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Scissors
101
Contents
I.
Talking About Tools and Cutlery
II.
What Is A True Lefty Scissor?
III.
How To Maintain A Professional Tool
IV.
What About Sharpening and Reconditioning?
V. How do I
adjust the Tension of my Shear?
VI. Lubricating and
cleaning your shear
VII. How to select a good
pair of shears
I.
Speaking About Tools and Cutlery
A.
What is Stainless Steel and
What is VG-10?
Steel: When you take iron and add a specific amount of carbon, you
can then harden the iron. In other
words, steel is hardened iron.
Stainless:
When you add a certain amount of chromium to the steel, the steel becomes
corrosion resistant.
Stainless steel is what the word
implies: the steel stains less.
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.
VG-10 Hitachi Steel is available
in our Celestial Line. VG-10 stands for V Gold 10 ("gold"
meaning qualty). VG-10 is a unique formulation of steel with a high carbon
content. It contains various amounts of one or more of the
following: Chromium, Vanadium, Molybdenum and Cobalt. The highest
quality chef's knives are usually made of VG-10. VG-10 is considered a
"super steel", because it is designed to maintain sharpness and
durability without becoming brittle, a major fault normally associated with
exceptionally hard steel. This quality is ideal when extreme sharpness is
desired, as most other steels will not take or keep an edge like VG-10.
The Celestial Series will hold an edge three times longer than other
steels. When this type of steel is used, it is encased in layers of steel
providing greater corrosion-resistance, leaving only the "super steel"
exposed at the edge for fine cutting. VG-1o chemical makeup: Carbon:
1.0%, Chromium: 15.0%, Molybdenum: 1.0%, V: 0.2%, Cobalt: 1.5%
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-seriating 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 1st)
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 1st)
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.
V.
How do I adjust the Tension of my Shear?
When
you adjust the tension on a Chris Christensen Shear the blades should not drop
at all, they should look like they are about to close, but then not close
completely. This is because the shears are made with a high quality
alloyed steel and the blades run parallel to each other. There is no need
for the drop.
VI.
Lubricating and cleaning your shear
Most clipper blade disinfectants and lubes have solvents in them that will
dissolve bumpers, washers and finger rings over time. We do not recommend
you use clipper specific lubricants or disinfectants because of this. If
you use shear oil or mineral oil on the screw area of the shear you will find
they will never have a problem. After each use of your shear whip it down
with a soft chamois to remove any hair and/or debris then apply a small drop of
shear oil to the screw area and store.
VII. How to select a good pair of shears
Shears are a groomer's tool of the
trade. Just as an artist wields a brush on a canvas, the groomer uses
shears to create beautiful dogs. Shears are a groomer’s livelihood. It is of
the utmost importance that a groomer has the best and latest tools of the trade.
With good quality shears a groomer
can change the way a dog looks; making them beautiful, healthier, more
attractive to judges and boosting their owners self esteem. I bet you never
thought about the psychological impact that a cleanly groomed dog can have on
the owner. Just think how your owner feels when their dog’s grooming looks
shoddy or "cheap". That owner's experience is not a good one and they
don't feel all the pride they should be feeling. Will that owner come back?
Doubt It! Will they recommend friends come to you for grooming? Probably
not.
In Grooming School you more than
likely received a Student Kit that came with everything you needed to use.
Usually you receive a pair of 8” grooming shears. This set usually includes a
pair of thinning shears as well. These shears are usually lower end shears, that
are great while learning and practicing with!
The shears included in your set are great shears for School but, they are
ill suited for use after graduation. After you take your first Gig (Job) as a
Professional groomer, it is time to invest in a new pair of shears!
Many groomers beg the
question, "Why buy a more expensive shear?"
Investing in a good quality shear
pays for itself. So, why buy an inferior shear? The satisfaction of buying a
cheap shear last only for a few moments. . . the disappointment in wasted money
lasts much, much longer. . . and why replace a shear rather than adding a new
one to your collection?
Even in the best and most talented
hands, the wrong pair of shears will end in less than desirable results. A
simple grooming can end badly for your client’s dog, and tarnish your
reputation. Word of mouth advertising is often over-looked. When asked why new
clients show up out of the blue; the answer is often "So and So's dog
looked great, so I asked them who did it!" Cheaply produced shears can end
in a grooming that appears "cheap" and result in a client that isn't
happy. Hair will grow back but, will that client won’t come back.
