You’ve purchased the best shears or scissors you can afford – whether they are multipurpose, electrician shears, sewing scissors, kitchen shears, or designated for another purpose, you want them to last a long time and remain as good as new.
How do you achieve this?
Looking after any scissors or shears properly is very important – it’s not difficult, but it does take some basic attention.
- Cleaning – clean with a soft, clean cloth after each use to remove debris, dust, and grit. When this accumulates between the blades, it can cause blunting and deterioration. Kitchen shears should be washed and dried between each use. If you use shears or scissors for gardening or craft, use a little rubbing alcohol or paint thinner to clean off dirt or sticky residue.
- Lubricating – use a little WD-40, Teflon-based lubricant, or other household oil to oil the screw. Apply it with a soft cloth so that the blades will move smoothly and friction will be reduced. Only use a little oil and rub off all excess prior to reusing the shears.
- Sharpening – if scissors or shears don’t cut extremely easily and effectively, you need to get the blades sharpened. It’s best to go to a professional for sharpening as doing it incorrectly can ruin your scissors. To revive shears between professional sharpening, cut through layers of aluminum foil or cut folded fine-grain sandpaper with the grain-side facing outwards.
- Balancing – scissors and shears work best when the tension balance is correct. Too loose tension will result in folding of the scissors, and too tight will wear the edges of the blades prematurely and cause fatigue on the user. If scissors close completely and quickly when held up and opened, tension is too loose. Adjust the screw to fix this.
- Storage – store your shears and scissors with the blades closed, preferably in a protective case.
Do: store shears and scissors dry, clean, and in their protective case, pouch, or box. Check blades for sharpness regularly and check tension as well.
Don’t: use scissors or shears if blades are blunt or nicked. Don’t store them dirty or carelessly. Avoid humidity and keep them away from chemicals.
Buy the best shears and scissors from Vampire Tools!