The most commonly used scissors are the German and Japanese-style scissors. But what’s the difference between the two? Here we discuss the major distinctions so that you can decide which style is best for you.
Facing Side
Unlike the flat, German-style scissors, the facing sides of Japanese-style scissors have a small hollow ground area behind the cutting edge. This leaves a thin, smooth spot called the “hone line.” The scissor’s blades glide along the “hone line,” and the edge cuts the hair. Properly sharpened, the cutting edges do not come into contact or dull each other. Instead, the hollow area prevents hair from slipping between the blades and pushing them apart.
Sharpened Edge
The sharpened edge of Japanese-style scissors is made much sharper (and more acute) than the German-style scissor. The Japanese-style scissor cuts like a razor, while the German-style scissor cuts in a chopping motion. Many barbers prefer the German-style for scissor over comb cutting. However, for slide cutting or precision cutting, a Japanese-style scissor’s sharp, razor edge is preferred.
Beveled Edge
At the cutting edge of the blade, there is a distinct bevel (angled line). All German-style scissors have a beveled edge, as do some (but not all) Japanese-style scissors.
Convex Edge
At the cutting edge, there is no distinct bevel. Instead, the outside of the scissor blade slopes smoothly into the cutting edge. This gives the edge more strength, but it adds a cosmetic quality as well. When you create a sharp angle, it makes a wide bevel, but it looks much better if you smooth it out.
Corrugated Edge
Corrugated edges keep the hair from sliding out of the blade. They are normally associated with German-style scissors, but they can also be put on Japanese-style scissors. Stylists who do a lot of tip cutting should put the corrugation only at the tip of the blade for slide cutting.
At Sidney’s Expert Scissor Sharpening, I have sharpened German and Japanese style scissors for over 30 years. To learn more about my services, contact me today.
Cast steel: is liquid metal pored into a mold and then ground into shape. Many scissors that say “Japanese steel” are cast.
Forged steel: is made by heating and hammering rolled steel into shape. It is then ground into the final finish.
Under a microscope, the forged steel molecules are more densely packed together. This gives forged steel tensile strength (the ability to bend). Cast scissors will not bend, they will break into pieces. Forged scissors are able to be made sharper, cut smoother, and hold an edge longer than cast scissors. Forged scissors are usually made as two pieces. There is usually a faint weld line where the handle joins the blade. A softer steel handle is welded on to the harder forged blade. This is so the handles can be bent into shape. Another method is where the forged blade is screwed onto a handle as in the Yasaka scissors.
Hardness and tempering are as important as the type of steel. 410ss(Rockwell 38-44) often from Pakistan, is too soft. 420ss (Rockwell 48-52) is satisfactory, many German style scissors are made from it. 440ss (Rockwel 58-60) is a good scissor steel. A lot of Japanese style scissors are made from it. ATS314ss (Rockwell 60-62) is one of the newest steels.It is used on some expensive scissors. Damascus steel is ATS314 folded into layers.
Tempering is a final heating and cooling treatment that adds toughness to the steel. It must be done under strictly controlled conditions. Differences in tempering procedure effect the toughness and the feel of the steel, as you use the scissors.
Most stainless steels are a Molybdenum alloy. This alloy often contains small amounts of Cobalt. Cobalt is much easier to say, and takes up much less room on a scissor. So Cobalt is the word used. There are very few scissors made from true Cobalt. You can test for it, it will not attract a magnet. The only true Cobalt scissors I know of is Kikui Cobalt, and Joewell Cobalt and New Cobalt.
]]>Professional manicurists and individuals alike use cuticle nippers to snip away rough cuticles from around their fingers. Over time, however, cuticle nippers can lose their edge, becoming dull and ineffective. Instead of tossing out your cuticle nipper, you can restore it to new by using cuticle nipper sharpening services. Here’s what you need to know:
Before we discuss the details of cuticle nipper sharpening services, we must first understand why you might need them in the first place. Cuticle nipper sharpens, just like any type of scissors, can become dull over time from repeated use. Additionally, if you drop your cuticle nippers, you can end up bending the blades. Some manicurists use emery boards to sharpen the blades of a cuticle nipper, but this can actually make the problem worse, tearing up the edges and making it all but impossible for a nipper to cut away cuticles.
