Prosharpeners
Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1
What makes a Japanese-Style Shear different than other types of shears?
The basic design of shears remained stable from about 1650 through the mid-20th century: essentially two straight blades with a beveled edge hinged in the middle with thumb and finger holes. This basic design was used for almost all applications, from fabric shears to barber shears. In the early 20th century, barber shears got a little more sophisticated and the “German-Style Shear” was produced. This basic design is still the straight, flat blade with a bevel edge, but the handle design changed to make it more comfortable when barbers were using them.
Roughly 50 years ago, in 1968, Fukutaro Takahashi (founder of Hikari Shears), changed the face of hair dressing with the introduction of what eventually became known as the Japanese-Style Shear.
What made this design unique are two interrelated features?
• The 800mm radius (a slight curve in the blade from hilt to tip)
The convex edge, which provides a sharper blade giving a much cleaner cut as the scissors melt through the hair. The radius changes the angle of attack when the scissors close holding the hair in place so you don’t have the hair pushing away with each snip.
This design change radically affected the industry by giving stylists far more control and capability when cutting hair.
Question 2
I’ve had my shears sharpened several times, but they never cut the same as they did when they were new. Why not?
There are several ways to sharpen shears.
The first is on a grinder. Here is a warning – grinders are great for German-Style shears but will turn a $500 Japanese-Style shear into a $75 bevel edged shear.
The second upgrade in the sharpening industry came with the introduction of the flat hone or water hone system witch Prosharpeners utilizes and will maintain the convex edge and radius in the blade.

Question 3
Why do you charge $25 per sharpening? I’ve never paid more than $15.
Prosharpeners spends minimum of half an hour restoring a pair of shears using the finest systems available. If getting your shears restored to factory-new cutting condition and extending their life is important to you, then the price should be looked at as an investment rather than a pure cost.
Question 4
How can I tell the quality of the steel used in my shears?
Shear manufacturers will often state what steel they use in their shears. Almost all shears are made from stainless steel. The majority of shears are made from steels that are rated as 330C steel or better. Higher quality shears will use steel that is rated as 440C or better. The shears Prosharpeners sell are made from 440C steel.
Question 5
A sharpener told me that my shears been sharpened too many times and I will have to replace them the next time. Is this true?
It depends. If you bought an inexpensive pair of shears, it may not be worth doing anything except replacing them with another really inexpensive pair. But I have seen sharpeners say this about shears that cost $200 to $400 and more. A reasonably good pair of shears can last for years and a properly maintained high quality pair of shears can last your entire career.
A bad sharpening can take years off your shears each time they sharpen them. A sharpener using a grinder will take off more metal than needed and not only will they ruin your shears, but they will also reduce their life expectancy.
Question 6
I bought a pair of shears at a show and they told me that these shears actually sharpen themselves with use. Is this true?
No, it is not true. All scissors will get dull from use. The higher the quality of the steel the slower the process. But if you are cutting hair every day, your scissors will need to be sharpened periodically. We recommend getting on a schedule where you get your shears sharpened every 3-4 months. A high-quality shear will last between 500 and 700 haircuts. But all that depends on a lot of other factors such as:
Question 7
I dropped my favorite scissors. Are they ruined?
I suggest that if you drop your shears you immediately pick them up in the same position they were in on the floor. Place them on a towel leave the blades open and call Prosharpeners. Most times when you drop them, you will produce a small nick in the blade. If you close the shears, that nick can damage the other blade or scratch the hollow ground section of the opposing blade. In most cases, Prosharpeners can simply sharpen them and get rid of the damage.

Question 8
I bought a pair of shears 5 days ago and they fold hair already. What should I do?
Either you have a true factory defect in the shear, or the shear was dropped. In either case the shear will be restored or it will to be replaced at no cost to you by prosharpeners.

Question 9
How do I test my shears for sharpness?
The best way to test the sharpness of your shears is to wet a single ply piece of tissue paper and make a slow (relaxed-no torquing) cut through it, using the whole length of the blade. If they cut through cleanly without tearing or folding, your scissors are still sharp. If they do not and they bend or tear the tissue paper they need to be sharpened. Dull scissors crunch or break the hair causing split ends. A dull pair of scissors also adds to your fatigue at the end of the day.

Question 10

How do I oil my clipper blades?

How to Properly Oil a Clipper Blade

By Jeff Andrews
August 24, 2015

It doesn’t take that much oil to oil a blade, most groomers over oil them. When you over oil, the oil will drain through the teeth and onto the coat. So they turn to other forms of lubrication like Spray Coolants, Rem Oil, or WD-40. Blade oil is the best form of lubrication. It stays on the blade to prevent friction, heat, and pet dander from sticking to the cutting surfaces. Coolants, WD-40, and Rem Oil evaporate off quickly, and cause friction, heat, and the destruction of the cutting edges in a short time. These products can also cause health issues if you don’t wear the recommended safety gear. The list of safety gear you need to wear while spraying these aerosols is listed on the back of the can. Most contain denatured alcohol which can be poisonous if inhaled. Oil is safe.

There are 4 points of the blade to oil, but you only have to do 3 of them once a day. Unless you wash the blade in blade wash between dogs, all 4 points will need to be re-oiled. Oiling will seem hard at first, but it will become natural to you the longer you keep oiling.

Fig.1)

First, push the cutter out to either side so that the spring is lined up with the notch in the cutter. Push it out so you can see the rear rail on both sides of the spring. This will give you access to oil the first 3 points.

Fig.2)

To start, put one tiny drop of oil on both rear rails. The first should go on the rear rail just outside the left spring, and the other tiny drop on the rear rail outside the right spring where sliding the cutter over has given you access.

Fig. 3)

The third tiny drop goes in the groove in the top of the cutter. If you don’t oil this groove at least once a day, your blade can have a screeching sound and not cut properly. Without oil, a dry blade guide will make the cutter hesitate. It may cause the blade to cornrow and other problems.

Fig. 4)

Now push your cutter back to the center of the blade. You can place the 4th drop on the cutter teeth while it’s on the table, or after you put it on the clipper. I oil the teeth while it’s on the clipper so I can start the clipper up right away and spread the oil across the cutting surfaces immediately. Oiling the teeth has to be done every time you put a blade on your clipper. Why? Because the dog hair you’re cutting will take the oil off the teeth of the blade, and it will end up on the floor in the hair you cut off. The first 3 points will not need any more oil for the day, unless you wash it off in blade wash.

Fig. 5)

While on the table, or preferably on the clipper, put one tiny drop of oil in the center of the blade on the cutting surface. DO NOT run a bead of oil across the teeth, it will seep down through the teeth and get on the coat. Start the clipper up, the oil will spread a thin coating across the blade. That’s all you need.

The drop should be very small. When it spreads across the blade, it will stay there for quite a while. This keeps heat down, saves your cutting edges for months, and will keep pet dander from melting and creating that orange buildup on your cutting surface. Every time you put a blade on your clipper, you put that tiny drop of oil in the middle of the teeth. ”