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All About Hairdressing Scissors

with Master Scissorsmith Tim Payne

All Hairdressers love their scissors - in fact we really really LOVE scissors

But do really know all there is to know about our most trusted "money makers"? Probably not right?
Well, have we got the interview for you!

Tim Payne is amongst the World's leading scissorsmiths. In fact I'd say that Tim is the best hairdressing scissor maker outside of Japan. As the head of the wildly innovative Australian company Excellent Edges Tim has dedicated his entire career to producing the best hairdressing shears possible.
It would be an understatement to say Tim knows scissors - Tim really knows hairdressing scissors like few others.

Because of the detail and length of this podcast interview we've chopped the conversation into 3 parts. Tim's depth of knowledge and enthusiasm for hairdressing scissors is so heartfelt you'll be in no doubt as to why Excellent Edges is considered to be right on the leading edge of hairdressing shears technology.

Episode 1 - contains a discussion on scissor-smithing. Tim explains the differences between high end scissors and the cheap copies that are currently flooding the market. Running time 23 mins
Episode 2 - delves into the different types of scissors, their characteristics and how to begin to select your scissors. Running time 22 mins
Episode 3 - what kit of scissors do different levels of hairdressers need? Tim describes how to build your gear list. And explains the innovative Fish Kit range for advanced haircutting. Running time 23 mins

Behind the Scenes Gallery of the Excellent Edges Workshop
Check out the Excellent Edges website
Discuss Haircutting in the Forums

About Excellent Edges (from their website)

Based in Melbourne, Australia, Excellent Edges is the largest world-class hairdressing scissor manufacturer, importer, exporter and service centre in Australia.
Our customers worldwide demand absolute perfection in their tools, and we provide the service they require.
We manufacture a range of top quality hairdressing scissors. We also custom-make scissors for hairdressers or those with special needs. With the largest range of Left Handed haircutting tools in the world, our dedication to provide the haircutting industry with a complete range of quality products and services, for right handed cutters and left handed cutters, has given us our world-reknown reputation as a valuable supplier for the haircutting industry. We also import a full range of top quality scissors and a large range of haircutting accessories. Most of our imports are famous brand names, known for their quality: Fuji, Hikari and Yamato, to name a few. Our imports come from Japan and Korea, and every single scissor is checked and tested by our own Master Bladesmiths. We also export the full range of our imported and manufactured products. From various locations in Australia and the UK, we wholesale and retail our full range of imported and manufactured products to distributors throughout Australia and the UK. Additionally, we personally service all the products that we sell. Our sharpening and repairs services are the absolute finest, with the highest possible standards being implemented by our Master Bladesmiths.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy is simple: Of the entire World's scissors, we choose the highest quality products. We don't do it just for our customers' sake. We also do it for ourselves. We enjoy working with quality.
We know that (in the long run) good quality scissors will cost a hairdresser less, will be easier on the hands, will help make good cuts quicker, and are just nicer to use.

Our History
For more than 1000 years the blade smithing world has known that the Japanese (with their long tradition of Samurai swords) are the World's finest bladesmiths and metal workers. Hairdressing scissors have become the swords of modern times. Tim Payne, BSc Hons, is currently the only Westerner who has fully learned the art of Japanese hair scissor bladesmithing. In 1973, his 10 years of training in Japan included working with reknown Japanese master bladesmiths. Tim came to Australia and started Excellent Edges in 1987. The company has grown consistently, to become the largest, oldest, and most respected firm of its kind in the country. It now has operations in the United Kingdom. Excellent Edges has achieved this respect because of quality products, top service and always-honourable dealings with its customers. Our long-term direct face-to-face close relationship, with so many of Japan's top scissor manufacturers, means that we have the widest range of spare parts, the latest models of new scissors, and the finest raw metals to manufacture from.