Shears 101

To maximize the stainless feature, the surface should be highly buffed. This is because, after grinding, the grit leaves a rough surface and scratches on the metal. Moisture can be trapped in the rough surface and the steel could get rusty. Through buffing, the roughness and scratches are smoothed out, which eliminates to a large degree, the possibility of moisture entrapment. The resulting surface of cutlery has a mirror finish.

Chris Christensen Systems shears have additional alloying elements, like manganese, molybdenum and vanadium, to make the steel tougher and the cutting edge last longer.

B. What Does Ice Tempered Mean?

The word ICE is so popular that a lot of regular carbon steel shears proclaim to be ice tempered which does not make any sense technically. Some people even think ICE is a brand name.

The important thing to remember is that ice tempering is primarily beneficial on stainless steel.

The disadvantage of the high content of chromium in stainless steel is that the cutting edges dull quicker. To overcome this, the steel is being frozen. This is how it works:

To make steel hard, it has to be heat-treated. With Stainless steel that means heating the steel above 2000 degrees F. At that temperature the structure of the material is at its optimum. To preserve this structure, the steel is cooled rapidly and tempered at about 450 degrees F. Now you have a pretty good hardness and

flexibility on your shear except that the chromium in the steel will not permit a long lasting cutting edge.

To make the cutting edge last longer, the steel is subjected to about 50 to 60 degrees below 0; in other words, Ice tempered. The shear is now much harder and it is virtually impossible to prove or disprove if Ice tempering was done. Chris Christensen Systems stainless shears are all Ice tempered.

C. What Is A Drop Forged Shear?

Pieces of steel are heated up red hot, put in a die, somewhat like a cake form in the shape of the shear or tool. Half of the form is fastened to a big anvil; the other half of the die is attached to the ram which acts like a hammer. The ram comes down on the steel, forging the pliable steel into the die and giving the steel the form of the future shear. These drop hammers are up to 20 feet high, standing on a 10-foot deep foundation. The ram can weigh 10000 lbs. or more.

Because of variances in dimensions of the shears, some of the hot steel is being squeezed out of the die cavity. This creates a large burr, which is cut off under heavy presses. Now the still-hot shear forgings are cooled off under controlled conditions to eliminate any internal stress.

D. What is A “Blanked” Shear?

A lot of cheaper shears are blanked out. Strips of steel are cut out in the form of a shear, like mother cuts out cookies. The cheaper versions of the “Blanked” shears are then ground into shape. For a better quality, cut out “Blanks” are put into a very powerful press and the blade is squeezed into shape. Thereby the steel near the edge is compressed and the cutting edges last longer. This means, that not all cheaper shears are equally cheap.

Drop forged tools and shears are far superior to blanked ones. The material flow of the hot metal being forged and pounded into the cavity gives the steel a much denser structure, better quality and ultimately longer life. Naturally, forging is a much more expensive process than blanking.

E. What Makes A Shear Cut?

A shear is essentially a lever system.

If you were to take two pieces of metal and screw them together, you could not cut a wet noodle.

The blades of a shear are twisted lengthwise. This is done to bring the cutting edges up and to create a rake angle, which gives the shear room to function. Otherwise they would squeeze the material.

The blades are also curved toward each other ever so slightly to maintain a point of contact along the length of the cutting edge. Otherwise the shears would tend to fold hair. Of course, this curvature of the blades creates a pressure, which is absorbed by a counter pressure in the form of a semi-circle on the inside of the blade, below the screw. This semi-circle is called a ride.

Any shear feels “floppy” or loose in the screw when completely opened. On the other hand, one should see a “crack” or light between the blades when the shear is completely closed.

F. What Is A Blender, Texturizer and Thinner?

The “blending” or “tapering” shear has teeth ground or milled very deep into ONE blade. The extreme end of each tooth has a tiny V-notch to prevent hair from slipping. Generally there are 18 teeth per linear inch. Each tooth .01” (1/32”) wide with .020” (.5mm) gap in between.

These shears are mostly used for finishing a haircut, cutting approximately within ¼” to ½” from the hair tips.

The “thinning” shear has teeth cut deep in both blades. One blade is “edged,” the other again has the V-notch on the extreme end of each tooth. There are 13 teeth per linear inch. Each tooth .045” (3/64”) wide with .030” (1/32”) gap.

These shears are used for “thinning” thick hair with the cut made close to the skin. Another application is to cut near the hair ends to texture the hair for a more natural look.

