Professional hair cutting shears require regular maintenance and sharpening to perform at their optimal level. Ideally, you should have them sharpened every 700 cuts or so. If you do more than 10 cuts per day, you're looking at getting them sharpened every two months. To extend the life of your shears, you should also take care not to use them in such a way that you will make them dull faster. Following are four things that will make your shears dull before their time.
Incorrect Tension
If the tension on your shears is too loose, your blades can pull away from one another, which doesn't allow them to close on the hair properly. When this occurs, you may notice that the hair bends or folds over when you try to make a cut. Not only is this annoying, it can dull your shears because you may start to push the cutting blade in a more diagonal direction in an unconscious effort to cut the hair.
Wrong Usage
You should only use your shears to cut hair. Never cut paper or foil with them. Also, take care not to use them on hair extensions or wigs that are made with synthetic hair. If you perform services on wigs or extensions, reserve a pair of shears for that purpose only. Be careful using them on hair that has a lot of product in it too. Continued usage on hair that is full of product can cause small nicks in your cutting blade, which will make your shears dull.
Accidental Dropping
You're bound to drop your shears from time to time, but a fall can wreak havoc on your shears. Not only will a fall mess up your tension, which can lead to dulling, it can also damage your cutting blades. Small nicks are barely noticeable, but they will make cutting hair more difficult.
Improper Cleaning
Not cleaning your shears often enough or cleaning them improperly can also make them dull. Be sure to keep shears hair clean of hair between cuts by wiping them down with alcohol and a soft cloth. At the end of the day, do a thorough cleaning with alcohol, taking care to get between the blades and around the tension screw. Place a few drops of oil at the pivot point when you put them away for the night.
If you want to keep your shears sharp, you have to get them sharpened regularly. You also have to avoid the things that will make them dull before their time.
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