Lower End grooming shears often
have two things that affect their cutting ability. Blades that are dull or
inferior can damage the hair, causing split ends and poor quality shears can not
ensure the clean line cutting that every grooming technique begins with. Shears
made of poor metal quality need to be sharpened more often. If you do not pay a
Professional Sharpener with a good reputation, to sharpen your shears, the
shears are literally chewing or grinding off the dog’s hair.
Dull and nicked blades also make
your work more difficult. With a good quality pair of shears, made from a higher
Rockwell hardness metal, your cutting edge will be sharper, and stay
sharper in the long run. A sharper cutting blade also works FOR
you. It is more efficient, cuts faster, cuts more hair in less time, and reduces
stress on your hands. One other thing to consider is just how often you get your
shears sharpened and the cost of the service. If you are having to get
your shears sharpened often, they are probably made of inferior metal.
Just think of how many times you open and close your shears during one grooming
session! Cheaply produced shears are not what you want to use as a Professional
Groomer!
There are literally thousands of
grooming shears out on the market today! How do you know if you are buying
quality shears?
Shear Metallurgy, the Metal Aspect of Shears & Scissors!
There are thousands of grooming
shears out there to choose from, different metals, different handles, lengths,
ergonomic, thinning shears, bevel, convex, this and that. . . the list seems
almost endless but hey, it's OK, it isn't endless!
When you have graduated from
student grooming shears and it is time to buy those first shears, we recommend
that you choose your "workhorse" shear. This shear will be the main
shear you use when cutting hair. We also recommend a thinning shear
(sometimes called a blender, thinner, thinning shear or texturizing shear) as
well.
Your talents are limited by your
shears and your shears are limited by your talents.
We have talked to numerous
professional groomers and they are all in agreement. They all suggest buying a
shear one step ahead of your skills and talents. We agree hands down. It is wise
to invest in shears that will ultimately last you for a while. You sure don't
want to be held back by the performance of your shears. So, how do you choose a
shear? The first thing you need is a little course on metal.
OK, this is easy, no need to
panic. You didn't have to minor in metallurgy to get this. Go to the kitchen,
pick up a fork and look at it. Is it rusted? Is it pitted? Probably not.
"Silverware" as many call it, is made out of stainless steel.
Stainless steel is strong, and corrosive resistant. Now go look at that black
iron skillet that grandma used to cook in. Is it strong? Do you think you could
break it? WE HOPE NOT! LOL! That Stainless Steel Silverware is made of iron
and carbon, like grandma's skillet, mixed with other alloys (metals) to make it
"stainless". Stainless steel does not rust unless subjected to real
abuse!
Stainless steel is iron, carbon,
and other alloys like chromium all mixed together. This potion isn't a secret
but it is the key to a quality shear. Every grooming shear is made with a
stainless steel mixture of alloys. Some shears contain cobalt; others contain
Vanadium, Molybdenum (moly steel), Sulfur, Manganese, and even Silicon.
The Rockwell C scale, simply put,
measures how hard a metal is. Hardness is determined by using a load to push a
diamonded cone into the metal. The depth the cone travels into the metal
is the degree of hardness. The higher the number on the Rockwell C scale, the
harder the metal. But, hardest isn't always the best. Shears ideally should be
hard enough to prevent corrosion and to hold that sharp cutting edge, but
light enough to be easily used. We don't want your arm falling off, but we don't
want you cutting with a shear that won't stay sharp either. A dull shear
is not an ergonomic shear, and we want you to groom using ergonomics!
The industry standard for grooming
shears is hotly debated by salesmen
everywhere, however 440 Stainless Steel is universally agreed on, as being
the best base for a grooming shear. You may see it referred to as simply 440
Stainless Steel or as Japanese Steel (J2). These terms are pretty much
interchangeable.
Metals and Rockwell C Average Hardness:
Steel
Average Hardness US
Surgical Steel
420
47 C 51
C
430
48 C 53
C
440
55 C
61 C
Hitachi (VG10)
61 C
67 C
Damascus
62 C 71
C
Ultimately groomers want to work
with the best shears they can afford. We
recommend that you choose your first shears wisely. Down the road, instead of
buying a new pair of shears to replace the ones you have; you can add NEW ones
to your shear collection. As your skills and talents grow, so should your
collection of shears.
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