End-of-Shift Care for the Cutting Shear and Wallet in Your 3 Piece Haircutting Kit - 9CR with 32T

What you're closing out at the end of a shift

Your 3 Piece Haircutting Kit - 9CR with 32T comes with one cutting shear, one 32T thinning shear, one hand/feather razor and one shear wallet. The cutting shear is offered in 5.75, 6.5 or 7 inches, and the length and left- or right-handed option are chosen at purchase. This routine focuses on your cutting shear and the wallet that holds your tools together. Razor care is outside this lesson.

Before you put anything away, know what you're dealing with. Hair, styling product, moisture and disinfectant residue can all collect around the blades and the pivot of a shear. Clearing that off is the first job at the end of the day.

Wipe the cutting shear down

Once your last client has left, wipe your cutting shear down. This protects the finish and helps the blades move smoothly the next time you pick it up. Keep the shear for hair only; paper, tags, thread and packaging don't belong under those blades.

Oil the pivot and work it through

After wiping, put a small amount of oil at the pivot. The oil reduces friction and helps the blades move cleanly. Then open and close the shear so the oil works through the pivot.

If your shear works every day, regular pivot oiling is a good habit, and it's especially worthwhile after you've cleaned or disinfected the shear.

Let the way it cuts tell you when to check tension

Oil first, then judge. Oiling the pivot makes a tension check more accurate, so do it before you decide how the shear really feels.

Tension trouble usually shows up as a change in feel. These are your prompts to consider a check:

• The cut is inconsistent.
• The shear pulls or grabs hair near the tip.
• Your hand is working harder to close it.

The direction of the problem matters too. With loose tension, hair can fold or push away from the edge. With tight tension, the shear can feel heavy, rough or tiring, or seem dull even when the edge is still usable.

A simple tension check you can run yourself

Clear loose hair and product from the pivot, add a small amount of oil, and test the shear on clean hair or a test fiber before it goes near a client.

For a feel check, open the shear, raise one handle and let it close naturally. It should neither slam shut nor stay wide open. If you adjust, move in small steps and retest before cutting hair.

When to stop adjusting and send it for service

Stop adjusting if the shear feels rough or forced, or if the screw, the ride line or the blade feels damaged. If tension adjustment doesn't put an end to the folding, pushing, pulling or rough cutting, send the shear for service.

Put your tools away protected

Your kit's wallet is the included holder for keeping the tools together. Use it, or another case or protected holder, rather than tossing shears loose into a drawer or bag. Protected storage keeps the blades and tips from contacting other tools, which makes it a sensible precaution.

To recap your closing routine: wipe the cutting shear, oil the pivot and open and close it to work the oil through, check tension if the cut has felt different, and store everything in the wallet. When you're ready to look at the kit itself, view the 3 Piece Haircutting Kit - 9CR with 32T.

Related resources

• End-of-shift care for the 5 Piece Hair Cutting Kit - 9CR
• How to Use the 3 Piece Haircutting Kit - 9CR with 32T