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Left-handed

Left-handed shears: the basics.

By Hair Scissors USA ยท Updated

Cutting left-handed means you need a shear built for that hand. That's the whole rule. This guide covers the details: how to tell, what goes wrong without one, and how to order the right version.

The short answer

Cut with your left hand? Buy a left-handed shear, and a left-handed thinner when you get one.

Here you can pick a model sold only as a lefty, or choose Left in the options on a model sold in both hands. Either way, check the hand before you order.

  1. Do you need a left-handed shear?

    Go by the hand that holds the shear when you cut, not the hand you write with. Some people write left and cut right, or the other way around. If you're not sure, pick up a shear without thinking about it. The hand you reach with is your cutting hand.

    If you've been cutting left-handed with a right-handed school shear and it "mostly works", you're probably working around it without noticing. The next step explains how.

  2. Why a right-handed shear lets you down

    A shear cuts because the two blades are pressed together as they close. In the right hand, the natural squeeze of your thumb and fingers does that pressing for you. In the left hand, the same squeeze pulls the blades apart.

    That's why hair bends between the blades instead of being cut, and why lefties end up twisting the wrist or pushing sideways with the thumb to compensate. You also can't see the cutting line well, because the wrong blade is on top.

    Turning a right-handed shear upside down doesn't fix any of this. The blades are still set the wrong way.

  3. Two ways to buy a lefty here

    A model sold only for the left hand. These have left in their name, so there's no option to get wrong. Ours are Jaguar models: the Gold Line Diamond Left-Hand and the Pre Style Relax Lefty cutters (both in 5.25 and 5.75 inches), left-handed thinners and the Pre Style Relax Left-Handed set.

    A model sold in both hands. You pick the left-hand version from the options when you open the product. Good places to start:

    The left-handed collection gathers every model that comes in a left-handed version, so you don't have to hunt.

  4. Length and handle, the lefty way

    Choose the length exactly as a right-handed stylist would: 5.5 or 6.0 inches for most first shears, shorter for small hands and detail work. The shear sizes guide walks through it.

    Most left-handed versions here have offset handles, which keep your thumb closer to your hand and your elbow lower. If you trained on a classic, level handle and want to stay with it, email us before you order and we'll check the handle on the model you like.

    One catch: on some two-hand models the left-handed version comes in fewer lengths than the right. Open the options and check that your length is there for Left.

  5. Lefties in cosmetology school

    School kits are usually put together for right-handed students. Before you buy the kit, ask your school whether you can swap the shear for a left-handed one. Asking first saves you buying a shear twice.

    Demonstrations will mostly be right-handed. Watching them in a mirror, or standing on the other side of the mannequin, makes it easier to copy the angles.

    Label your shears. A right-handed classmate who borrows a lefty will struggle with it, and a dropped shear is an expensive mistake.

  6. What about budget?

    Being left-handed doesn't mean starting at the top of the range. Mina is where most students start, and several Mina models have left-handed versions. On two-hand models the price for each option shows on the product page when you pick it, so you can compare Left with Right before you decide.

    If you can only buy one shear right now, make it a left-handed cutter. Add a left-handed thinner later, or pick a left-handed set if your school asks for both.

  7. Before you order

    • Is the shear sold for the left hand, or is Left selected in the options?
    • Is my length available for the left hand on this model?
    • If it's a set, are both the cutter and the thinner left-handed?
    • Does the handle style suit the way I hold a shear?
    • Have I told my school I'll be using a left-handed shear?

    Not sure about a model? Send us its name and the length you want, and we'll confirm it's made for the left hand.

Questions about a shear? Email us from the contact page with the model, your cutting hand and the length you use now.