Cuticle nipper sharpening requires excellent hand-eye coordination skills. As such, you need someone who has spent years honing their craft. A master sharpener will hold the inside edges properly so that both the left and right edges of the cuticle nipper meet together. Then, they will hone, sharpen, and thin the outside edges so that the nipper is sharp enough and thin enough to slice away at a cuticle.
At Sidney’s Expert Scissor Sharpening, I have been sharpening hairstyling scissors and cuticle nippers for over 30 years. I sharpen for mail order, salons, supply companies, factories, and more. To learn more about my services, contact me today.
The blade on your pair of hairstyling shears is an artful weapon, and you must wield it as such! Even the slightest dull edge will transform a textured or relaxed up-do into an up-don’t.
A convex edge is the type of blade finish found on Japanese hairstyling shears. The edge is slightly curved in the form of an arc shape, and is refined into a thin point. This edge is different from the kind found on a pair of Germanic scissors, The thin convex edge included on a pair of Japanese hairstyling shears needs little force to operate; most hairstylists use this type of scissor to cut more advanced styles, but they are also used to perform slide cuts and lighter styles such as wisping. A convex edge gives a stylist more flexibility in terms of the variety of cuts they can perform.
Scissors with a convex edge need to be re-honed. This means that an expert scissor sharpener must sharpen the thin flat line that runs along the hollow side of the edge (the hone line). When sharpened precisely, a cleaner run is achieved and the pair of shears typically functions better than when they were in their original state.
The edge found on a pair of Germanic shears is known as the beveled edge, and it is much more angular than a convex edge. They are considered easier to sharpen by sharpeners, but they produce a less smooth-feeling cut than the edge type found on a pair of Japanese scissors. Most hairstylists use a pair of beveled edge shears because of the steeper angle, as well as the affordable price. This type of blade requires more force when used to cut hair.
Beveled Edges are sharpened at a steeper grade, allowing the hair stylist to cut with a choppier technique. Germanic scissors are the popular tool chosen by barbers who do not perform many slide or precision cuts. Unlike the razor-sharp edge of a pair of Japanese shears, the facing sides of Germanic shears are flat.
Whether you’re blunt cutting, slide cutting, or point cutting, Sidney’s Expert Scissor Sharpening has the necessary tool belt, along with years of industry knowledge that will greatly improve your cutting techniques. View our pricing and contact us today for an expert sharpening!
]]>Shear maintenance is simple if you stick with a routine. In your industry, precision is of the essence. You can only achieve this by wielding the sharpest tools. But haircut precision isn’t the only reason you should have your shears sharpened by a professional regularly.
Just as a chef has his knives sharpened, and a hockey player his blades, you, as a hairstylist, must also be attentive to the tools of your trade. Routine sharpening of your shears, typically every 4 to 6 months, will prolong the life of them. You won’t have to go out and buy a new pair, which you may have to unwillingly do; many hairstylists have a favorite pair of shears that fits like a glove, cuts flawlessly, and just feels perfect while they hold them. Keeping up with routine maintenance is absolutely crucial.
Cutting causes stress on the hand, particularly your thumb region. This stress increases as your blades dull with time because you are exerting more force on your hand in order to push the blades together. This “grinding” effect is the result of loose tension in your blades. Along with having your shears sharpened by a professional, you should also have the tension checked.
The sharper your shears are, the more precise your cut will be. This is paramount to your profession because you are in the business of making people look good! Dull shears cause hair to bend and occasionally pinch, and if you cut a lot of dry hair or hair with a lot of product in it, you could be doing damage to your shears, dulling them with each trim and creating nicks in the blade.
