Matsuzaki....it is one of the oldest shear companies I know of. Over 105 years in existence! This line of shears is rated by STARS. A single star all the way up to five stars. As the stars increase so does the quality. Yes, they are pretty pricey, but, I have clients that have used their five star shears for fifteen years or more! So, a $1000 shear used for....say ten years. That breaks down to about 27 cents a day. A great investment.