Your new hair cutting scissors have arrived to you packaged neatly away in a protective case. Now it's up to you to guarantee these hair cutting scissors live their best life. We are here to give you some tips and tricks for proper cleaning and care of your hair cutting shears.
Just like you clean your station between every haircut, it is important to make sure that regular proper cleaning of your scissors is happening.
In your scissor case you will find a soft cloth. In between clients use this cleaning cloth to carefully wipe the scissor blades clean between every haircut. This will remove any water, hair, hair products, dirt and other build up on your scissor blade edges. Not only is it unsanitary to leave this step out but it is also bad for your scissor blades. Build up and tiny pieces of hair can lead to dull scissor blades. It is also important to make sure you are not leaving any moisture on your blades as that can lead to rust.
You may decide to use a drop of rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol on your blade edges to disinfect them. While this is a strong cleaner it can cause damage to your blades so it is not recommended. Regular cleaning with strong cleaners or chemicals can cause rust or corrosion of your blades or leave behind a sticky residue, so it is best to always wipe the cutting edge clean with a clean cloth and make sure your blades are dry.
A big part of your shear maintenance includes oiling your haircutting shears, at least once a day ! It is usually recommended to do this at the end of your day so as not to affect your next haircut.
In your shear maintenance kit you will find a hair shear oil pen. Use this pen to apply oil to the pivot point of your shears. The pivot point is the part of your shears where the blades meet. Hair and other debris can build up in this spot, so using a small amount of oil will not only help to lubricate your shears, but also remove any leftover hair. After applying oil slowly open and close your scissor blades to help move any little pieces of hair that may be stuck. Wipe your blades again with a clean cloth. It is important not to use too much oil as that will leave the blades slippery and always wipe your blades after!
We always mention this important step when talking about cleaning shears and maintaining them. Checking and adjusting your tension ensures your shears are living up to their cutting potential for a very long time. If your shears feel dull or are pushing, grabbing, pulling and giving an unsatisfactory cut we always recommend doing this before freaking out and getting them sharpened. To be honest we recommend checking your tension at least once a day to guarantee those blades stay sharp.
Hold your hair cutting scissors from the handle with the blades pointing up. Lift the thumb ring to open your shears all the way. Release the thumb ring and let it fall. If you blades close to less than 20 degrees or fully closed, they are too loose. If they stay open above 45- 90 degrees your haircutting scissors are too tight.
Using your tension adjuster tighten or loosen the screw located at the pivot point to achieve the right tension. It is recommended to only tighten or loosen by one notch at a time as to prevent over tightening or loosening your haircutting scissors.
to properly store away your scissors. By keeping your hairdressing scissors and other tools stored safely away at the end of the day you can prevent any unfortunate accidents. Too often in the salon we are running around and super busy, and our scissors and other tools are left on our station. Leaving our tools on a hard surface can lead to accidents, like dropping our scissors. At the end of your day keep your shears stored in their protective scissor case to prevent any shear mishaps.
If you do drop your hair scissors there are a few things you can do to keep them safe. First- Don't panic ! Pick your hair scissors up without closing them. Push the two blades towards each other as you close them slowly. Do the same as you open them slowly. This will help prevent further damage to the cutting edge of your haircutting shears.
Now it's time to call your scissor sharpener! Do not use these shears to cut hair, even if they seem fine. A professional sharpening service will know what to do!
We know you want to keep your cutting tools looking and feeling their best! And we are here to help. Always follow these tips about how to clean your haircutting shears, oil and tension them and we promise you will have them by your side for many many years and haircuts !