Hairdressing is an art form, and like every art form, the proper tools are needed to create your best work. At Sidney’s Expert Scissor Sharpening, I use a Rapid Edge Sharpener on right-handed and left-handed shears and finish them with a factory quality edge. For a complete list of services in the LA area or to request a sharpening today, contact me at the information below!
]]>Stainless steel is made by adding a lot of Chromium (at least 12%) and Molybdenum to steel alloy. The Chromium, when in contact with air forms a non reactive Chromium Oxide film. This film protects the surface iron from reacting with water and forming rust. If the scissor is scratched when wet, the Chromium cannot react with Oxygen in the air and form a new protective film, so stainless steel can rust when scratched underwater.
Many chemicals in the salon can also cause stainless steel to corrode. Some examples would be perm solution, hair color, and some sterilizers that do not contain rust inhibitors. Also high skin acid, (ex: women during their period) can cause discoloration on stainless steel tools. So don’t cut the tip off perm solution containers with your good scissors. Get a pair of cheap scissors in the discount store for that purpose. And keep your scissors clean.
]]>Place a pair of scissors on a table and look down at it. Draw an imaginary line from the tip past the pivot (screw) through the end of the handle.
Opposing finger rings: Both thumb and finger rings are the same distance from the pivot and on opposite sides of the imaginary line.
Offset finger rings: The thumb ring is shorter than the finger ring, and both rings are on opposite sides of the line.
Crane handle finger rings: The thumb ring is again shorter and both rings are bent downward so the imaginary line goes through the finger ring.
The reason for this can be seen by holding the scissors horizontally, as in doing a scissor over comb cut. With the opposing handle your elbow is held up and away from your body. With the offset handle your elbow is lower and with the crane still lower. As with many things there is a trade-off. The crane gives less stress to the shoulder and arm, but it is awkward swinging around the opposite direction. There are also variations in the size and shape of the finger rings. Some rings are bent, and some are thick and angled. So there are a lot styles to try out.
The fourth handle is a swivel: This is where the thumb ring turns. Instead of bending your wrist to alter the direction of the scissor, you move you thumb and fingers, and the scissor moves. This is particularly good for stylists with wrist problems. There is a bit of a learning curve for the swivel, however once you learn it you will love it.
The scissor is an extension of your hand. The handle must feel comfortable, it will make your cuts easier. I think the handle is the most important part of the scissor. If it doesn’t feel good you will leave it in the drawer and get another scissor.
]]>The spine is the power of the scissors. All styling scissor blades have a slight bend inward towards the opposite blade (called the set of the blade). This converging force at the point where the blades meet causes the hair to be cut. The stiffness of the spine is the force that makes this happen. The spine needs thickness and bulk to be stiff enough to provide the force necessary to cut the hair. The spine of both blades should be very similar, so one blade does not overpower the other one. This also applies to thinners. While the cutting blade does not have to be as wide as the tooth blade, the spine needs to be of similar thickness and bulk.
Hikari says the same thing about their new Dragon scissors: “Most scissors taper as they get closer to the tips The Dragon maintains its thickness and weight all the way to the tips. This new geometric weight balanced blade design provides excellent power and leverage when cutting wet or dry hair. This results in a powerful scissor with less overall weight and bulk.”
]]>Your scissor should be wiped after each use with a clean towel. At the end of the day you should put the smallest drop of oil on top of the screw and on the “ride” line, at the back of the scissor behind the screw. The smallest drop of oil, there is no need to drown the scissor in oil. Too much oil will run down the blade and get into your customers hair.
Always keep your scissor in a scissor case. If the cutting edge of your scissor comes in contact with a hard object, the edge can be damaged.
The screw or adjuster should be kept tight enough so that the scissor held in an open position (one finger ring above the other) will not fall closed. This slight pressure keeps the blades of the scissor in proper relationship to each other.
When cutting hair, side pressure is not necessary, and should not be used. A sharp, properly adjusted scissor, will cut hair without side pressure. Applying side pressure, will dull the blades quickly.
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