Scissor happy: choose and maintain the perfect pair
- Comfort is crucial. The most popular method of sizing up the perfect pair remains the palm plus fingertips, minus a couple of centimetres measurement.
- Larger scissors take more hair off in a single action than smaller ones, so a salon allocating 30 minutes for a cut and blow-dry will advocate bigger scissors, simply because they're faster. Using a smaller size is slower going, but you get a cleaner, more precise cut.
- Take on board the techno speak. Product descriptions such as 'opposed' and 'offset' refer to the position of the finger rings in relation to each other. 'Craned' alludes to the shaping of the thumb ring; 'hollow ground' to the method of grinding used to finish the blades.
Reserve your scissors exclusively for hair. Be careful when cutting that you don't catch foils or grips, as these can cause nicks on the blades.
Clean scissors work better. Wipe with a clean, soft cloth after every use. Remove hair from the pivot area, but DON'T take your scissors apart.
Oil the pivot area frequently to ensure smooth operation at all times.
Check blade tension regularly. Some scissors are adjustable with a tension screw or key, but other models will need to be returned to a service centre for adjustment.
Service your scissors annually.
Beware of mobile scissor sharpeners peddling a while-you-wait sharpening service. They may ruin your expensive scissors.
Treat your scissors as a precision instrument. For instance, should you drop them and they feel different or catch, contact the service team without delay.
You need to force the blades closed to cut the hair.
The hair bends when you try to cut it.
The scissors won't cut straight and the section curves upwards at the end.
The scissors jar when slice-cutting.
You haven't had them sharpened for two years. Good scissors should last between six and 18 months before they need to be re-sharpened.
