How to Care for Your Shears

There are four important times to take care of your shears. We've put together some handy tips for maintaining your beautiful shears during each of these key times—so your shears stay sharper and inspiring your creativity for a long time to come.

1.) Care after each use

Wipe the blades and tension screw clean after each use. Make sure there are no hairs caught in the screw. Keeping your shears clean like this means they’ll perform better and retain their razor edge—and beautiful shine—longer.

Cleaning the blades

• This is critical if you’ve been cutting hair that is permed, colored, or chemical-treated (and who hasn’t?) since contact with those chemicals can dull your blades prematurely.
• While many salons simply drop shears into a Barbicide solution as a quick-cleaning method, this can harm shears by removing the lubricant; what's more, while the shears many be sterile, but they’re not really clean.

2.) Daily care

Before you start work, inspect the edges of your shears for nicks or tarnish (the first sign of rust).

• If you see a nick, it’s time to send it back to us for servicing.
• If you see tarnish, use a soft cloth and mild pressure to gently polish it off.

Check your shear’s tension every day; it’s easy to adjust; the smoother your cut, the less wear and tear on your shears.

Checking the tension

After your last client of the day, disinfect your shears with a Barbicide wipe, disposable cloth and 70% alcohol solution, or a UV sterilizer.

• Leaving hair or dirt on the shears could lead them to develop rust or pitting (pitting is an advanced stage of rust); if your shears have pitting, you’ll most likely need a new pair of shears.
• Avoid clipping the shears on combs as this can scratch or nick your blades.
• At the end of the day—or anytime you’ll be out of the salon for a while—store your shears in a case for safekeeping.

3.) Weekly care

Lubricate the pivot at least once a week to keep the cutting action smooth. Use the simple-to-use KASHO Shear Oil Pen, clipper oil, or WD-40.

• Completely wipe off any excess oil with a soft cloth or facial tissue.
• In this video, KASHO Design Educator Ty Isobe, shows how to oil and adjust your shears with ease.
• BONUS: Remember that the KASHO Millennium and X-treme Perfection series do not require tension adjusting or oiling; the patented Disc Operation System is fully enclosed and retains perfect tension and lubrication every time.

4.) Longer-term service

If your shears are “pulling” or “pushing” hair, or not cutting with precision, it’s probably time to sharpen—and that means it’s time to call in the experts.

When they need sharpening, trust the experts

“How often should I have my shears sharpened?”

• It depends on use, but if you purchase premium shears, 1 or 2 times a year should do it. (Budget shears will need sharpening up to 4 times each year, which will also give them a shorter lifespan.)
• All KASHO shears are premium shears. With KASHO, you spend less time with your shears in the shop and more time doing hair. Learn more about our premium steel here.
• Only KASHO technicians should sharpen and repair your important KASHO tools. Precision engineering requires precision servicing to ensure your shears provide you with many years of beautiful styling. Poor-quality sharpening can ruin your shears—and no one wants that.

“How long should I expect my shears to last?”

While budget-quality shears may only last 4 to 5 years, premium-quality KASHO shears should last 12, 15—even 20 years—if you take care of them properly.