This article will focus on the servicing techniques for scissors. Notice that I did not say sharpening technique! Sharpening a scissor is only part of the total service package. It is here that many salon sharpeners fall short. I have walked into salons where the stylist was frantic because her newly sharpened scissor does nothing but fold hair! When I check the scissor, the edge of the blade is razor sharp and the blade tension is set perfect. What did the sharpening man forget to do? Read on and find out...

First, let me make a comment on scissor condition. The best scissor sharpener on earth will not be talked into sharpening a rusty, pitted scissor blade. He knows that the edge will not last and the pitted metal will result in a rough cutting edge that will crunch hair at best. So the first thing your scissor man will do is inspect the scissor for damage, rust, and wear. After determining that it can be sharpened, he will dis-assemble the scissor and carefully layout the hardware and put the tiny washers and screws in a cleaning solution. If a washer is damaged, he will repace it. Next the sharpener will check the pinky rest. If it is the removable kind, he will make sure that it is tight and secure on the blade handle. Next he will remove any finger ring inserts and clean all of the grime and dirt from under the rings. Finally, he will prepare the blades by wiping them down and checking the Sett (curvature) of each blade. The sharpest scissor will only fold or push hair if the sett is not correct.

With everything clean and in good shape, the sharpening process can begin. The first order of business is to re-establish the ride and the ride line. This is done by using an assorment of special Japanese honing stones, carefully working the blades so that the ride and ride line of the scissor blade is perfectly smooth and polished. Next, your scissor man will mount the blades, one at a time, onto his sharpening machine. He will use grit sizes from typically 60 microns down to 9 microns carefully shaping the edge to the specified angle, curvature, and radius determined by the manufacturer. (This is critical and many sharpeners just do not do a good enough job) A good sharpener will keep the geometry of the blade to manufacturing specifications. You will know right away of this was not done correctly when you use your newly sharpened scissors for the first time. They just will not cut like they did when you pirchased them.

The sharpening process on a flat hone system is preferred. A grinding wheel process just will not produce a like new convex precision edge. After the scissor is sharpened, the ride line is honed once again and the blade Sett is checked a second time. If everything is perfect, the scissor is lapped on a polishing wheel to take away any scratches caused by the sharpening process. After the lapping process, the blade and handle is buffed on a polishing wheel to remove all surface scratches making the handle and blade shiny new again. (Many "in salon" sharpeners miss this step altogether and give the scissor back with scratched handles and blade surfaces.)

Finally, the scissor is reassembled making sure that the blade tension is perfect. (You can read how to adjust and oil your scissor in my next article.) The sharpener will re-shape the tips to compensate for the metal removed from the blade in the sharpening process. Let me note here, that many sharpeners will tell you that they take off only the smallest amount of metal. While this is true, the sharpener must remove enough metal to get rid of that nasty nick or ding that may be in the blade. Many scissors can only be sharpened 4 - 6 times because the handles can not be adjusted to allow the tips to close after sharpening. The sharpener must then remove enough rubber from the little bumper that separates the handle finger holes. Once the bumper is completely removed, their is no more adjustment and the scissor is a throw away. This is whay a 2 piece scissor is a better choice to purchase. They are made to be serviced giving you much more use with your scissor.

This is just a brief overview of what a scissor man does when sharpening your scissor. Their are typically 12 - 15 steps that are necessary to complete the job to factory specifications. Procedures will vary when sharpening convex, bevel and serraded edges and the sharpening machine must be made to accept all types of scissor geometry. I hope this article gives you a better appreciation for the time and effort a good scissor man will take to ensure that you receive the best service on your expensive hairdressing scissor.

Happy Cutting!

• Choosing Your Scissor Man |
• How Scissors Are Sharpened
• Keeping Your Scissors Sharp |
• Scissors for Blunt Cutting |
• Feathering Technique and your scissor |
• Point Cutting and your scissor |
• Scissors for Advanced Styling Techniques |
• Slicing / Slithering / Carving and your scissors |
• The Left Handed Scissor |
• Scissor Design and RSI |
• Your First Scissor |