A “Texturizing” shear has fewer teeth or wider gaps to create texture. So in effect, the fewer the teeth, the more dramatic the cut will be.

We are often asked, “Which of the two shears cut out more hair?” The thinning shear does. Per linear inch, both shears have a total cutting edge of a little over ½”. The blender measures .558” and the thinner .585”. However, don’t forget that it is not a question of how much cut one gets, but the “blender” and “thinner” are different tools for different applications.

G. Why Are Convex Edge Shears So Different From Beveled Edge Shears?

In chapter E, “What Makes a Shear Cut,” the function of a shear, the curvature of the blades and the relationship of the ride (semicircle below the screw) was described. This is a beveled edge shear.

A little history is in order now.

The complaint we heard about shears and razors is the shears were “too noisy.”

As late as 1969, all the Japanese shears (convex edge) were dead soft. One could bend them like lead. A dead soft shear cannot have curvature in the blades; otherwise they would cut into each other. Therefore, the Japanese have straightened out the blades and flattened out the ride. Result: Two smooth, quiet running pieces of metal, which could not cut a wet noodle.

To overcome that detriment, they put an extremely keen cutting edge on the blades and extra hollow ground the inside blades so that the blades slice through the material, in our case, hair.

Today, convex edge shears are hardened and are overall good, smooth running and sharp. The drawback is that the very keen edges nick very easily. Both the convex edge and beveled edge shears have advantages and disadvantages. Chris Christensen Systems has developed a HYBRED; our shears are both Convex, razor and beveled edge shears. Keeping this in mind, most sharpeners have never seen a shear like Chris Christensen Systems and are not capable of servicing these shears. It is imperative that your customers are aware that their CCS shears came with a Free Sharpening Warranty and they can send their shears to our factory as many times as they wish for sharpening and/or total reconditioning.

H. Why Are Most Beveled Edge Shears Serrated While Convex Edge Shears Are Not?

A high content of chromium makes a steel stain-less. The side effect of chromium is that the cutting edges are very slippery and the hair has a tendency to be pushed forward. Beveled edge shears overcome this problem by micro-serrating the edges. This serration holds the hair in place.

Convex edge shears are very keenly edged. To serrate the edges would be counter productive because the edges would chew each other up.

Convex edge shears often have one blade indented. This reduces the angle of the cutting edges toward each other. With that the “push force” is greatly reduced and the keen edges slice through the hair.

I. . What Is a Scissor and What is a Shear?

The word “scissor” apparently comes from the Latin word “cisoria” meaning a cutting instrument. The verb “scinder” means to cut or separate.

The word appears in Old French between 842-1300 A.D. as “Cisoires,” from which the Modern French word “Ciseaux” derives. In late Middle English, about 1400 A.D., there is found reference to “sisours” and “cysowres.”

The word “shears” apparently has quite a different derivation, originating from the Germanic/Teutonic root “Sker,” which later changed to “Skeresa.” In Old English, the word became “Scear.” The word in German is today “Schere.”

Today both words, shear and scissor are being used in the English language. One definition is that a scissor is up to 6” in length. Anything longer than 6” is generally considered a shear. Another definition is that even sized fingerings are a scissor and uneven ones a shear.

J. What is an Ergonomic Shear?

Ergonomics is the science of body motion. Some years ago, there was a governmental agency in Germany similar to OSHA in this country. They found an extraordinary amount of Arthritis in the beauty profession.

This research institute videotaped and studied hundreds of stylists. They found that typically the stylists, while cutting hair, take the stance whereby their knees are flexed, the belly is sticking out somewhat, the wrist is angled upward, and the fingers, in a standard shear with the finger rest, are closing in a motion whereby the thumb leads toward the ring finger.

This motion is very unnatural and strenuous. For an example, one would never pick up a coin off the table with the thumb and ring finger. As an experiment, just try this. Move your thumb toward the ring finger while tilting the wrist backward and make twenty repetitions very rapidly. You can feel the strain in the wrist, forearm and elbow building up. Taking all the elaborate research findings into account, Chris Christensen Systems developed a shear whereby the whole handle contour, with the thumb forward, allows your hand to close in a natural motion. The whole concept is unique, definitely a first in development of shears, patented but ultimately copied by many other companies. These shears are definitely less fatiguing and a lot of people who suffered from strain, arthritis, carpel tunnel syndrome, or had calluses on their fingers, felt great relief using these shears.

