A Glossary of Shear Terms

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Adjusting screw: The screw located where the blades hinge that adjusts how much pressure it takes to open and close the shear. Use a shear pliers tool to adjust the tension.

Anodized: A black finish to improve definition when scissoring white or light-colored coats, especially under fluorescent lights.

Ball Bearing: A system of ball bearings around the pivot that allows the shear to open and close effortlessly.

Ball tip: A blunt, rounded tip at the end of a shear that serves as a built-in safety feature for delicate areas. Usually found on curved shears.

Bent Shank: The shank, or finger hole end of the shear, is slightly offset from the cutting blades. This keeps your fingers out of the hair, preventing you from mussing the coat that you have just scissored to perfection.

Carbon Steel: Type of steel used in shear making. Durable and holds an edge, but needs to be kept dry and oiled, as it may rust.

Coatings: Made of Teflon or plastic, a coating resists surface rust, and a high color or pattern in the coating increases visibility of tools and distinguishes them in busy shops.

Cobalt Steel: Very hard type of stainless steel. Resistant to chips and nicks.

Corrugated/Serrated: Blade edge with tiny ground-in grooves to provide non-slip cutting by holding the hair.

Dial adjuster: A dial on the adjuster screw that allows you to change the shear tension by hand without a shear pliers tool.

Filipino: A wide blade style designed for all-purpose, heavy-duty use.

Hollow Ground: A blade with a ground-down inside that reduces weight and gives a sharper edge, resulting in a softer, smoother cut.

Honed/Razor Edge: Edges that are precisely worked to razor sharpness. Reduces scissor marks in coat.

Ice Tempered/Frozen Tempered/Cold Forged: A shear that has been subjected to sub-zero temperatures at a certain point in the manufacturing process. This changes the composition of the metal so that it is much harder and will hold an edge longer. Twenty years ago it was important to look for this quality in a shear, but today it is so commonplace that some manufacturers do not even mention it in their sales copy.

Offset Handle: Instead of the handle being even on both sides, the finger hole side is shorter, so you don't to have to "reach" as much with that finger.

Short Shank: A shear with a short distance from the finger holes to where the blades cross. Reduces hand fatigue, as blades open wider with little hand movement.

Stainless Steel: A high quality steel combined with chromium and other metals to resist rusting.

88 Style: A wide blade, heavy-duty, all-purpose shear.