Why is Scissor Sharpening Certification Important?

This is the one place where you can go to have your work examined by experienced peers per factory standards.  Hair stylists do not know if the shear has been sharpened correctly over 90% of the time. They say that the ultimate test is the hair stylist but at the same time, hair stylists don’t know how to differentiate the quality of work that is being done to their shears.

• Is the set checked?  Often the set is fine but it is integral to the operation of the scissor.  If the sharpener does not know how to adjust the set, the scissor will never operate properly.
• Is the integrity of the original hamaguri properly maintained?  If the sharpener puts a bevel on a convex edge, it may cut but the character of the scissor is fundamentally changed.
• Has the hollow grind been flattened and is the ride line minimal, consistent and even?  While older German-style scissors don’t rely on a hollow grind or ride line, most newer scissors do, and these are both integral to the scissor’s operation.
• There are dozens of points that won’t be obvious to a hairdresser, but will stand out to the properly trained and experienced sharpener.  Recognizing this level of detail should be the standard by which you operate as a sharpener, and through certification you can confirm the quality of your work.

Factory Certified Shear / Scissor Sharpening Techs

Practiced factory techs from Japan and/or Germany, or specifically trained by them for this job, will be present during shear sharpening training classes and will set the bar for shear sharpening certification testing. Also, this credential will ensure your work continues to be of top-notch quality.

What happens when a shear is sharpened incorrectly?

• Greatly reduce life and cutting ability of the shear
• Can put wrong angle and edge on the blade
• May take off too much metal
• Ruin shear, have it worse than it already was
• Leave split ends
• Crush hair cuticle instead of slicing through hair and not providing a clean cut