FAQ

The conventional type had a built-in stopper to limit the opening of the blades so as to prevent inadvertent exposure to the sharp blade edges. However, some customers expressed dissatisfaction because they could not trim thickened toenails.

The new type has solved this problem by using a new cylinder spring, which allows the blades to open 3 to 5mm for normal use and ensures outstanding ease of use. Our patented new spring also enables the blades to open as wide as 15mm so that the nipper can be used to trim thickened nails as well.

Moreover, each nipper comes with a specially made box, which can be used as a dedicated storage case to store the nipper safely. The use of this practical packaging has resulted in a reduction in waste.

We used to make nail nippers only with curved (concave) blades that fit the shape of the nail, but some of our customers expressed a desire to have straight blades to prevent ingrown nails. For toenails in particular, it is recommended that you not cut off the top corners of the nails because cutting too short tends to cause ingrown nails.
In response to the request noted above, we now make nail nippers with straight blades. Our standard type, which has curved blades, also works fine for trimming toenails if you are careful not to cut the nails too short. However, our newer nipper —Nail Nipper for Foot—is a long-awaited product for those who prefer trimming their toenails straight across.

No. You can use any of our nail nippers to trim both your fingernails and your toenails. As mentioned above, our nail nippers for foot care feature straight blades.
If you prefer trimming your fingernails straight across, please use the straight-blade type. Otherwise, you can trim both your fingernails and your toenails with our standard nail nippers, which have curved blades.

The Mirror and Classic families of Suwada nail nippers are the same in terms of material and blade shape (excluding the Foot product), but their finishes are different.
The Mirror models feature mirror finishing, where the product is polished to a mirror gloss, while the Classic models are treated to hairline brushed finishing, which creates a satin-like matte surface by purposely leaving fine polished lines.

The mirror finish makes a product so beautifully shiny that even a fingerprint is visible. Wiping it with a soft cloth will restore its shiny, mirror-like surface. On the other hand, marks are inconspicuous on brushed-finish surfaces, which makes this finish ideal for casual use.

Our standard nail nippers, including the Classic family, use solid material for the entire body. Some of our customers, the elderly in particular, pointed out that the handles could be slippery, so in 2002 we developed a new nail nipper model called Soft that featured rubber handles. These handles provide good grip and give the user great control. Although the handles may look bulky, they are ergonomically designed for a comfortable fit in the palm. The Soft model won a Good Design Award in 2002 in recognition of its universal design.

In autumn 2013, we introduced an improved Soft model called New Soft. It features a cylinder spring instead of a plate spring and has become even friendlier for people with a weak gripping strength. The New Soft model is available with either curved blades or straight blades. The latter model is called New Soft for Foot and was designed and developed expressly for foot care.

See New Soft

All Suwada nail nippers are hand-finished one by one by our artisans, who pay the utmost attention to ensuring that each nipper provides the highest cutting quality and precision. Comparing the different models, you may feel that a Mirror model, with its smoother blade surface, provides sharper cuts and superior cutting quality. However, the difference is extremely subtle and the other models compare quite well with the Mirror models.

Certainly. Any of our nail nippers will help you cut problem nails like these because they have angled blades, which work well on such nails.

For a severe ingrown nail, you should choose one of our Large models (shown as “L”), which has finer-point tips, because it provides enhanced precision and control. With it, you can pinpoint and trim the painful portion of the ingrown nail. Be careful not to cut it too short because cutting an ingrown nail too short can have an adverse effect.

For a thickened nail, a Large model definitely is recommended. Due to the principle of leverage, the L model can cut a thick nail with less effort than a Small (shown as “S”) model.

The blades open up to 15mm. Please do not attempt to trim a nail of this sort in a single cut because it could result in the nail being cut too short or cracking or it could cause chipping of the edges of the blades. Instead, cut the nail bit by bit.

Our Large size (shown as “L”) is the standard size and has been chosen by many of our customers. To trim a severe ingrown nail or a thickened nail, we recommend the L product, which has sharper blade edges and finer-point tips, providing enhanced precision and control.

If you have a small hand or plan to travel with the nipper, your choice may be a Small size (shown as “S”). The S blades are not as pointed as those of the L models and therefore the S product may be preferred by people who are using a nipper-type nail nipper for the first time.

Stainless steel becomes a different material with different characteristics depending on the components.

For Suwada nail nippers, we have paid particular attention to sharpness and cutting quality and held to uncompromising standards. We therefore use a cutlery stainless steel that is also used to fabricate custom-made knives and kitchen knives. Cutlery stainless steel contains a high level of carbon, and in fact is called high-carbon stainless steel, and because of this property it is harder and stronger and blades made with it last longer.

On the other hand, cutlery stainless steel is much more susceptible to corrosion than common stainless steel (e.g., steel for spoons and other flatware). All Suwada nail nippers undergo an anticorrosion treatment process before shipment. However, we recommend that you wipe off any dirt or grime after use and apply a thin layer of commercially available antirust grease to your nipper from time to time.

Suwada nail nippers have thin, sharp edges and fine-point tips. They are susceptible to impact and the blade edges, the tips in particular, can be chipped or damaged in certain situations. Dropping them on a hard floor could cause some deviation in the alignment of the blades, as with hair-cutting scissors used by professional stylists. Therefore, please store your nail nipper in the specially made box that it comes in when you purchase it or in some other dedicated case. Please make sure that you store them completely away from small children.

Leather cases, convenient for carrying your nipper when traveling, are also available (sold separately).

See Leather Cases

Wear and tear of the blade edges is affected by usage frequency and storage conditions.

Please send your nail nipper to us if you perceive deterioration in sharpness. Our records show that many of the products we receive for maintenance are five to six years old. Please note, however, that whetting/sharpening has limits and when there are no more edges, the nail nipper can no longer be used. If blades are severely damaged due to cutting something other than nails, we have to grind them extensively. In such cases, it may be impossible to perform maintenance another time after that.

See Maintenance Service

We do not set a specific warranty period. For any of our products sent to us for paid maintenance service, we will do our utmost to restore the product as much as possible before sending it back to you.

Please consult us before disposing of any of our products that you have been using.
Sometimes we have received nail nippers that were made 30 or even 40 years ago. We are happy to report that we have been able to mend them and return them to their owners for further use.

Yes, we can engrave letters however you like on the interior surface of the handle with a laser. You can personalise your nail nipper by having your name, birthday, or a short message or the like engraved on it.

See Personalisation Service