Scissor sharpening and servicing

The majority of salon scissors in use today are either of Japanese or German style.

The Japanese style scissor has a convex edge that tapers to a very sharp point making them ideal for all cutting techniques including slide cuts, wisping etc.. Because the edges are so sharp a hone line is ground along the inside edge to prevent them from rubbing themselves dull and to give them a smooth and quiet run.

A German style scissor has flatter or bevelled edges and typically has one or both edges serrated. These serrations prevent the hair from being pushed forward and this scissor is ideal for dry and layer cutting. Its major drawback is that one cannot slide cut with it and because of its serrations it runs louder and rougher than a convex scissor.

If your corrugated scissors have been sharpened by another sharpener who removed the corrugations, don’t despair, we can restore them for you.

THE SHARPENING SERVICE

In days gone, scissor sharpening was performed free-hand at the factory by skilled craftsmen. To-day most factories use specialised machinery and jigs to perform this operation.

Our service uses similar machinery so when we sharpen your scissors the results are as good as or sometimes better than when new.

When you entrust your scissor to us for service, we:-

1. Inspect the scissor for damage, alignment and missing parts.
2. Test cut.
3. Strip and clean. Finger inserts are removed and sanitised and replaced as necessary.
4. Hone, sharpen and diamond polish. This is a 5 stage procedure including final honing of the inside ride on Japanese whet stones. The cutting angles are re-set to factory specification.
5. Replace worn or missing parts (washers, bump stops) at no cost. (finger rests only if requested and at a nominal charge)
6. Reassemble, set the blades and tension the scissor.
7. Lubricate and test cut.

Our sharpening/servicing is guaranteed for 30 days unless repair is attempted by a third party or the scissor has been subsequently dropped or used for cutting something other than human hair.

Please note. Thinning shears can only be sharpened on the cutting blade, the comb blade will be honed on the inside ride.

Turnaround time is typically 2 days to dispatching back to you after receipt.

Basic salon scissor and terminology of its parts

Japanese (convex) vs German (beveled) edge