Caring for barber scissors: a guide resellers can share

Good care keeps a scissor sharp for longer, and fewer complaints mean more reorders. Many suppliers print a short version of this routine on a card inside the box.

After every use

• Wipe hair and moisture off the blades with a soft, dry cloth.
• Open the scissor to 90 degrees and wipe around the pivot, where hair and water collect.
• Do not leave scissors wet or soaking, even stainless steel.

Daily or weekly

• Oil the pivot: one drop of scissor oil where the blades meet, then open and close a few times and wipe off the excess.
• Check tension: hold the scissor by the thumb ring, lift the other blade to about 90 degrees and let it fall. It should drop to about two-thirds closed. Too tight wears the edges; too loose folds the hair.

Storage and handling

Keep scissors closed in a case or pouch, never loose in a drawer. Dropping a scissor can bend the tips or damage the edge, so check alignment after any fall.

Cleaning and disinfection

Follow local salon hygiene rules. After cleaning or disinfecting, always dry the scissor fully and re-oil the pivot.

Sharpening

How often depends on use and steel. Sharpening should be done by a specialist who knows the edge type, since convex and bevel edges are sharpened differently. Harder steels hold their edge longer; our guide to 410C, 420C and 440C steel explains why.

See our range of barber, thinning and pet grooming scissors.