---

Shears 411

Cutting Resistance: Never complete a cut if the section of hair offers resistance. Forcing blades to cut thicker sections than they are designed to do can severely damage edges. Cut thinner sections instead. (Source: Advanced Sharpening)		Clean your shears. “Hair can buildup in-between the blades, causing your shears to be out-of-balance. Solution: Use a soft cloth to wipe the blades after every use. You should also oil your shears every day by putting a drop of shear oil on the pivot (screw) area. This allows the blades to move freely when cutting.” Marc Milman, president of Washi Scissor Co., scissor sharpener
		Carbon or Titanium Scissors: "The process of making good scissor steel is the result of an exact recipe in which several ores, alloys and elements are combined in a well-balanced mixture. Cobalt and titanium are added to some steels to increase hardness and decrease weight. Adding these alloys will result in the finest scissor steel. However, there’s no such thing as 100% cobalt or 100% titanium scissors. This would be like trying to make a chocolate cake out of nothing but cocoa powder." Caralee Dunbabin, President of Shear Technology
Myth Buster: Despite the plethora of so-called aficionados that credit Leonardo DaVinci for creating the basic scissor design that you use today, the fabled painter and inventor isn’t responsible for this mode marvel. Rather, the honor goes to an unknown craftsman living in ancient Rome during the first century A.D. (Source: Encyclopedia Britannica)		How sharp are your scissors? Find out by wetting a Sanek Neck Strip and snipping it in half without using any thumb torque (pressing the blades together). If your scissors cleanly cut the strip, they’re sharp. If they leave some frayed edges behind, they need to be sharpened. If any part of the strip simply bunches between the blades, your scissors are downright dull. (Source: Diamond Rose Shears)