and you'll be wanting to replace them in about a year; so are essentially a waste of money (experience talking!).

What to Buy:

You will need flat scissors, curved scissors, thinning shears, chunkers, comb, nail clippers, cheap brush and good brush.

Thinning shears and chunkers have teeth rather than a flat surface so they take varying amounts of hair when you cut - the more teeth the finer the finish. They are great for tidying up after a clip so you don't get "clipper marks" or if you spot a "sticky-out" bit that needs tidying up. ALWAYS c comb through after using both chunkers or thinners as they leave hair behind in the coat which will cause mats if you don't comb it out. They come in both flat and curved versions - but to be honest the curved ones are just an over-indulgence on my part.

If you need to build your set gradually then I'd say the very minimum would be: flat scissors, thinning shears, stainless steel comb, nail clippers, a cheap brush ($3 from Kmart) and a good brush (click for brush page).

Once you have the very basic grooming set, if you wish you can then add chunkers, then curved to make up a full set. Check that the curved work both up-direction and down-direction as some only work one way - these are very useful for trimming hair around paws; so whilst not vital, I would have them high up my priority list.

I also have a very small pair of curved scissors for between eyes - pictured below left. I've seen people recommend those little scissors with ball thingies on the end for around eyes (below right), but I never found a pair of the same quality, the ball thingies get in my way and really aren't necessary if you have trained your baby properly (see grooming page), have a good grip on your fur-baby before you cut and have a steady hand.

Finally I have some hemostat tweezers like the ones pictured on the right. I used to use them for plucking ears but I had a rethink on plucking in favour of clipping, particularly for Indie-dog who has severe allergies and plucking seems to set off her sensitive ears. I would still get the tweezers though (if they didn't come in your set) as they're cheap enough and are useful for removing burrs or if you have to remove a tick: dab first with vodka or gin, wait 10 seconds or so for tick to get loose, then twist and pull.

I got tweezers in my first complete scissor set, but you can buy them separately on ebay or aliexpress for about $14 last time I checked.

If you bought a full set of scissors from Fenice they generally give you a free stainless steel comb. Otherwise check out the brushes page for combs I've tried. I have loads of combs as every time I bought scissors from Fenice they gave me a comb as a freebie, I've also bought a few to see if there's much of a difference.

Update:

The Freelander Scissor set I started out with no longer seems to be available, but there are similar sets around the net. If you click on the picture below you'll be taken to the either the Purple Dragon (left) or Fenice 440C (right) sets I found in November 2024. Separate scissors are listed on the same page so take care that you've selected what you actually want. Remember that it IS cheaper to buy a full set of scissors in one go rather than one pair at a time, just depends on what you can afford; also remember that aliexpress now adds GST on checkout. If you're concerned about what you're about to buy please do feel free to send me the link (tracy@parkerspooches.com.au) and I'll take a look and tell you what I think (at the risk of sounding like a right know-it-all, for which I apologise in advance!)

Just be aware that a lot of scissors/sets look the same, so it's important you look for the stainless steel quality and hardness. If it's not listed don't bother as it's likely rubbish. Purple Dragon seem to be much cheaper overall than Fenice so I'm assuming that workmanship is a major factor too. I'd say PD are machine made, whilst the Fenice are hand finished. Buy the best you can afford as it'll be worth it in the long run, although unless you're a full time professional groomer JP440C 61-62HRC is as posh as you need to go. My favourite chunkers/thinners are Fenice JP440C that I've had for years - and with weekly use are still as good as the day they arrived.

Also, remember that if you buy scissors separately you'll pay more for than if you buy a whole set in one go, plus they usually throw in a free case and comb (plus finger guards if you ask for them).

The links on pix below are no longer to the actual scissors I bought, as aliexpress has redesigned itself several times since my buying days; but they will take you to similar scissors. Just remember, check everything, twice, before you place an order.

There are several stores that sell Fenice Scissors - the one I used seems to only do human scissors nowadays - no good for doggy grooming. So make sure you are looking at GROOMING scissors and NOT Hairdressing scissors (for humans). Human scissors will not cut doggy hair properly. Similarly, NEVER use your grooming scissors on a human - if you do, they will never cut a dog properly again. I don't have to tell you not to cut paper, or literally anything other than doggy hair with them, do I?

     Click on Above Photo to see individual scissors          Click on Above Photo to see Scissor Set Combinations

Check the blade length for each pair of scissors you're thinking of buying because this can vary quite a bit i.e. a 7 inch pair of scissors may have an actual blade length anywhere from 7cm to 10cm. Please don't ask me why the scissor length is given in inches and the blade length in centimetres as I've often wondered that myself! Also do check the steel quality as Fenice have now started doing "budget" sets that are not JP440C or above - so in my opinion are a waste of money (my first set of scissors ever were 9Cr .. lasted under a year before they were bin-fodder!).

I'm short and have little hands, so experience has taught me that the maximum blade size I like to deal with is about 9cm, with shorter ones for face etc. I found 10cm or over blades just too long for me to comfortably manage. If in doubt take a tape measure to a hardware shop and measure scissor blades to see what's comfortable for you before buying online. Also, ask for finger rings when you order - most stores supply them at no extra cost but only if you ask for them. If you don't need them then no harm done; if you do need them and you haven't got them ... hmmmm!

If I had known that I was going to get hooked on scissors, I would've saved-up and bought a set of Fenice scissors right off the bat. If you decide to take that route, do take care to check the steel quality and hardness in the set you're looking at as they now do some cheap sets with steel quality of 9CR. This is a Chinese steel and we're after Japanese steel remember. As it was, I did it one pair at a time - which is not only a more expensive way of doing things, you don't get a case to store them thrown in for free. So naturally my next purchase was a scissor case to keep my latest favourites safe and clean.

