Steel matters. I don't care if it's a knife, a sword, or a pair of scissors, the steel behind the instrument is the #1 determining factor as to how good it actually is. Good craftsmanship comes second, because it has to. Good materials have to come first, or your good craftsmanship won't stand the test of time. These scissors are made of 440C stainless steel. This may not be an "exotic" steel like ELMAX or S30V. But it is a tried-and-true "benchmark" steel. It also happens to be the knife steel of choice for one of the most popular pocket knives of all time, the "Buck Folding Hunter". If you know someone who is into pocket knives at ALL, there are good odds they own a Buck Folding Hunter. It is, in a word, a legend among knives. And so these scissors perform like you would expect them to perform with such a high quality steel behind them. They GLIDE through hair. Talking near zero effort. And the ball bearing hinge is so smooth, the friction can barely be detected. They're extremely sharp and VERY nicely made. As a bonus, they come with a really nice little leather carrying case, which has room for another pair of scissors. And probably a few other items. In short, these are excellent scissors. They're made of very high quality steel, and should last longer than I will. Cutting hair with them is nearly effortless. 100% recommended if you're looking for some quality scissors.