Understanding shear and scissors edge angles.

When is 90 degrees Zero degrees? When you switch from sharpening knives to sharpening beauty shears in the USA.

I trained a new shear sharpener yesterday who has copious experience in sharpening and making knives. He was left hopelessly confused with the crazy way we measure angles when sharpening beauty shears and scissors. I have run into this problem before with people I have trained from Asian countries who had some limited experience in sharpening hair scissors because over there, the angle on hair shears is measured in the same way that the angle on knives and other sharpened tools and instruments are measured throughout the world.

Here is a chart that will help in converting the angles. Understand on shears, the higher the angle, the more acute or sharper the edge.

So, things might be upside down in Australia, but shear angles are for sure backwards and wacked out here in the USA. Don’t expect this to change. We Americans continue to measure distance in miles instead of kilometers. Some things you don’t have to understand. You just go with what is accepted. Since the average age of the American shear sharpener is probably about 60, I don’t ever expect to see a budge in the USA shear sharpening scissor mechanics measure shear angles.

Please, Watch, LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to my Youtube videos. I think this one may explain the angle dilemma for sharpeners who sharpen for the beauty and hair industry.

For training in shear sharpening check out these classes. http://www.bonika.com/sharpener-events/

#shearsharpening #scissorsharpening 

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. 

Video Clips and new shears

I've been busy adding video clips to the website and making website changes and improvements. See the clip on sharpening on the Scimech on our site. Also a hair cutting clip which shows the Bonika Baby and the T14 Wisper shear. Both are some of our most popular. I also added a package deal based on the shears we will sell at the IBS New York class with Leah Watson. Take a look at the package deal called Hair Cropper Set. Coming soon a thinning shear to match our Shoto Damascus Steel Samurai Shear our most expensive shear. Don't forget the Win a Shoto Contest. No baby yet. I'll be in training with a new sharpener from Virginia next week. We picked up a new sharpener in Isreal this week when one of our current sharpeners moved to the Holy Land. This gives us two sharpeners in Isreal with the Scimech. It would be great to go visit them if we get the time.