For those who have not completed training in professional hair care, styling and coloring, the hair cutting shears are just a skinny pair of scissors. They appear rather pointy and small, plus the hairdresser always seems to have a dozen pairs that all look the same. To the professional hair stylist, hair cutting shears are an extension of our arm. They are a part of us. We like a certain brand, a particular length, a specific finger ring insert and a global ban on anyone else even breathing on our hair shears, let alone using them. Sadly, there are many hair stylists who neglect to properly care for their shears, thereby shortening the life of the blades. For example the use of stainless steel seems to lead some stylists to believe they can never tarnish or rust. Not true. The term "stainless steel" was applied to a particular steel alloy because it was vastly superior in its corrosion-resistant properties than other iron alloys of the time. For the purposes of hair cutting shears, stainless steel is simply a label, not a guarantee. Chemicals in hair dyes, tints, perm solutions, chlorine and disinfectant will cause pitting in the steel.

When you lay out hundreds of dollars for a tool of the trade, you expect it to last. Unfortunately nothing lasts without proper care. To begin with, clean your shears every single day with a mild liquid soap. Never, ever use disinfecting spray or Barbicide on your shears. The abrasive chemicals will eat at the steel and cause rusting. Some manufacturers recommend dish or hand soap, others tell the user to use a purely organic glycerin based soap. The soap is not only necessary for cleaning hair and skin cells off the blades, it is important to remove any chemical residue from dyes or other products. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the soap off and allow the blades to air dry on a rack. Do not put your shears away in your case when they are wet or moist, it can cause rust spots.

After proper cleaning and drying, apply oil around the screw head and between the blades of the shears. Use only oil recommended or provided by the manufacturer. Some stylists prefer an organic olive or peanut oil for lubricating their shears. Using food-based oils is not a good idea as the client may have a contact allergy to the substance. Also, the oils can leave an undesirable odor.

When your shears are not in use, keep them closed. Having the blades closed will prevent damage to the edges from other tools or falling to the floor. Despite the assumed hardness of steel, the edge of the shear blade is thin and fairly soft. So soft, in fact, that it can chip or dent very easily. Thus it is also very important to refrain from storing your shears in a bag or box, and never standing on end with the blades pointing down in a hard container. Keeping your shears in containers like these will cause damage to the blades. The best place for your shears is in a specially designed shears case, a fabric tool roll or blade wallet.

There is a general perception that shears need sharpening every 1000 sittings. That is, for every 1000 heads of hair cut, the shears need a tune up. That is a good number to use as a guideline, however it really depends upon the types of hair cut, whether your habits are to cut hair when it is wet or dry, clean or dirty and if you properly care for your shears. Having the shears sharpened when they need it, and not putting it off, will help extend the life of the shears. Keeping them sharp will also help prevent painful carpal tunnel syndrome. As shears gradually become more dull, they require more force from the hand to make the cuts. Moreover, the increased pressure required is not immediately felt. It slowly builds up until the user begins to experience pain. Learn how a sharpened pair of shears feels, and pay close attention to your shears as you use them. Keep track of your sharpening schedule so you know when to begin expecting dullness in the blades. Another way to keep the edge of your shears sharp for a longer period of time is to check the tension daily. If the tension is too tight, the blades will grind together causing destruction of the edge. If the tension is too loose, the blades will fold the hair and not cut it.

Be good to your hair cutting shears and they will be good to you. They will last longer, cut more precisely and present a more satisfied client.