Between the Half-Inches: 10 Cutters in Quarter Sizes

Ten cutters in our range are sold in a size that is not a whole or half inch, such as 5.25 or 5.75. They come from Joewell, Juntetsu and Kasho.

The inch label names the whole tool, not the blade, so a quarter-inch step tells you little about reach until you read the maker’s blade figure. Use the table to find the handle you want first.

How this list was made

On 3 November 2026 the store listed 136 hairdressing cutters. We checked every variant name and size field in each product record and found ten whose size run includes a quarter-inch or other in-between size. We compared them on that date: sizes, handle, blade name and named steel. We left out one clearance listing, Joewell Classic PRO 575F (5.75 inches), which the record marks as a clearance listing with a worn outer box sleeve.

We did not test any of them. This is a comparison of listings, not a hands-on review. The order is by handle layout, then by price on that date. It is not a ranking. Each card shows the selected option and its current price.

JapanShears sells every cutter below and links to its own product pages. Joewell, Juntetsu and Kasho are makers in their own right, not JapanShears brands. JapanShears is a member of the ShearAlliance and is run by the same seller as four other Australian ShearAlliance stores. Our editorial policy explains how we compare products.

The ten at a glance

Look at the ring positions

Open illustration at full size

1. 1
   Straight / in-lineThe rings sit at a similar distance from the pivot.
2. 2
   Semi-offsetA small difference between the two handle lengths.
3. 3
   OffsetThe thumb ring sits closer to the pivot. Compare it with your present tool.

Opposing rings and straight: three cutters

Juntetsu Classic II

Deciding fields: 440C steel, a convex edge, opposing rings, 5.25 or 5.75 inches, right-handed. Trade-off: none of its sizes is a half inch, so if you want 5.5 you need a different Juntetsu model.

Juntetsu Classic

Deciding fields: VG10 steel, a convex edge, opposing rings, 5.5 or 6.25 inches. Trade-off: its in-between size is 6.25 inches, so it suits a reader who wants a little more than a 6.0; Juntetsu Night goes to 6.75 below.

Kasho Millennium Straight

Deciding fields: SG2 steel, a sword-profile blade, a traditional level handle, 5.3 or 6.2 inches. Trade-off: its sizes are 5.3 and 6.2 inches, so check the exact option before comparing it with the 5.25 and 5.75 cutters. The Millennium Offset, with the same steel statement and an offset handle, runs 5.5 to 6.5 inches.

Semi-offset: Joewell’s two quarter-inch cutters

Joewell SZ Semi

Deciding fields: a Convex Shape Blade, a semi-offset handle, a removable finger rest, 5.25 or 5.75 inches, right-handed. Trade-off: an intermediate length does not tell you how the grip will sit in your hand; try the handle against a tool you know.

Joewell X Offset

Deciding fields: a semi-offset 3D grip and the Standard Joewell blade, 5.25 or 5.75 inches. Trade-off: the same sizes and handle family as SZ Semi, but a different named blade. Joewell defines its Standard blade as flat and single bevel, the SZ’s as convex shape. That, not the sizes, is the decision. The X Offset listing does not state a cutting hand, so ask us to confirm it for the exact size before ordering.

3D offset and offset: four cutters

Juntetsu Precision VG10

Deciding fields: VG10 steel, a convex edge, a 3D offset handle, 5.25 or 5.75 inches. The listing positions 5.25 for close work near the head and 5.75 as a little more reach. Trade-off: two sizes only.

Juntetsu Night

Deciding fields: VG10 steel, a convex edge, a black coating finish, a 3D offset handle, 5.25, 5.75 or 6.75 inches. Trade-off: the 6.75-inch option is the longest in-between size on this page.

Joewell Titanium TR

Deciding fields: a convex blade, an offset handle, a coated finish, Supreme Stainless Alloy, 5.25, 5.5, 5.75 or 6.0 inches. Trade-off: it is the only cutter here with four consecutive quarter-inch steps, so it lets you compare reach in 0.25-inch steps from one handle. The coating is a finish, not a performance claim. The listing does not state a cutting hand, so ask us to confirm it for the exact size before ordering.

Joewell Supreme Convex

Deciding fields: CBA-1 cobalt-base alloy, Convex PRO blade, an offset handle with a permanent finger rest, 5.7 or 6.0 inches, right-handed. Trade-off: two sizes only. See the A$600-and-up list for the alloy comparison.

The one left-handed choice

Kasho Ivory Left-Handed

Deciding fields: a left-handed offset build, mirror-polished convex blades, VG-10W steel, one fixed size of 5.2 inches. Trade-off: one size and one hand. For other left-handed lengths, see the left-handed shortlist.

What the size label does not tell you

• It names the whole tool. The size guide shows why a 6.0-inch shear does not have a 6.0-inch blade, and Joewell’s specification list says its sizes leave out a removable finger rest. Check the maker’s convention before comparing a ruler measurement.
• Equal labels do not mean equal blades. Joewell publishes a 63 mm blade for its 6.0-inch FX-PRO and 68 mm for its 6.0-inch Classic PRO, so a quarter-inch step is no guide to blade reach.
• Reach is only one question. Handle, hand and edge matter as much. Compare against a cutter you already use; the fit guide shows how.

Two lengths, two different measurements

Open illustration at full size

1. 1
   Overall tool lengthCompare the maker’s stated whole-tool size. Finger-rest treatment can vary.
2. 2
   Blade lengthA separate blade measurement. Check the model specification rather than converting its nominal inch label.

What would change this list

A new model with an in-between size, a changed size run in a record, or a price change would alter it. For half-inch sizes use the 5.5-inch and 6.0-inch collections. For a broader cutter shortlist, see the ten-cutter comparison.