Thinning shears, explained.

What a thinning shear does

One blade is straight. The other has a row of teeth, like a comb. When you close it, only the hair that falls into the grooves between the teeth gets cut. The rest slips through.

You'll hear a few names for the same family of tools:

• Thinner or blender: many fine teeth. Softens lines and blends one length into another.
• Texturizer or chunker: fewer, wider teeth. Takes out more hair and leaves visible texture.

Makers don't always use the names the same way, so read the tooth count on the product page too.

Do you need one yet?

If your school kit list asks for a thinner, yes. Otherwise, buy your cutting shear first and learn your basic cuts with it. You'll do most of a haircut with the cutter for years.

You'll know you're ready for a thinner when you start seeing heavy lines you want to soften, thick hair that won't sit flat, or blends that look choppy.

Teeth, in plain words

As a general rule, more teeth set close together take out less hair each time you close the shear. Fewer, wider teeth take out more. A 30-tooth thinner sits in the middle and does a bit of everything.

Some makers also give a percentage. It's their estimate of how much of the hair in the shear one close removes. Mina, for example, states 20 to 30% for its 30-tooth texturizers. A lower number means a gentler shear.

If a model has no percentage listed, go by the tooth count and the maker's description.

Your first thinner

Pick an all-rounder: about 30 teeth, 6.0 inches long. It's forgiving while you learn, and it covers blending, softening and light thinning. Two easy places to start:

• Mina Jay II texturizing shear: 30 teeth, with 20 to 30% weight removal stated, in right- or left-handed versions.
• Ichiro Ergo Apprentice thinning shear: 30 teeth, 6.0 inches, offset handle. The Ergo Apprentice cutter in the same series also has an offset handle.

You'll find more in all thinning shears, with the handle, lengths and hand on every card.

Using it without leaving holes

Most beginner mistakes with a thinner come from doing too much in one spot. A few habits keep you safe:

• Start in the middle of the hair shaft or toward the ends, not at the root.
• Keep it away from the scalp on the top of the head and along the hairline. Short hairs cut there stand straight up as they grow.
• Close once, open, move to a new spot. Don't close twice in the same place.
• Comb the hair down and look before you go again.
• Work under the top layer when you're taking out bulk, so the surface stays smooth.

You can always take more out. You can't put it back.

Match it to your cutter

Your hand gets used to one grip. If your cutter has an offset handle, get an offset thinner; if it's a classic, level handle, stay classic. The Jaguar Pre Style Ergo P 28 thinner, for example, has the same classic handle as the Pre Style Ergo P cutter.

Keep the lengths close too. A 6.0 inch thinner pairs well with a 5.5 or 6.0 inch cutter. Left-handed? Your thinner needs to be left-handed as well.

When to add a texturizer

Once you're cutting a lot of thick, coarse or curly hair, an all-rounder can feel slow at taking out weight. That's the time for a texturizer with fewer teeth, such as the Ichiro Taiyo with 15 teeth or the Ichiro 16T.

Keep the all-rounder for blending. Plenty of working stylists keep one of each.

Thinner checklist

• Do I already have a cutting shear I'm happy with?
• How many teeth, and does the maker give a percentage?
• Is the handle the same style as my cutter?
• Is the length close to my cutter's?
• Is it made for my cutting hand?

Want both tools in one order? A cutting and thinning set does that; see sets and kits.