Sunday Shear Care: Clean, Oil, and Store Your Shears and Combs for the Week
Clippers get most of the attention in the shop, but your shears and combs did real work this week too: scissor-over-comb blends, tapering the top, cleaning up a twist sponge cut, trimming a beard. Sunday is a good day to give them a few minutes so they cut clean when the first client sits down Monday.
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1. Wipe off hair and product
Open your shears and wipe both blades with a clean, dry cloth, from the pivot out to the tip, with the edge facing away from your fingers. Product and hair stuck near the pivot are what make shears feel stiff. Do the same for your combs: rinse them, wash them, and get the hair out from between the teeth.
2. Disinfect the right way
Use a product made for your tools, like Clippercide Spray, and follow the label for contact time. Your state board has its own rules for cleaning shears and combs between clients, so follow those too. You can find more options in Disinfectants & Sanitation.
3. Dry them all the way
Water and spray left sitting at the pivot is not good for your shears. Dry the blades and the pivot area before you put them away.
4. One drop at the pivot
Open the shears, put one small drop of oil where the blades meet at the pivot, then open and close them a few times and wipe off the extra. Many barbers use the light oil already at their station, like Wahl Clipper Oil. Some shear makers recommend their own oil, so check your maker's directions first. Less is more here. Too much oil just collects hair.
5. Check the feel
Hold your shears and open and close them slowly. They should move smooth, not loose and wobbly and not tight and gritty. If the tension feels off, adjust it the way your shear maker shows, or have a professional do it. If they fold hair instead of cutting it, or catch in one spot, it is time to get them professionally sharpened. Do not try to sharpen good shears at home.
6. Store them like they matter
Dropping shears or tossing them loose in a drawer is an easy way to damage the tips. Put them away clean and dry, in a case or a closed spot where nothing bangs against them. Barbers looking for a curved pair for blending can check the Black Ice Gold Curved Shears 10 inch.
7. Retire bad combs
A comb with cracked or missing teeth snags hair and is harder to clean. Swap it out. Barbers can keep a Black Ice Carbon Barber Comb at the station for scissor-over-comb work, and stylists can keep a Stella Collection Dressing Comb for parting and finishing.
Shop for the rest of your station in Barber Station Essentials.
Sunday shear and comb check list
- Blades and pivot wiped clean
- Shears and combs disinfected per label and state board
- Everything fully dry
- One drop at the pivot, extra wiped off
- Feel checked; sharpening scheduled if needed
- Shears stored in a case
- Cracked combs replaced
FAQ
How often should I oil my shears?
A lot of barbers and stylists put a drop at the pivot at the end of the day or the end of the week, after the shears are clean and dry. Your shear maker's directions come first, so check them.
Can I use clipper oil on shears?
Many barbers use the light oil already at their station. Some shear makers recommend their own oil. Check what your maker says, use one small drop, and wipe off the extra.
How do I know my shears need sharpening?
If they fold or push hair instead of cutting clean, or you feel a snag in one spot of the blade, it's time to have a professional look at them. Don't sharpen good shears yourself.
How should I store shears and combs?
Clean and dry, in a case or a closed spot where they won't get knocked around or dropped. Toss combs with cracked or missing teeth.
Questions? Email info@leadblacks.com or call or text (470) 646-9473.
