A pair of hard working shears are as important to as any employee at a business. So, to pamper and care for beauty shears treat them to the “spa” every day. That means Store them correctly, Protect them from rust and be sure they are correctly Adjusted.
Storage for your shears is a necessity and a personal selection on the part of the stylist. The place and container you store your shears in should achieve the three following needs.
Shears should be safe from falling, being picked up by others and from hitting on things that might nick them. Throwing shears in a drawer may keep them safe from others picking them up but they can get nicked hitting combs and clips and other items in the drawer.
Shears should be able to breathe. If they are slightly damp and put in an air tight container it can feel like a sauna instead of a spa and can cause the metal to rust.
Most state boards require that the shears be places in a covered container that can be kept clean of hair and debris.
So, with these guidelines on storage there is no perfect container. The best solution for now is a plastic pencil box when left at your station or a nice leather or cloth lined case for transporting.
Preventing rust involves two processes. First the shears need to be clean and second, they should be oiled. Cleaning the shears work best with a chamois or a microfiber cloth. Isopropyl alcohol 70% or higher will kill most microbes and is better on the steel than barbicide or spray disinfectants. Always wipe the shears with the spine down toward the cloth to prevent cutting yourself.
H42 which is an oil-based disinfectant works fine as well and performs the second function of oiling your shears as well. Since metal is rubbing against metal the pivot area where the blades rubbed should be oiled daily. Camellia Oil also called Tea Seed shear oil mixed with silicone is a favorite tool lubricate used by Samurai in Japan for preventing corrosion on their swords. These are available in tube form with a brush to wipe away hair as Sumo Oil. But surprisingly enough, a high-quality lip balm such as Burt’s Bees works very well to oil and wax your blades as well.
The last step before putting your shears away for the night is to check the adjustment of the pivot screw. It should neither be too loose or too tight. If it has loosened up during the day slightly tighten the screw, usually one click, to readjust the pivot. There are several Youtube videos that show you the correct adjustment of the screw. The blades should move freely but not slam closed. If a shear folds hair rather than cutting this is usually a sign the pivot screw needs to be tightened.
After giving your shears the SPA treatment at the end of each day, once or twice a year they should take a vacation to truly become rejuvenated. By this I mean the shears should be sent off for sharpening. If you have a local sharpener who is trained and equipped to care for your shears you can have them come to your salon and service your shears. Sharpeners can either extend the life of your shears or shorten their life. Pick your sharpener carefully because one bad sharpening can totally ruin a pair of shears.
All this information in more detail is in video form at Youtube at
