Dry winter air is hard on shears. Heated salons pull moisture out of the air, cold cars and commutes swing the temperature of the steel, and the salt and slush from the sidewalk find their way onto every surface. None of this ruins a good shear overnight. It does mean the pivot gets stiff sooner, hair and product build up faster, and a dropped shear is more likely when your hands are cold. A short routine keeps your shears cutting the way they did on the first day.
The five-minute daily routine
Do this at the end of each day. It takes less time than sweeping your station.
- Wipe the blades after each client. Hair, product and water left on the blades dry onto the edge. A soft, lint-free cloth is enough. Wipe from the pivot towards the tip, with the blades open, and keep your fingers away from the edge.
- Open the shear fully and clean the pivot. Hair collects where the blades meet. Open the shear wide and wipe the inside faces of both blades near the screw.
- Oil the pivot. One small drop of scissor oil at the pivot, then open and close the shear a few times so the oil spreads. Wipe off the extra. In winter, a stiff pivot is often just dry.
- Check the tension. Hold the shear by the thumb ring with the blades pointing up. Lift the finger ring until the blades are open at about a right angle, then let it go. If it falls closed on its own, it's too loose. If it barely moves, it's too tight. Adjust with the tension key if your shear has one, a little at a time.
- Case it before you leave. A closed case protects the edge in your bag and keeps the shear from rattling against your other tools.
Cold commutes and warm salons
Steel doesn't mind the cold, but sudden changes can leave a little condensation on the blades when a cold shear comes into a warm salon. If your kit travels in the car overnight, let the case sit closed at your station for a few minutes before you open it, then give the blades a wipe. Never leave shears near a heater or a radiator to warm them up.
Cold hands are less steady, too. A shear dropped on a tiled floor can knock the tips out of line or chip the edge. Warm your hands before your first client, and keep your shears on a mat or in a holder rather than loose on the station.
Salt, slush and the salon floor
Winter boots bring salt water into every salon. Keep your shear holder away from the floor by the door, and avoid setting shears down on a wet trolley. If a shear does get wet or salty, rinse the blades with a damp cloth, dry them completely and oil the pivot that day.
Products that are harder on blades
Some products leave more residue than others. Hairspray, texturizing sprays and oils build up on the inside faces of the blades and make the shear feel stiff. On days with lots of styling work, add a mid-day wipe with a slightly damp cloth, then dry the blades straight away.
When to have a shear sharpened
A sharp shear cuts hair cleanly at the tip without pushing it. Signs that a shear needs attention:
- hair folds or slides along the blade instead of being cut;
- you hear a scraping sound when you close the blades;
- you need more pressure than usual to close the shear.
Sharpening is a job for a professional who works on hair shears. A convex edge needs a different approach from a bevel edge, so tell them which edge your shear has. You can find the edge type on its product page.
A winter checklist for your station
- A lint-free cloth for each working day.
- Scissor oil, and the tension key that came with your shear.
- A closed case for the commute.
- A mat or holder so shears never sit loose on a wet trolley.
Questions about caring for a specific model? Email us with the model name, and we'll help. The address is on the contact page. Ready for a second shear? Read our guide to building a salon kit on a budget.