Lefty vs Righty
Here's a little love to the left handed stylist's out there. Is there a "lefty" scissor made for you? If there is, what is the main difference between a left handed scissor and a right handed scissor? Should I be using a "righty" scissor?
If you currently use a scissor and struggle with making a clean cut without the hair bending you may be using a shear for use with the right hand. Perhaps you experience soreness or fatigue in your hand. FRUSTRATION, right! If you are familiar with these problems or just don't know, rest assured, we have a shear designed specifically for you.
As I wrote in previous posts, the ride lines of the two blades have to make contact in order for the scissor to cut. Imagine holding the scissor in a palm to palm position. As you begin to work the scissor with your thumb, there is a natural, slight outward pressure of the thumb hole of the shear. The result is that the tips of the shears are pushed toward one another. This allows for the inside of the blades to be in contact while using them for that awesome style you wish to achieve. If you are using the "righty" with your left hand, instead of the blades coming together the tips are actually being pushed apart. To compensate for this the stylist has to pull the thumb hole toward them, an unnatural movement, which leads to fatigue and potential repetitive motion illness.
Make sure you are using the scissor designed for you. Again, with the scissor in the palm to palm position, open the shear as you would while cutting. You should see the inside edge of the top blade, the thumb blade. This will assure that you are using the proper shear.
With this new found knowledge, should you, as a left handed artist, be using a shear made for a right handed stylist? Absolutely not! Protect yourself and become the creative professional you aspire to be while using the proper tools.
Please contact us with any questions or blog suggestions.
Good and healthy cutting to you,
Inochi
*** The same theory is for the right hand stylist as well.