Shear Restoration

My other Sharpening Page was disabled... go figure

Sharpen your scissors?

How to Take the Best Care of Your Scissors

Are your scissors folding rather than cutting hair? Do they feel hard to use to such an extent that you feel numbness/tingling or pain in your wrist area after using them? It may be that they require professional scissor sharpening and servicing. However, there are four simple things that you can try to improve scissor performance.

Tension adjustment of your scissors.
Oiling your scissors.
Use of Chamois.
Use an alcohol based cleaning liquid such as Isopropyl alcohol.

Tension adjustment of your scissors

During use, most scissors will lose their ideal tension setting. Too loose, and your scissors will fold rather than cut hair. 80% of hairdressers keep their scissors like this. Too tight, and your scissors will tend to push or slide the hair out toward the tips rather than cut.

If scissors are not adjusted correctly stylists will have to use more force than necessary in order to make the scissor cut. This results in rapid blade wear and poor scissor performance. It can also lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or other repetitive strain injuries (RSI).
How to adjust your scissors

Clean your scissors with an alcohol based liquid such as acetone or white spirit. Hold your scissors by the thumb ring in your left hand - let the scissor point straight up in the air at 12 O'clock.

Adjusting your scissors

With your right hand take the finger ring and open the blades so they are open 35-45 degrees. Now let go of the ring/blade in your right hand so the scissor closes by itself.

When the blade comes to rest there should be a gap between the two tips of approx 2".

If the tips come together completely the scissor is too loose. They need a little tightening which is clockwise tightening of the screw. If the tips are too far apart from each other, loosen the scissor screw until adjusted correctly.
Oiling your scissors

It is important to oil your scissors on a regular basis. Oil keeps the scissor clean by leading hair and dirt backwards, past the screw.

Oiling your scissors

If not oiled, hair and dirt may build up under the screw mechanism interfering with the tension setting. Stylists may have to use more force than necessary in order to make the scissor cut. This results in rapid blade wear and poor scissor performance.

It only takes a moment to oil your scissors; open the scissor completely and drop oil between the blades around the screw area. Occasionally it maybe necessary to loosen the scissors and clean ensure the scissors are dried and oiled immediately
Use of Chamois

A chamois is used on scissors in the same way that barbers use a leather strop on razors to prepare the cutting edge before use.

Use of chamois

Firstly, wipe the blades with a paper towel to remove most of the hair and dirt. Then wipe the outside of the blade with the chamois 2-3 times. Be careful not to cut into chamois (or your hands) with the scissors.

Wipe the inside of the blade once with the chamois. This procedure is done best by placing the chamois flat in the palm of the left hand.

When the scissor is done on both blades it may have to be adjusted for tension again.
Use an alcohol based cleaning liquid such as Isopropyl alcohol

Many hair products on the market contain silicone and other ingredients that may hinder the cutting performance of scissors if not completely removed. These products leave a thin layer on your scissors, effectively dulling the blades, and lead to diminished cut performance.

To remove these products from your scissors it is necessary to clean the blades with an alcohol based solvent, such as Acetone (nail varnish remover). Simply add some to a paper towel and wipe blades thoroughly.

Test your scissors... Take apart a tissue... Using one ply, Spray with water bottle. No fingers in the scissors and cut through the wet tissue ply. Should cut clean and not pull. Do a couple times. Make sure your tension is correct.
Most scissors if not properly serviced or maintained will not pass this simple test.
Call in a reputable hand sharpener do this test after they service your scissors to be certain.

Holiday rush nearly over. Time to tune up your scissors. Call and set up appointment for sharpening, re-honing, clean, polish replace any worn parts, missing finger rests, tighten properly, test and oil. All done at your location. The drive by scissor grinder will not pay attention to properly adjusting your scissors...

Dropped, Nicked, or Bent Scissors Call Now

Take Advantage of additional services - base rings repairs, sink parts for most shampoo bowls, hooded dryer service and parts.

At the entrance to John's Barbershop. Nice way to retire your scissors lol...

The goal is to help educate.

Many Beauty Schools don't spend much time if any on scissor design and quality. They send students out in the field with scissors from their student kit.

15 to 20k to attend cosmetology school the least they could do is supply better quality scissor and give a hour or two on the most important tool in these kits.

Posture, working around the chair and holding your tools. How different scissor handle designs give better comfort working different length hair.

I love watching European trained stylist work and command the hair, using the mirror, standing straight while engaging with their client. The hair just falls into place. I sharpen at some Toni and Guy Salons and Franchises with stylists direct from England, it's like watching a Symphony.

Invest in your tools buy quality.

Buyer beware.

I looked at a pair of Pakistani made scissors earlier today.

No Country of origin, only said Japanese Steel on them with some logo.

Philadelphia area hairdressers are buying these from door to door scissor grinders. Stop wasting money. Stylist having five or six pairs of these 89.00 scissors could of invested in better quality Japanese or German scissors.