The first scissor case I bought was the one below left. My reasoning being it would last longer as scissors fit into leather pockets rather than elastic which is likely to wear out with regular use. Great logic, but I didn't realise how annoying it would be not being able to see my scissors without taking them ALL out of the case. So next one I treated myself to (I have SO many birthdays in a year it's just not funny!) was the one on the right - and I LOVE it. Yes it will probably wear out far more quickly and only takes 10 pairs of scissors not 12 like the one on the left; but most normal people wouldn't need more than 6 spaces (four scissors, one tweezers, one comb), and I can see what I'm looking for at a glance. It's also very smart-looking on the grooming table. The fold down protective flap you can see in the pic on far right has a pocket the other side - ostensibly for your combs, but it's too short so they fall out, rendering it pretty useless really. They both cost about the same (about AU$30 last time I checked). Click on the photos for more info.

     
The roll up one takes up less space and will probably last longer; but with the hard case, scissors are easy to see and the case is very schmick

As my scissor collection expanded, so did my need for a bigger case. For this I went to Temu; although don't buy scissors from Temu - a friend of mine did and she said they were total junk. That's my big case on the right, beautiful ain't she? As of November 2024 it was approx $33 (including GST and delivery) - but I've discovered if you leave stuff in your Temu basket for a few days, they frequently give you a (time limited) big discount to encourage you to check-out.

After deciding that Fenice scissors were the bomb, I went on to upgrade to VG-10 63HRC. VG-10 is a higher grade steel than 440C (which is the MINIMUM for our scissors in my not-so-humble opinion - remember the C is important). If I were a professional groomer, using scissors all day every day, then I would definitely need the VG-10 as they are lighter in the hand. Did I mention I can no longer wear high heels so have become addicted to grooming gear instead? So yes, I now have a complete set of VG-10 scissors. A "set" being straight scissors, curved scissors, thinning shears and chunkers. My straight and curved scissors are made in Japan and are my favourites of all the scissors I've ever owned - they were also ridiculously expensive and totally unnecessary.

I have to say though, that the cheaper 440C chunkers pictured below left are just as favourite (link HERE) as the very much more expensive VG-10 chunkers - they seem to call them all "thinning shears" by the way, just with different cut percentages. I haven't got the matching thinning shears pictured below right, so can't advise on them.

The VG-10 grade are only slightly better than the JP-440C in the cutting department; but where they are noticeably better is in the balance in your hand. Your fingers just naturally go to the correct position (yes there is one and no, it's not like holding ordinary scissors). Having said that, unless you have a lot of dogs or are a "proper" groomer I wouldn't say the extra expense is worth it. I have upgraded 4 of my scissors to the VG-10 now, although I'm keeping most of the 440C Fenice ones as they're different thinning percentages so with 3 dogs, all with different coats, I like to have the choice.

 
Fenice JP440C 62HRC, 7.5 inch scissors with a 10.4cm blade, which I found too long to be comfortable.
Be aware that not all 7.5" scissors have such a long blade.

Piccies of how to hold your scissors - 'scuse the dirty fingernails, I'd just finished cleaning out my Geese! My fingers had slipped through a bit as I was holding my phone to take a pic with my other hand whilst Indie-dog was trying to climb up on my lap; but you get the idea of where fingers go and what that interesting curly bit on the end is for (who knew?).

On that subject, get scissors with "built in" curley bits (like the gold ones in the pic above) NOT screw in (like on the right); as over time the screw-in ones unscrew themselves and fall on the floor at regular intervals - which is very irritating.

Once you've got your fingers in the correct position, you hold your scissors steady with your fingers and only move the blade with your thumb. It does take some getting used to, but it's worth it as you get a more even finish on your dog AND your hand doesn't ache with longer use.

Of course if you can afford it, Kenchii scissors are supposed to be the amongst the best, but you're looking at A$350 to $450 and up for ONE pair of Kenchii Scissors, whilst the Fenice VG10's are half that and an entire set of JP-440C is less than $200 nowadays! So unless I win seriously on Lotto I won't ever be able to advise if Kenchii are, in fact, better.  Interestingly I can't find any reference to steel quality in any Kenchii listings, so who knows?

Then there's Geib, also in the over $200 a pair range, but again I can't find the steel/hardness listed on any ads. So until someone tells me different, if I'm going in that direction I'd rather buy the Fenice VG-10 as they tell you steel quality, hardness, weight of scissors and even where they're made in some cases (their really posh ones are made in Japan - be still my beating heart!).

My last scissor purchase was a pair of ATS-314 straight shears, just to see if they're worth the money. ATS-314 is pure Japanese stainless steel with the highest levels of cobalt, titanium and vanadium. In other words the very best, and the most expensive! The only real difference from VG-10 that I can feel is that they are definitely lighter - since Harry died in 2023 I've only had three dogs to groom, so the weight difference doesn't matter to me so much. Waste of money? for me definitely; unless of course you take into account that my scissor addiction is now satisfied so that was my last purchase. Which kind of makes it worthwhile I guess (?)

MAJOR UPDATE: I've learned that clipper oil is not the best for scissor care;

for that you need Camellia oil. A small bottle will last forever, so don't go mad with a huge size unless you want to use it on your face/body as well (it's supposed to be good for human skin too - I'll let you know if my husband asks what I've done with his wrinkled-up missus at some stage in the not too distant future).

The best price I've found for cold pressed and organic (well I'm gonna try slapping it all over myself to see if it makes a difference!) is at Australian Wholesale Oils. Click on pic to go to site.

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last update 08/11/2024