When investing in your first grooming scissors or upgrading your beginner's collection, knowing which to choose can be daunting. With so many scissor options available, choosing those that will provide the correct, professional finish to the dogs you're grooming is important.

But if you're unsure of the difference between a convex and serrated blade, or you don't know why a convex blade offers a smoother coat finish, we're here to help.

In this guide, we're answering frequently asked questions surrounding dog grooming scissors to help you make an informed choice before your next purchase.

Table of contents:

What are the different types of dog grooming scissors?

Serrated or convex scissors

Scissor size or weight considerations

Scissor handle style and ergonomics

What are the different types of dog grooming scissors?

There are several different scissor options to choose from when it comes to grooming dogs; each type offers a different purpose and outcome. Here is a brief overview of the main purpose of each to help you understand which to invest in:

Straight scissors - what are they used for?

Groomers Topaz 7” straight scissors

In dog grooming, straight scissors are a multipurpose tool for general grooming. They create sharp, straight lines and a crisp finish to the coat. If bull nose scissors aren't available, with extra care, straight scissors can also be used in delicate areas.

What are curved dog grooming scissors used for?

Kanpeki Gold 7.5” curved scissors

Curved scissors are used for shaping the hair, rounding off the face or feet or for body angulation. These scissors are perfect for accentuating a dog's natural curved lines when grooming the coat.

What are bull nose scissors used for?

Groomers Aurelia 4.5” Bull Nose Scissors

A must for delicate areas, such as around the eyes or the paws, bull nose scissors are safety scissors with a round, rather than pointed end. These scissors allow for precise yet gentle trimming.

How to use dog grooming thinning scissors

Groomers Simply G 7” 50 Teeth Double-Sided Thinning Scissors

Thinning scissors, or double-thinning scissors, are used for removing bulk fur and harsh scissor lines from a dog's coat. They are usually identifiable by their teeth, which run down both sides of the scissor and are great for thinning feathers on double-coated dog breeds.

Blenders or blending shears

Groomers Topaz 7" 40T Blending Scissors

Blenders or single-thinning scissors provide a coat with a softer definition, removing harsh lines. They are a good investment for blending short and long hair for a more natural look and smoothing scissor lines and uneven areas. They have one straight-edged blade, whilst the other has teeth.

Chunkers or chunker scissors

Kanpeki Slicer 6" 14T Dual Blade Chunker Scissor

Chunker scissors are best used when adding a textured, natural finish to a groom. They are perfect for tidying wavy coats and smoothing harsh, full-bladed scissor lines. Chunkers are identified by their 'T' shaped teeth running down one edge of the shear, allowing hair to be pushed from the cutting blade for a more natural finish.

Thinners, blenders and chunkers are often grouped under the general category of thinning scissors, but if you're interested in making a more informed decision on which you require for your grooming needs, read our comprehensive guide on The Difference Between Blenders, Thinners and Chunkers.

Which blade should I choose, serrated or convex?

Now you have more of a comprehensive understanding of the role each scissor plays, it's important to understand the types of blade you may require depending on your level of grooming experience.

Most scissors that feature a straight blade have either a serrated or convex edge, and the type you need will depend on your level of cutting expertise.

Serrated scissors

Many beginner scissors have a serrated edge, as it's much easier to use and control.

Serrated blade

Serrated scissors have a bevelled edge, the type you see on most paper scissors, which generally have an edge cut into the blade. The main difference between a simple bevel and a serration is the tiny grooves running down the length of one or both blades, designed for groomers to help keep strands of hair in place while scissoring.

Serrated scissors can be used for most grooming work but are best suited to rough cutting the coat before tidying up with a finishing scissor, as they don't offer a clean finish. Although their blades hold the hair in position, they can pull or trap it, making the lines appear choppy.

Convex scissors

Convex blade

We recommend you invest in a convex blade if you require high-quality finishing scissors. This blade type is designed for extremely smooth scissoring and consists of a blade with a fine arch that ends in a highly tapered point. This makes the blade edge extremely small, allowing for less friction for an exceptionally smooth cutting experience, designed for that crisp scissoring finish every groomer desires.

The secret to sharp scissors is minimum resistance against the blades while they are in use, and with a convex blade, that's exactly what you get. The extremely sharp and low-resistance cutting edge means that the convex blade can give a better finish in terms of being crisper than the bevel edge. The blade also allows for a faster scissoring technique, helping you to cut down your grooming times.

The success of your scissoring technique, whilst influenced by the type and blades you choose, is also dependent on tension. Read our blog on The Best Scissor Care Maintenance For Professional Groomers for more information on correctly adjusting your scissor's tension.

Size and weight considerations

When choosing scissors, whilst technique and quality of finish should be your most important considerations, your comfort and how the scissors feel in your hand shouldn't be overlooked.

Choosing the wrong scissor for your hand could cause not only tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome but also other hand, neck, shoulder and back problems that could leave you unable to groom or in significant pain for prolonged periods.

Choosing the correct scissors can prevent this, resulting in comfortable days in the salon.

Although some groomers prefer heavier scissors than others, it's important to take the time to find out what works best for you.

Consider a scissors' weight, length, balance and handle configuration before purchasing.

Scissor size

Across most scissor types, each pair will come in a range of lengths and an experienced professional groomer will usually own a range of sizes in each scissor type tailored to different dog breeds.

Generally, the longer the scissor length, the more that can be taken off a coat per cut, increasing grooming efficiency. However, smaller scissors in 5.5" and 6.5" options can be useful as they allow for greater control, particularly in small areas, putting less stress on your hands.

Although most groomers opt for 7-8" scissors, if you're not confident making big cuts, or you're mostly using the top third of your scissors blades, smaller scissors may be a better, more comfortable choice until you're confident using more of the blade.

Consider your scissoring style and how often you groom more intricately before deciding on the best scissor size for you.

Scissor handle style and ergonomics

Another major point to consider when buying scissors is the comfort of the handles based on your scissor technique. A more comfortable handle makes for a better range of movement resulting in a faster and more assured technique.

Handles can be described as either symmetric or offset. Symmetric simply means that the finger and thumb hole oppose each other, while the offset handle has a lower thumb hole than the finger hole. The offset handle type allows for a comfortable hand and arm position as your thumb sits at a more natural angle.

This natural position is the key to reducing hand and wrist fatigue, and more specialised offset handles are designed to allow the most natural grip. Some scissors are slightly curved and shaped around the hand, allowing for greater hand contact with the scissor.

Other scissors feature a thumb handle that comes slightly outward or a rotating thumb, which is useful if you don't have enough support. Once again, this helps to achieve that fast, flowing scissoring technique vital to a smooth finish.

Find the right scissors for you at Groomers

So now you know all the top consideration points, why not shop for your perfect pair of new grooming scissors at Groomers?

Whichever scissor, blade, size or handle type best suits you, you'll find multiple options from leading brands, including our exclusive Groomers scissors collection. Or, why not browse our scissor sets and upgrade your entire offering?

We also recommend our Groomers Scissor Guide for further, more detailed reading.

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