Dry Cutting and Wet Cutting Shears – What is the Difference?

Dry cutting shears are the new trend. Even Bonika Shears now has a dry cutting shear. So what is the difference and can you use either shear for dry or wet cutting?

The quick answer is yes, use the same shear for both. If you use your precision wet cutting shear for cutting dry hair the downside is it will dull the shears a little faster. The upside is you are cutting with a sharper edge that will create a cleaner cut with less chance of split ends, you will not need to buy a second shear and in most cases your shears will be lighter and smoother than the typical “dry cutting” shear.

A dry cutting shear will often have a stronger edge, less sharp and perhaps even serrated (having little teeth) Those with serration will not work well for slide cutting or slithering. Typically a shear designed for dry cuts will have a thicker heavier blade and will be heavier to hold. A shear designated specifically as a ‘dry cut” shear will not preform as well in wet cutting.

If your regular shears are used for both dry and wet cutting, be sure you have a shear with a good steel and a wider convex edge blade. Find a good sharpener, hopefully one who is local and mobile knows how to convex a shear without removing a lot of metal. Even though shears are sharpened more frequently, if your sharpener is able to remove the minimum amount of metal they should last for many years of service. Of course dropping, cutting dirty hair or misusing shears will cause the shears to age more quickly. It is important to know how to correctly adjust your pivot screw, clean and oil your blades and store your shears when not in use. All these will prolong the life of your shears and take you longer between sharpening.

This is an example of a Bonika Shear we would recommend primarily for wet cutting. Firefly Shears

This is an example of a Bonika Shear that work well for both wet and dry cutting. Fishbone Shear

This is an example of a Bonika Shear that would be used primarily for dry cutting.  Bonika Dry Cutting Shear