vidios to watch and Popery of Shear and scissor knowledge

Vidios you might want to watch:

http://www.hikarisc issors.com/

anima" styles:

http://www.hikarisc issors.com/ tubevid15. html

shear for wet and dry cutting needs to be different:

http://hikarishears .com/tubevid13. html



Popery of hair shear knowledge: As a preferred maintaince procedure clean your shears daily, wiping it with any good light machine oil wiping it down using a tissue or even a chamois. Some will want to loosen but not fully detach the screw or knob (thus not losing any precious washers) and then use a old toothbrush to gently remove any hairs or dirt in the pivot area. One important thing worth emphasizing is properly adjusting the tension on your convexed scissors and even bevel scissors. Convexed scissors are scissors that have a hollow grind and should have a ride line and are convexed rather then bevel edged as dose a household scissor or a sewing scissor. Hair scissors should have from 40 to 60 degree angle but it’s difficult to measure with a protractor. Anyway there is tension on both a bevel edged and convexed scissor. This tension allows the tool to “scissor” one blade pushed against the other at just enough preshure to c-u-t! To adjust the pressure hold the scissor pointing up and with the scissor fully open and holding either the thumb or scissor blade fully open. Then drop the other blade. It should and just catch halfway. Tighten or loosen the screw or knob appropriately. And here’s a tip: when using a screw driver on a scissor or shear take the time to get a screw driver that fits the screw. A gunsmith’s screw driver works best if it fits in avoiding buggering the screw up. Then put a rag on a table and “screw” [:o) with the force, if needed against the scissor instead of your hand and maybe avoid a accident. But most scissors/shears (I make no distinction) should be in good condition and not need violence to open it. If rusted use drops of DW-40 or other similar loosening fluids applied liberally and left over night. And while we are on the subject of screws [:o), some screws on scissors loosen up and are always needing tightening so that they are a constant nuisance! There is a substance that can be carefully be applied, a kind of cement. If applied properly it and allowed to harden it will lock the screw or nut so that it is not constantly loosening. It is available in a variety of flavors at auto stores and of course we have a scissor version of it. Cleaning and lubricating, adjusting the tension and avoiding dropping are the three most important things you can do to preserve your scissor/shear. Keep it in a leather case that protects it from banging other scissors. Leather allows the metal to breath. A friend said there are over 400,000 salons in America approximately 1,400,000 stylists and the average stylist has 3.75 pair of scissors. Now don't ask me how someone cuts with .75 scissors, guess they just do bald men. The object of sharpening hair scissors is to restore the cutting ability. After a while the hair will slide while cutting causing more fatigue and frustration for the stylist. The basic process is: the sharpener first raises the bur on a blade then then polishes and strops it. Then the bur is removed and the scissor is tested. Various materials have been used to test a hair scissor, cellophane, plastic from a drycleaner, one ply of dry or wet tissue, two ply’s o tissue and real hair, wet or dry. From has developed a special fabric which effectively tests new shears and they don’t have to then clean it. I feel hair is the best judge but a dry tissue can help to analyze the shear. But cutting anything else excessively except hair can prematurely dull your scissor. Just about all hair scissors are made with stainless steel that is manufactured in either Japan, Korea, Germany, China, India or Pakistan. The steel made in Japan is regarded as the best steel for making scissors in the world. And while Korean and Chinese steels are good they tend to be just a little softer metal and many feel they do not hold a edge as well as the Japanese steels. German steel is regarded as very hard, too hard to sharpen to a razor’s edge. In making good scissor steel, carbon, molybdenum , manganese, chromium, vanadium, cobalt and titanium are added to add hardness, toughness, tinsel strength, protection against corrosion, toughness and fatigue resistance. Good stainless steels range from 440A to 440C and the the silver tooling tools S-1 to V-10. ATS-314 is considered by many experts to be the finest, most expensive scissor steel in the world. Damascus steel was once used to produce great swords that was both ultra sharp and flexible but today is just a beautiful grain pattern and dose not contribute to the utility of a scissor as the layers are just wrong. The best scissors are hand forged but many many scissors have cast or stamped handles. Some cast blade scissors do not hold a edge as well as a forged shear. There is no stainless steel that is truly stain or rust proof- keep them clean and with a light coating of oil. Titanium coated shears will not last any longer but produces a pretty durable surface. Weight, length, balance and handle configuration can contribute signifigently in prevention of carpel tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, bursitis, rotator cup , and other problems in hand, arm, shoulder, neck and back I have been told. I have also been told that a swivel scissor can prevent or even reverse these conditions if you can get used to it. You can learn how to sharpen a scissor yourself with a DMT folding sharpener, a strop and a Kudo “stone” (available from Kudo scissor sharpening machines –Goougle). Watch the video on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpeVwmTGp5w. It is a crude video with a flaw but never the less demonstrates how to sharpen a pair of convexed scissors by hand and better than most sharpeners who sometimes totally ruin them. You might benefit from some training with a expert. Here’s how judges appraise a scissor at national shear sharpening shows and it’s very confusing:Convex Edge:Hone lines 40 points; honed through edge10 points; Hone line is even, tips not wiped put 5points; No multi angles or roundness of hone 15pointsNo visible hone line along the back 10points; Edge Work 30points; No excess metal removal in back or suckling effect.10points; Smooth convex.5points: Edged through. 