How to Maintain and Care for Professional Hair Scissors
A quality pair of scissors, properly maintained, should last 10–15 years or more. Poor maintenance shortens that lifespan dramatically and degrades cutting performance long before the scissors are worn out. The routines below are straightforward, take only a few minutes each day, and make a real difference.
Daily Maintenance
1. Wipe Blades After Every Client
Hair, product residue, and moisture are the main sources of blade corrosion and dulling. After each client:
- Open the scissor fully and wipe both blades with a clean, dry cloth or dedicated scissor cloth
- Pay particular attention to the inside edge and pivot area, where debris tends to accumulate
- If you use spray products, chemical relaxers, or bleach regularly, wipe down mid-session as well — these chemicals are particularly hard on steel
2. Apply Scissor Oil Daily
A single drop of scissor oil applied to the pivot and worked through the blade by opening and closing the scissor several times is sufficient.
- Use proper scissor oil — not general machine oil or WD-40. Those products are too thick or contain additives that attract debris
- Apply sparingly — excess oil migrates to the blade and transfers to the client’s hair
- When to oil: End of the working day before storing
3. Check Tension Regularly
Tension is the resistance you feel when opening and closing the scissor. Correct tension allows the scissor to close under its own weight when held at 45 degrees from the horizontal and released. A scissor that is:
- Too loose: Blades flex apart during cutting, pushing hair rather than cutting it cleanly. Common cause of bent hair tips and pulling sensation
- Too tight: Excessive wear on the pivot, and more strain on the hand
Adjust the tension screw (at the pivot) with a flat-head screwdriver. Turn clockwise to tighten, anti-clockwise to loosen. Make small adjustments — a quarter turn at a time.
Weekly Maintenance
Deep Clean the Pivot Area
Once a week, remove any accumulated debris from the pivot area:
- Loosen the tension screw slightly to allow access
- Use a clean cloth or cotton swab to remove any buildup from around the pivot
- Apply a small amount of oil, work it through, then wipe away excess
- Re-set tension to your preferred level
Scissor Storage
How you store scissors between uses matters more than many stylists realise.
- Use a case or pouch: Loose scissors in a drawer or kit bag are prone to blade contact with other metal objects, which chips edges. A dedicated scissor case or roll protects the blades
- Store dry: Moisture — even humidity — promotes corrosion on unprotected steel. If you work in a humid environment, a light oil coating before storage helps
- Store open or at neutral tension: Leaving scissors stored under tension over long periods (weeks, months) can cause stress on the pivot mechanism
Professional Sharpening
Even with perfect daily care, scissors will eventually need professional sharpening. Signs that it’s time:
- Bending or folding hair rather than cutting it cleanly
- A pulling or dragging sensation that wasn’t there before
- Visible nicks or rolled sections on the edge (run a cotton swab lightly along the edge — if it snags, the edge has damage)
How often? A professional with daily heavy use may need sharpening every 3–6 months. A part-time professional might go 12–18 months. There is no fixed schedule — use performance as your guide.
Choose your sharpener carefully. A professional scissor sharpener who specialises in Japanese convex-edge blades will produce much better results than a general hardware sharpener. Ask what equipment they use (hollow-ground wheels are appropriate for convex edges) and whether they are familiar with the steel type of your scissors.
What to Avoid
- Dropping scissors on the floor: Even a brief impact can cause microscopic edge damage or misalign the pivot
- Cutting anything other than hair: Paper, tape, packaging — all of these dull the edge immediately
- Autoclave sterilisation: The high heat and steam used in autoclave cycles will damage the temper of quality steel and degrade pivot lubrication. Use disinfectant spray on a cloth instead
- Leaving scissors in disinfectant solution: Short-term surface disinfection is fine; soaking scissors (especially the pivot area) promotes corrosion
A Note on Thinning and Texturising Scissors
Thinning scissors require the same basic maintenance as cut scissors, but the teeth are more fragile than a solid blade. Be more careful when wiping the toothed blade — use a soft cloth and wipe gently along the length of the teeth, not across them.