Diagnosing Common Hair Shear Issues and Solutions
/For any hair stylist out there, the use of proper shears for every cut is vital. The wrong shear selection, or even the use of the correct shears without the right level of care such as sharpening and other maintenance, will lead to issues ranging from client discomfort and dissatisfaction to long-term stylist injuries and several others.
At Scissor Mall, we're here to make sure this doesn't happen to you. We offer a wide selection of quality hair shears, from ergonomic shears like the Dynasty Galaxy to point cutting shears, edging shears, and even a full range of pet grooming shears as well. What are some common shear-related issues stylists experience if they've made the wrong call on shear usage or care, and how can you be sure to avoid these issues through proper shear selection and related upkeep methods? Here's a general primer, moving through several common issue templates to showcase a few different areas.
Hair Grabbing and Pulling During Slide Cuts
In some cases while performing various slide cuts, you will notice that hair grabs and pulls on your shears, sometimes leading to hair clumping and several other related issues. What's the issue here? The problem is most likely caused by one of these two issues (or some combination of both):
Sharpening issues: The most common culprit here is a dull shear. If the edge-guiding geometry on your shears has been worn away from sharpening, there's a loss of control and precision that can lead to pulling. Be sure to get professional blade sharpening from a qualified technician with proper equipment for finding an even and balanced cutting surface, and change out blades after so many sharpenings.
Wrong shear design: In other cases, you'll find that you've simply been using the wrong shears. Specifically, slide cutting typically requires a strong convex blade; if the bevels on your shears are too fine, the blade will often lose its ability to slide through hair. Your needs may differ with wet hair or other circumstances, so be sure to check your technique and shears in a variety of situations when possible.
Hair Folding When Shear is Closed
In other situations, a frustrating effect will take place: As you attempt to close your shear on a section of hair, the hair folds back down on itself instead of closing. What's the issue here?
While most would assume a sharpening issue, and this is sometimes the case in extreme folding situations, the more common culprit is actually tension control. You're likely using the wrong tension and not allowing the blades to close completely; in this case, it can be extremely important to tighten your shears correctly. If you've already tightened your shears recently and are still experiencing the same issue, however, sharpness is likely to blame.
Hair Pushing Away During Blunt or Straight Cutting
There are some situations where hair will be pulled as you cut, and some instances where hair will fold. But what happens when the hair simply pushes away during a blunt or straight cut, not allowing itself to be captured in your shears?
While we hate to be a broken record, the most common issue here by far is sharpening. Specifically, if you last sharpened your shears with a flat hone machine or a grinder, your convex edge may have been destroyed -- this is what causes the shears to push the hair away. This is also an issue that can take place with dull shears, though not as drastically or quickly. Luckily, use of a diamond shear sharpening system can restore this convex edge and allow these shears to work properly instead of pulling client hair.
Shears Not Holding Their Sharpness
Are you experiencing some of the above sharpness-related issues (or other similar ones) on a regular basis despite frequently sharpening your shears using recommended methods? This often signals that you've purchased low-quality shears from a questionable source -- low-quality metal will only hold sharpness for a few cuts in many cases.
In addition, your sharpening angle may be wrong. If you're using too sharp or too blunt of an angle, you may need to make slight modifications to the sharpening style you use.
Hand or Wrist Hurts Each Day
If your hand or wrist is giving you pain before the end of each day of stylist work, there could be a few issues at play:
Improper shear size and design: In many cases, the wrong shear size and design will make it hard to cut certain types of hair or hold your wrist in a comfortable position. In other scenarios, you may use the same shears every day without getting a proper adjustment from time to time; this can lead to all sorts of problems over an extended period of time.
Need a different handle: Some stylists will do better with alternative handle designs that provide more comfort. If you're working in an environment where your hands are stressed, it's often best to switch shears entirely so you can get the most out of them without risking injury.
Using the wrong hand: If you're a lefty who has been using right-handed shears, or vice versa, this will often lead to uncomfortable hand and wrist positions. You can switch to a left-handed shear, use ambidextrous shears, or even try a different style of shear if your problem isn't too severe. But most stylists will need to use the correct shear for their dominant hand to avoid pain.
For more on diagnosing common hair shear issues and how to solve them, or to learn about any of our hair shears or accessories, speak to the staff at Scissor Mall today.
