Selecting the best hair cutting shears? I constantly hear stories about "fly-by-night" scissor companies that sell "high quality" scissors to stylists for $30-$60. You can find their shears at trade shows and online. These are either brands that no one recognizes (for good reason) or they are counterfeit. The sellers aren't true scissor companies, they are cheap importers trying to make a fast profit.

As with many products, you get what you pay for. Bargain basement scissors will last about 1 month before they are permanently in your drawer or you throw them away. These scissors can't perform any cutting techniques other than blunt cutting and you will have to cut the same line over and over. You are wasting time and time is money in the beauty business. 

The majority of cheap scissors are made in Pakistan. Cheap shears are made from the lowest quality steel. Chinese made scissors are improving rapidly, however they are still far behind Taiwan, Korea, and Japan in terms of quality or craftsmanship that must go into making professional shears.

Don't allow yourself to be conned. Scissors that are made from high-quality steel and embody excellent workmanship are going to cost you $200-$800 for a shear. If you want to make sure that you end up with a top quality shear, look for reputable companies that have been around for many years.