Where and How to Bend Scissors and Shears to Correct the Set, Alignment or Curvature of the Blade

I am constantly asked, "Where and How do I Bend Scissors and Shears to Correct the Set, Alignment or Curvature of the Blade?"

The most requested workshop and information asked for by experienced shear and scissors sharpeners whether beauty shears or pet groomer scissors is in regards to correcting the set or curvature of the blade. Thanks to one of our California based sharpener's phone call today, I decided to share some diagrams that help me. I actually had these illustrations and referred to them when I passed and received the top score when certifying for Master Shear Sharpening at the National Beauty Tool Sharpeners Guild a few years back in St. Louis. these diagrams are courtesy of Casper Kiser when he worked at Oster Products and are drawn by the Arius Eickert company. He gave me permission to use these on our DVD's and for instruction. 

If you want to learn more about how to bend or set shears I would recommend the following DVD's

• Bending Scissors with Ed Wozniak DVD

• To Bend or Not to Bend - 2 Part DVDs with Casper Kiser

• Be a Tweaker Not a Breaker DVD by Dennis Brooks at the NBTSG

  I would also suggest that you look into workshops at the Sharpeners Jam or the Sharpeners Guild Convention. 

Here are the diagrams that have been so helpful to me in setting shears. 

Bronner Brothers Summer Hair Show 2008

We finshed the Bronner Brothers summer show last night at 7PM and was out of the show by 7:55PM a new record! The unions were more cooperative than usual and over all it was a great show for us. Busy enough to keep us from getting board and slow enough so we were not overwhelmed. Special thanks to those who worked the show with us this year. Of course Gene and me, Jay Hunter sharpening, Ron Ellis who held down our second booth, Carissa Roper employee extraordinare, Nicole, Tamara, Christine, Cathy and our two platform artists Sheila Tate and E. Hosea Hicks.

I was a little worried when we did not have the same booth location as last year and saw another scissor company was there. I was extremely upset to say the least then I remembered "All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." I calmed down and reconciled myself to the less visible location. This new location proved to be the best of our two booths althouh less visible and further back. I heard from one of the employees at the other scissor company who had our old location and they said their sales were way down from last year and that's what they heard from other vendors as well. I said, truthfully, our sales were up. His reply was, "Well, of course, you are Bonika."

Saturday was exciting because Tornado warnings closed the World Congress Center and after a 12 hour day we had to stay on the floor an extra 30 minutes until they released us. Here are photos of attendees sitting on the floor waiting to leave.

Our hair cutting class was packed even though it was first thing on Monday morning. We had about 200 in attendance. E. Hosea Hicks from Columbus, GA was our guest instructor.

Tamara in the photo above who bought shears from us a while back gave them to another sharpener who happened to walk in her salon. He broke her shears and tried to give her something other than her Bonika to replace them. This is a lesson to stylists and to other sharpeners, this is what happens. She spotted the sharpener at the show and was able to persuade him to buy the replacement shears from us wholesale. I talked to him again about upgrading his equipment froma TAS to a Scimech but he said the problem was not his technique but blamed illness that day. Tamara had seen him bending the shears on a yellow block with slits when her shears broke. This sounds more like technique rather than illness. Please, any sharpeners reading this who suspect they do not have proper training or equipment get help somewhere. Don't put yourself and your clients through this.


Here is the link to all the Bronner photos.
http://picasaweb.google.com/bonika/BronnerBrotherSSummer2008