If you have made a significant investment in professional haircutting scissors, the best thing you can do is protect that investment by learning the ways to take care of such a fundamental tool.
If you provide regular maintenance on your haircutting scissors, they will stand a greater chance of functioning perfectly for longer.
But how can you take care of your professional haircutting scissors correctly? First of all: keep them clean.
If you are a professional and must work on different people's hair all day, sanitizing your scissors is absolutely necessary.
Clean them with warm soapy water or use alcohol instead of Barbicide (this can damage your scissors) and wipe each blade carefully using a soft, dry towel.
To get rid of tiny bits of hair, wipe the meeting point of the blades near the pivot, which is one of the main places where they accumulate.
Next, dry your scissors to prevent rusting.
Using a hair dryer to dry them is a good idea, just don't use it too often.
Always keep your scissors in a case or pouch where they can be protected from humidity.
After each week of use, make a habit of cleaning your scissors and adding a drop or two of lubricant or oil around the pivot screw while the scissors are open.
Open and close the blades gently to let the lubricant seep in and then wipe the excess down the blades before storing.
Try not to lend your scissors to anyone, it's like lending your own underwear or toothbrush.
Your scissors are yours alone and only you should be using them! And only use them for cutting hair, nothing else.
Avoid tossing them in drawers or onto hard surfaces as this can cause nicks and other damage to the blades, rendering them useless.
Always keep them in a pouch or case for protection and transport, don't put them in your pocket where they can easily fall out or gather debris and dust.
If you obtain a nicked or damaged blade, don't force them to do your will, just get them repaired and aligned.
As for sharpening, have the blades sharpened whenever you feel it's necessary.
If the blades start pulling or bending hair, it's time to get them sharpened.
Usually, high quality scissors can get through hundreds of haircuts before needing to be sharpened, though it really depends on the hair texture or type they're used on.
Always check the tension and alignment of the blades to make sure your scissor is in tip top shape.
If not, take the necessary measures to make it so!