Guest post by Tori Swanson, TUBC student, Glendale Heights campus
Icon Shears is a company that manufactures hair cutting scissors out of Nashville, Tennessee. At the Glendale Heights campus we were lucky to have the pleasure of having the company’s owner speak to us about the importance of shear care and maintenance, and also how to distinguish quality shears from low-quality shears. There is more significance in choosing the right kind of scissors for each individual stylist, that goes beyond esthetic appearance.
First and foremost, he reviewed the different materials that scissor are made of. In order to have a set of shears that will last you a substantial amount of time it is important to have high-quality steel. All of the shears that are sold by Icon Shears are made of 440C steel, a high-end stainless steel. This steel is very resistant to corrosion and has a very high carbon content. It is a common steel used for styling scissors.
After the importance of the materials the scissors are made of, comes sizing the scissors to fit the stylist comfortably. While most people like a 5.5 inch- 6-inch blade, it should truly be based on the size of the shear holder’s hands. To find the correct blade length that best fits you, place the tension screw on the palm of your hand, at the base in between your index finger and middle finger. The correct length will touch to (or almost) the end of your index finger.
Finally and most importantly, after finding your perfect pair of shears, maintenance is a must. With the usually high price for a good pair of scissors, the key to keeping them in good shape is taking good care of them. Something to check daily is shear tension, leaving shears too loose will damage the blades and actually cause more stress on your hand. To test for proper tension, when pointing the shears up, remove your thumb and let the blade fall on its own, it should not close any more than half way. Also, it’s important to only use your shears to cut hair! Using them to cut anything else other than hair will only dull blades sooner. Your scissors should always be stored individually in a dry place.
A pair of shears are a very important tool in the cosmetology industry and having and maintaining a good set of scissors is crucial not only for us as stylist but ensures quality for your guests! Having this guest speaker explain the importance of the material and what to look for in manufacturing of scissors is something I think each student will benefit from for the rest of our beauty careers!
Imagery from iconshears.com.