Caring For Your Shears

Wipe blade surface after every use with any clean, soft cloth or with a specially designed silicon cloth, which leaves a thin film of protective silicone behind. Oil the pivot area - around the screw head and between the blades - once a day. Use a light shear and clipper oil (very light gun oil will also do). Do not substitute vegetable oil or any other oil that may become sticky and gummy. A buildup of oil will attract hair and dust in the part of your shears that is most difficult to clean. Design a safe place at your work station for your shears to rest, and then get into the habit of always placing them there when not in use. Always close your shears when not in use. Haphazardly placing our shears on the work station often results in having them covered by a towel and dragged to the floor, which can cause nicks in the cutting edges. You can also use a finger ring attachment on your shears, which assures that even if you do drop them, they won't go further than your hip. Never complete a cut if the section of hair offers resistance. This is the most important rule in caring for shears, and it is also the most common way stylists damage their shears. Struggling through a cut means the shears being used are too light for the task, and forcing the blades to cut can severely damage edges. Cut smaller sections instead. Check the tension of your shears periodically - if it's too tight, the blades will grind against each other as they cut; too loose and they'll feel out of control and may develop nicks. To check the tension, with your left hand hold the shears by the ring without the finger rest, point facing up. With your right hand hold the ring with the finger rest, and open the shears so that it forms a cross. Release the ring in your right hand. It should drop only slightly - if it falls more than slightly, it's too loose; if it doesn't move at all, it's too tight. Adjust the tension accordingly with a tension adjuster or a well fitting screwdriver. Never adjust the tension on your shears while the blades are open. Always make sure your shears are closed before you move the tension screw. Always make sure your shears are closed before you move the tension screw. This will eliminate the possibility of nicks to the blades. Get your shears "tuned up" periodically, and have it done by an expert. Beware of street grinders.