The black type001 S, M and L are not simply three sizes of the same clipper. Start with fingernails or toenails, then read the full name on the pack. The S and standard M here have curved blades for fingernails; the L has straight blades for toenails. Use the photos to recognise the packs, then confirm the model number and JAN rather than choosing by the size letter alone.
I’m Irene, a Taiwan-born pharmacist qualified in Japan.
Sources checked on 24 October 2026, Japan time. This is a buying guide for adults’ routine grooming, not a hands-on product test or a guide to treating nail conditions.
Match the black model names and numbers
This table covers only type001S (黒), type001M (黒) and type001L (黒). It does not apply to white versions, M ST, New Standard or other KAI series. The Japanese character 黒 means black. Similar-looking packaging is not enough to identify a model: match its model number and JAN barcode digits.
Read the packs: S and standard M for fingers, L for toes
S: for fingernails
Standard M: for fingernails
L: for toenails
On a phone, scroll sideways inside the table to see all three models.
| Check | type001S (黒) | type001M (黒) | type001L (黒) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blade and intended use | Curved; fingernails | Curved; fingernails | Straight; toenails |
| Model number (品番) | 000KE0120 | 000KE0101 | 000KE0123 |
| JAN | 4901601236378 | 4901601937343 | 4901601236408 |
| Body dimensions, in the maker’s order | 73 × 16 × 18 mm | 17 × 90 × 21 mm Overall length also stated: 90 mm | 105 × 23 × 23 mm |
| Weight on the product page | 25 g | Not listed | 54 g |
| Country of manufacture | Japan | Japan | Japan |
The dimension strings retain the order used on each official page; they have not been rearranged into length, width and height. The M page explicitly adds an overall length of 90 mm but does not list a weight. There is no need to fill that gap with figures from another model or shop. This is not an independently measured, to-scale comparison.
“M ST” is not the standard M in this table
KAI also lists a separate type001M ST (黒) with straight blades. So “all M clippers have curved blades” would be misleading. The curved-blade M here is specifically 000KE0101. If the shelf label says M ST, check the complete model name rather than treating it as the same product.
Shared materials and the clipping catcher
- Blades: stainless cutlery steel.
- Lever: reinforced nylon.
- Cover: ABS resin containing an antibacterial additive.
- Clipping catcher (ストッパー): polypropylene containing an antibacterial additive.
- Nail file: stainless steel.
KAI describes the catcher as helping to reduce scattered clippings, not as a reason to assume no clipping can escape. The additive is a material detail for specific plastic parts; this guide does not treat it as a guarantee that the whole tool disinfects or prevents infection.
My buying sequence: use, full name, then numbers
- Start with fingers or toes. For routine fingernail grooming, compare the S and standard M here. For toenails, check the L that KAI labels for that use.
- Compare the stated body dimensions. A larger model is not automatically a better match for everyone.
- Match the model number and JAN. Pay particular attention to M ST and similar-looking colours or series. This is an identification checklist, not a ranking of cutting power or comfort.
Before buying or using a clipper, read the complete label, precautions and manufacturer instructions supplied with your own product. This comparison does not replace all of an individual product’s warnings.
Routine trimming is separate from a nail problem
Seek medical advice for an unexplained change in nail shape or colour, a nail falling off without a known cause, or sore, red, swollen, warm skin around a nail. If nails are too tough to cut or you cannot safely reach them, seek professional help rather than assuming a bigger clipper will solve the problem. These boundaries come from NHS nail-problem guidance; they are not treatment claims for these products.
Do not use this shopping comparison as instructions to cut out an ingrown toenail. Seek medical advice if you have diabetes and an ingrown toenail, or if a painful, swollen toe has pus, or you have a fever or feel shivery.
For routine grooming without those problems: a little at a time
KAI’s general grooming guidance, not treatment advice: trim a little at a time and avoid cutting so short that the fingertip extends beyond the nail. For filing the cut edge afterwards, the maker advises gentle, slow strokes in one direction.
Before you buy: check black colour, the full type001 name, model number, JAN and the maker’s intended use. Keep standard M and M ST separate. A problem nail needs appropriate assessment, not a decision based only on clipper size.
Image source and rights holder: KAI. The cover and article’s product photos show the black type001S (000KE0120), standard type001M (000KE0101) and type001L (000KE0123), in that order, from the first three official product pages below. Product photos are not to scale. The section-by-section trimming diagram comes from the general guidance in source 5: it illustrates working from the centre outwards on ordinary nails, not the complete instructions for each of these products. The original images are retained without cropping.
