Why High-Carbon Stainless Steel Matters for Professional Shears
The performance life of a professional cutting shear is governed by its steel microstructure. Standard retail scissors utilize low-carbon stainless steel (such as 420J2) hardened to HRC 52–54, which quickly folds or burrs when subjected to heavy daily use on wet or dense hair. In contrast, authentic professional barber shears manufactured by Olfen Industries rely on high-carbon, high-chromium alloys such as Japanese 440C, VG-10, and Cobalt alloys, hardened via computer-controlled vacuum furnaces and sub-zero cryogenic quenching to achieve Rockwell hardness levels between HRC 58 and 62.
Key Metallurgical Pillars of Olfen Shears:
1. Carbon & Chromium Equilibrium: Higher carbon content (0.95%–1.20%) enables razor-sharp edge retention, while chromium (16%–18%) provides total resistance to barber chemical sterilizers, moisture, and hair styling residues.
2. Cryogenic Sub-Zero Tempering: Heating steel to 1050°C and rapidly chilling it to sub-zero temperatures (-120°C) transforms retained austenite into ultra-hard martensite. This prevents micro-fracturing along the cutting edge during dry-cutting routines.
3. Convex Hamaguri Edge Geometry: Unlike flat beveled edges that bend hair before cutting, our convex Japanese blades feature a hollow-ground inner face (Ruri) and a curved outer face, cutting hair cleanly with minimal force.