II. What Is A True Lefty Scissor?

Before trying to use a true lefty scissor (or sell one to a lefty) you should know what type of scissor the groomer is using. In order to distinguish a right-handed scissor from a left handed scissor you should hold the scissor in your hand like a groomer would. The finger ring should be on top and the thumb ring on the bottom. If the cutting edge of the blade closest to you is pointing toward the ceiling you are holding the scissor in the correct hand. A left handed scissor will have the finger and thumb ring to the left and of course a right handed scissor will have the thumb and finger ring on the right.

Many left handed groomers have cut with right handed scissors for so long; they don’t know what it is like to cut with a “true lefty scissor.”

The natural hand motion of a right-hander using a right handed shear forces the blades of the shear together.

When a lefty uses a right handed shear the natural hand motion would spread the blades apart and the hair would fold. Therefore a lefty has to modify their motion into the opposite direction for the shear to cut. This would have to be unlearned when using a true left handed shear. Also a left-handed person using a right-handed shear is working harder to get them to cut than a right-handed person. By getting them into a pair of true lefty shears, it will help them in the long run and probably extend their career!

Chris Christensen Systems does not keep left handed shears in stock, but they can be special ordered and will be the same price as the right handed shear model.

… Remember that the learning process to use a true left pair of scissors can take a while. Don’t get discouraged when the scissor doesn’t cut or feel the way you want it to the first few attempts.

II. How To Maintain a Professional Tool

A. Professional tools should be oiled with specially formulated oil every day. This oil can be purchased from Chris Christensen Systems in a special tube with the proper application attachment included. A soft cloth should be used to wipe the excess oil, hair and dirt from the tool after application.

B. To apply the oil to scissors, apply a few drops of oil to the screw head on the A Blade and the tip of the screw from the B blade side. A few drops of oil should be placed in between the blades in the screw area as well.

C. DO NOT USE CLIPPER OIL ON ANY TOOL OTHER THAN ELECTRIC CLIPPERS!!! Clipper oil has specially formulated compounds in it to reduce heat and friction. These compounds can dissolve washers and bumpers. You should always use specially formulated oil (like the oil supplied by CCS).

D. To apply the oil to nippers, apply a few drops of oil to the joint area from the top, bottom and inside. Work the nippers back and forth as if you were using them to cut. Apply a drop of oil to the spring ride area (where it pushes against the opposite handle) if it is a single spring nipper and work it a couple of times back and forth like cutting. A thin coat of oil should be applied with your finger on the rest of the nipper to help dissolve dirt and to protect your nipper.

E. In order to determine the proper tension of a screw or adjustable screw, you should hold the scissor in front of you by the thumb ring and open and let go of the finger ring blade. The scissor should not drop. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THE SCREW.

F. DO NOT DROP OR THROW TOOLS INTO DRAWERS OR ONTO COUNTERS! The points or cutting edges will get damaged.

G. Tools should be stored when not in use inside of a protective pouch, case, or carrier. If you do not have one, Chris Christensen Systems carries a variety of cases, pouches and holsters.

IV. What About Sharpening and Reconditioning?

A. A Professional Tool needs sharpening or reconditioning when the following starts to occur:

a. The scissor is pushing hair

b. The scissor pulls hair

c. The scissor gets dropped and nicked

d. The scissor won’t slide cut anymore (check screw tension)

e. The scissor snaps at the tips (possible nick in blade)

f. The bumper is loose or fell out (warranty – call factory)

g. The screw won’t stay tight anymore

h. The removable finger rest is loose or missing (tighten 1^st)

i. A blade breaks (some can be repaired to satisfaction)

j. The tool just plain doesn’t cut anymore!

k. The Nipper spring sticks or slides rough (try some oil 1^st)

l. The Nipper takes too much pressure to cut (edges are dull)

B. As long as your Chris Christensen Systems shears are serviced only by Chris Christensen Systems Service Center; the warranty remains in force. Should anyone other than Chris Christensen Systems Service Center service your shears in anyway the warranty is null and void. There are no exceptions to this condition. If you should have any questions, please call 800-654-7006 or 903-389-7949 to speak with a representative.

C. Chris Christensen Systems offers a complete reconditioning service for all CCS shears. If you have a shear that needs a total reconditioning, you should allow a CCS, the manufacturer, which has the experience, to recondition your tool. We will totally overhaul any scissor to like new condition. The nominal fee for shipping, handling and insurance is reasonable ($8.50 in the continental US) and only takes about 72 business hours to send and receive your tool for this service. Call 1-800-654-7006 to get more information.

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Last modified: April 30, 2008

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