5points; 45 degree minimum edge angl.10 points; Set & Alignment 30pointsNo hooks or holes in the run. Balanced feel. 20points; Run is smooth, not rough 10 points;Tipspoints 10 points; Meet and close all the way. Are the same length 5points;Nicely rounded, do not scratch 5points; Curvature 30 (this one will be changed this year); Finish & Appearance 25 points; Blade is high polished with no excess blemishes... .. 5pointsNo excess scratches or blemishes on rest of scissor 5points; Bumper and finger pin are not loose 10points; Bumper not sticking through to inside ring 5points; Final Cutting Inspection 50Scissor cuts entire length of blade 30points; Cut is smooth, not ragged and leaves no sags10points.
: I sharpen scissors and knives at famers markets and hair salons. Scissors and knives, our most basic appliance can in use become dull and unusable. By restoring them to usefulness instead of throwing them away or leaving them in a drawer it saves the cook or hairstylist money. A knife that cuts instead of tears food is a joy to use and a hair scissor for example that cuts rather than slides or folds hair is not only just better but can prevent hand injuries.
3) USABILITY: The most important thing that you should look for in a shear after you have established what quality of shear you wish to purchase, is how it FEELS, not just in your hand, but how it feels to your WHOLE BODY. The wrong shear can contribute to CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME, TENDONITIS, BURSITIS, ROTATOR CUP, and other hand, arm, shoulder, neck and back problems. The right shear can prevent, or even cure, these problems. The factors that will make it a good shear for you are: WEIGHT, LENGTH, BALANCE and HANDLE CONFIGUATION.
A) WEIGHT: There are hundreds of different styles on the market and one way in which they differ is weight. Some people like a heavy shear, most stylists prefer a lighter scissor. Be aware of your preference and make sure that the weight of the scissor is comfortable and that you have a feeling of control all the way to the tip of the blade.
B) LENGTH: Most scissors range in length from 4.5” to 8”. To choose a basic cutting tool, you should measure the length of the blade against your middle finger, and the overall length of the scissor against the extended palm of your hand. Most women are more comfortable working with a 5” or 5.5” scissor, while most men prefer a 5.5” or 6.0” shear. Longer shears, such as 6.5” to 8” scissors are good for scissor over comb work and longer styles. Thinning/blending and texturizing shears can save time and produce more uniform results when softening “lines” and “corners”, feathering, thinning bulk, adding volume or doing the “fractured” or more “textured” styles.
C) BALANCE: A shear should feel well-balanced in your hand. That means that neither the handle nor the blade should feel too heavy when you are cutting with the scissor. You don’t want to feel that you are working to hold the tip of the blade level with the cutting surface, or your hand will become easily fatigued.
D) HANDLE CONFIGURATION: Handle configuration is probably one of the biggest considerations when choosing a new shear. OPPOSING or STRAIGHT handled shears put the most strain on the hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, neck and back. OFF-SET and CRANE-HANDLE shears put less strain on the body and are usually a better choice. Shears that have a bent-down thumb-ring and spacing between the thumb and finger-rings are also more comfortable. For stylists with mild or severe problems, SWIVEL-THUMB shears can be an enormous help. Also, use FINGER INSERTS so that your scissors will fit your fingers and thumb. The holes on a scissor handle should not be sloppy and should not go past your knuckle, especially on your thumb. A poor fit will put more strain on your hand and dull your scissors more quickly.Contace Discount Scissors at 703 945 0171 or home at 703 620 1058 for all of your scissor needs


MAINTENANCE: You will probably be investing between $150 to $500 per shear. That is an investment that should be protected.
Shears should be CLEANED at the end of each day, before they are put in their case for the night. And if you are cutting permed hair, colored hair or hair impregnated with chlorine, you should wipe down the blades with alcohol and dry them after the cut. These chemicals can dull your blades. Hair and dirt left on scissors can cause rusting and pitting. At least once a week, you should OIL your scissors at the pivot point. Clipper blade oil is fine for this. It is best to store your scissors in a CASE whenever they are not in your hands. This will prevent customers and other stylists from “borrowing” your scissors to do things like cut out recipies and cut off the tops of perm bottles.
We recommend having any shears that you use on a regular basis serviced at least once a year. They need to be cleaned, set and balanced, even if they are still sharp.