Caring For Your Grooming Shears
Once you have started a tool box of better shears, it is time to review the proper way to care for them. Nothing breaks my scissor person’s spirit more than seeing precision cutting instruments tossed in a drawer to bang around with other tools, or hanging carelessly on a wall from a hook. I can still use the very first pair of blenders I bought — in 1977! Here is how to get years of good service from your good shears:
1. Never use your good shears to rough out dirty coats
Keep those older, cheaper shears sharpened and delegate them to dirty jobs. The dirt in a coat will pit the precision edge of your good shears. They are designed to cut clean hair, not sticky or gritty stuff.
2. Keep the blades dry and clean
I’d be lying if I said I cleaned my shears after every use, but I do manage to wipe them down at the end of the day. Daily cleaning with a soft cloth is great, or use a piece of chamois cloth infused with a very light oil such as scissor oil or gun oil. Dry immediately if you cut wet hair, or if a dog shakes water all over your tools.
3. Oil the pivot screw
To keep the blades working smoothly, frequently oil the pivot screw that holds them together. Use a very light-weight oil — scissor oil or gun oil. Place a small drop on either side of the pivot screw and wipe the excess down the blades.
4. Store flat, preferably in leather
Leather is ideal for storing shears and valuable metal instruments because it is slightly absorbent and draws moisture away from the metal. A cloth-lined drawer with compartments for each pair is acceptable. Hanging shears by the handles from wall hooks is really bad for them. Wall devices that support the shears at the shank are better, as long as the blades do not bang into the wall. Don’t store shears in the plastic envelopes in which new scissors are often sold — plastic holds moisture and even sweats some, a very poor environment for metal.
5. Maintain proper blade tension
Blades that are too tight cause unnecessary work for your wrist; too loose and they wobble, resulting in a less perfect finish. One way to check: hold the shears by the finger ring and give a flick of the wrist. The blades should open about two-thirds and stay there. If they fail to open, the tension is tight; if they fall open all the way, it is way loose. Arius-Eickert shears have adjustable pivot screws — some with large thumb screws, others adjustable with a dime. No special tool needed.
6. The tissue test
Here is a simple test to determine if your shears are ready to see the sharpener: hold a piece of tissue loosely with one hand and make several cuts into it. If it cuts clean, you are home free. If it bends the tissue, cuts raggedy, or catches along the blade or at the tip, you need a good sharpener.
7. Choose your sharpener wisely
Before you entrust your precision instruments to your friendly local sharpener, check out his training. Many sharpeners are self-taught and may lack the skills to properly care for better shears — and the sad thing is, they don’t know what they don’t know. At the very least, a poorly trained person may grind off far more metal than necessary, shortening the life of your investment. At worst, a self-taught sharpener can ruin an edge or break a blade — and often cannot redo the serration on bevel-edged scissors or hone Japanese-style convex edges.
Your best bet is to return the shears to the factory for reconditioning, or seek out a factory-trained sharpener. Did you know there is a professional organization of sharpeners? Does your sharpener belong — or even know that?
Factory sharpening as originally published: Arius-Eickert Co., Inc., 2201 Commerce Dr., Fremont, Ohio 43420 — (419) 332-1380. Another fine sharpener: Paul at Shear Delight, 17515 Alder Street, Unit 9, Hesperia, CA 92345 — 1 (800) 869-5132.
About the author
Barbara Bird has been grooming for a gazillion years in Tucson, Arizona. She is a self-described scissor nut. She fell in love with the first Arius-Eickert shears she ever saw because they looked so cool. Having good tools has made a huge difference in the quality of her work, and it was natural that she would ultimately try to help other groomers become happy owners of Arius-Eickert shears.