Your professional shears is the key link in transmitting your training, experience, and special skills to your work. They are worthy of all measures to keep them functioning like the precision professional tools they are.
Fortunately, maintaining your shears to always perform like new is relatively simple but does require consistency.
- Clean and oil your shears regularly
- Keep the tension adjusted so that they are not too loose
- Protect them so that the edge does not get nicked and damaged.
- Closed shears are protected shears.
- Keep your shears stored in a case.
- Loaning out your shears is risky.
- Test their sharpness often. They should cut wet tissue cleanly.
- Keep them razor sharp
Razor sharp shears leave clean, crisp ends. Dull shears leaves frayed, split ends.
Be discerning about who sharpens them.
Keeping shears razor sharp is a distinct challenge if you have not identified a trusted sharpening service. You are no doubt familiar with the array of sharpeners that periodically drop in unannounced into your shop. Allowing them to sharpen your shears is a gamble. If they are carrying all their equipment, this may be a distinct sign they are not equipped to sharpen professional shears. An inexperienced sharpening with inadequate equipment can takes years of life from your shears or ruin them altogether.
If you are fortunate enough to have someone local that is experienced, well equipped, and skilled, stay with them.
Consider sending your shears to the Lucky Hare Factory Service Center so that your shears will get a new razor-sharp factory-edge. Lucky Hare can service all makes of shears at or near factory specifications. Any replacement parts such as bumpers and movement washers are included at no charge. Return shipping, insurance, and handling is FREE. At $20 a shear for 3 or more shears, it is also quite affordable.
Having a spare set of shears to use while they are sent in for service, will allow you to rotate your shears for expert servicing.