Why You Shouldn't Have Blunt Hair Shears

Our hair cutting shears arrive to you extremely sharp and ready to take on any hair cut ! Professional hairdressing scissors are made from high quality japanese steel, ensuring they are super sharp and will give you a smooth cut every time! However, as hairstylists we use our shears all day, everyday, so over time they will begin to feel harder to handle. Your hair cutting scissors have become blunt. Don't worry, it happens to everyone! Let's talk about these dull scissors.

How to tell if your shears are blunt

Cutting hair with very sharp scissors is an easy feat. Sharp blades cut through hair like butter. This won't last forever. Day in and day out you are cutting hair , it is hard work for you.. and your shears! The daily use of shears will cause the sharp edge to slowly dull over time.

When shears begin to dull you will notice a few things. Blunt scissors will feel like you are working harder. The blades may feel as if they are harder to close when cutting hair. At the end of the day your wrists and hands may begin to feel more sore than usual. This means your working harder to achieve the same results.

Working harder may not bother you too much at first, but blunt scissors can also be harmful to your clients. When you have dull blades they will begin to push, bend or pull the hair. This can be painful for your client. Not only is it uncomfortable but the pulling, bending, pushing etc. can create split ends. You work so hard to educate your clients on hair health, you don't want to be the one to cause them those split ends.

Now what

Well you have noticed that your shears are bending hair and you know they're blunt. Well now what do you do?

First, let's check our shears. Occasionally the signs of dull scissors are also signs of scissors that just need a little love. If your hair cutting shears are pushing or bending hair, start by wiping the blades clean. We recommend using our microfibre cloth ( that comes with every shear purchased) to wipe all the hair and build up off the cutting edge of your shears. You can then use a a few drops of rubbing alcohol to clean the blades. Once the blades are clean put a drop of shear oil at the pivot point and open and close your scissors to remove any left over hair or build up.

You've cleaned your shears, now make sure to check the tension. Hair cutting scissors that are too tight or too loose can often mimic a blunt edge. To check the tension open your scissors to a 90 degree angle from the thumb ring. Drop the thumb ring. If it closes to 20 degrees ... it's perfect! If the blade stays open more than 45 degrees your tension is too tight. If it closes more than 20 degrees it is loose. Adjust your tension and try again.

If you have cleaned your shears and adjusted the tension and they are still not cutting correctly, it is time for a service. Call your bladesmith, or sharpener and get your hair cutting scissors sharpened!

Keep your shears sharp!

A pair of professional scissors should stay sharp anywhere from 3-6 months. We recommend servicing your shears at least 1-2 times per year. Barber shears may need sharpening more than that as they cut more hair daily and men's cuts can be harder on a pair of shears. So making sure you are diligent about servicing your shears will prevent them from being blunt.

Your expensive hair cutting scissors are for hair! They are not craft scissors or regular kitchen shears. Hair cutting shears are not like regular house scissors and should not be used for cutting paper or other materials. Using haircutting scissors to cut anything but hair will not only dull the blades quicker but can also cause your shears permanent damage. You wouldn't cut hair with kitchen scissors so do not use hair cutting shears to cut regular household things.

Maintaining your shears is key to making sure their sharp edge lasts. A daily routine of cleaning and oiling will help to ensure that the blades do not become blunt too quickly. Regular checking of the tension will also make sure your scissors are cutting correctly and keep them safe from damage.

In conclusion

It is important to remember shear maintenance when we are cutting hair. Blunt scissors can make it difficult to do your best work! Luckily for us a good pair of shears will take longer to become blunt. This guarantees more precise cutting, for longer! So if your scissors feel off, save yourself and your client any pain, and get them sharpened !