Purchase good quality shears. Inexpensive shears will always cost you more in the long run. They simply will not perform as well as a good quality shear. You will find that it takes more effort to do a cut which contributes to your fatigue at the end of the day. Both you and your customers will notice the difference between cuts done with good quality shears and inexpensive ones.
Don’t be mislead by color coatings, imitation jewels, or other “pretty” scissors. Scissors are your main tools-of-the-trade and should be judged only by design, function and steel quality.
If you keep your shears clean and sharp, you will extend the life of your scissors. Here is a list of things that will either dull your shears or actually damage them:
Hair with product in it or that hasn't been washed recently.
This includes permed, colored and dyed, and yes, even pool chlorine.
Poor care: Dropping your shears will almost always nick or damage the blade.
• Failure to clean them properly or cutting anything other than hair can also damage them. If you dropped the shears or suspect damage, begin using your backup pair and call for service.
These steps should become part of your daily routine and the last one should be done at least monthly:
• Check your tension control at the start of each day.
• Wipe your shears clean with a dry towel after every haircut.
• Clean and lubricate your shears at the end of each shift.
• Check your shears for sharpness at least once a month.
• At the end of each day, thoroughly clean your shears with warm soapy water. Dry them fully and be careful not to cut yourself.
• After cleaning and drying your shears, it is important to lubricate them. Do not use oil as so many people recommend. Oil will collect dirt and hair and gum up the pivot point on the shear. We recommend using our specially formulated Diamond Rose Shears Lubricant. It is made with wax and alcohol which leaves a nice wax coating on your shears as the alcohol evaporates. Lubricating shears is especially important for those of us that live in a coastal, high humidity environment.
• Store your shears in their protective container.
• Always have a backup pair of shears, in case your favorite pair is damaged in any way. If you nick the blade and continue to use them, you will cause additional damage and it is possible to ruin them.
• Protect your shears from any chemicals that can cause corrosion on the blade or tension control. If they're exposed to disinfectants or other corrosive chemicals, wash immediately in soapy water.
• Tension Adjustment: When your shears are adjusted too loosely, they tend to fold the hair and you will find yourself torquing the blades in order to cut. If they are too tight, the shears will be hard to close and will wear the ride area unnecessarily plus add to your fatigue.
• To check if your shears are adjusted properly, hold the thumb blade in your left hand and lift the finger blade to a 90° angle and let it fall. The shears should close about two thirds of the way. If it falls completely closed, tighten the tension control. If it doesn't fall to that position, loosen it.
• There are three major types of tension controls: finger/thumb controls, screw adjustments or counter-sunk controls. Higher quality shears often require a special key to make the adjustment.
The best way to test the sharpness of your shears is to wet a Sanek-Strip® and make a slow (relaxed/no torqueing) cut through it, using the whole length of the blade. If they cut through cleanly without tearing or folding, your scissors are still sharp. If they don't and they bend or tear the Sanek-Strip®, they need to be sharpened. Dull scissors crunch or break the hair causing split ends. A dull pair of scissors also adds to your fatigue at the end of the day.
We recommend that you have your shears sharpened every 90 days. This will assure that you are always giving a clean cut, with the least amount of effort and will extend the life of your shears. Remember, poor quality shears will get dull faster and need to be sharpened more often, in addition shears used in high-volume salons will need more regular maintenance. Remember, only the Diamond Rose Shears Superior Sharpening System will return your scissors to factory specification.
You are a professional hairstylist. Make certain you have the right tools. Trying to do fine blending work with a coarse texturizer simply won't do the job. Using the wrong-sized shear makes achieving your best style cuts very difficult. Investing in quality tools is an investment in your career. Purchase the very best shears you can afford and then treat them like a valuable asset. Take care of them. When you're ready to upgrade to a high-quality pair of shears, ask me to show you my collection of high quality Musashi Shears® available for purchase.
Allow Victory Shear Sharpening to become your resource to keep all the primary tools of your trade in peak condition. Call or text today for an appointment.
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