Is there any maintenance for Swivel Shears? Well, the short answer for this question is YES.
Like any hair cutting scissors they would need regular shear maintenance to prolong the life and functionality of that shear. Swivel Shears or Double Swivel Shears have one obvious difference to standard shears and that's the swivel part on the shears.
If you're a hairstylist that uses Swivel Shears because you have straining conditions like Carpal Tunnel or RSI related hair cutting injuries, then the shear maintenance of Swivel Shears would be more important for you. The reason why it would be more important for you than any other hairstylist that doesn't need Swivel Shears like you do, is because extra strain from the incorrect tension, or not enough oiling would cause you unwanted pain. Swivel Shears sole purpose is to benefit you in cutting your clients hair pain free, but the Swivel Shears cannot meet their full potential without the shear maintenance and care that needs to be kept up by you.
So Let's go through and see what's so different or maybe what's not so different between the shear maintenance of non Swivel Scissors and Swivel Scissors...
Cleaning
Cleaning your hair cutting shears is important because as we have mentioned before, it prolongs the lifespan of those shears and well having them clean is just a nice feeling too. What makes cleaning different on Swivel Shears and salon shears is also cleaning the swivel handle when needed.
To correctly clean your Swivel Shears you will need a soft cloth to first wipe down any hair or dirt from the blades and the swivel pivot point. Then you will need to get some rubbing alcohol to sterilize your shears from any harsh chemical left on the steel.
Never leave your Swivel Shears soaking in any sterile formula like Barbicide. Barbicide can cause corrosion and damage to the swivel thumb over time if left in the sterilizer time and time again. No Stainless steel metal is built to soak in any liquids so leave the Barbicide to soak your combs and other hair tools that are not made from stainless steels.
Oiling
When it comes to oiling your swivel shears you need to remember to also oil the swivel pivot point of the shears too. To correctly oil your shears it's best to always oil them straight after you have cleaned your shears to keep the stainless steel lubricated.
Always spray or drop the oil on the blades nearest to the pivot point tension screw and the swivel pivot point part of the hair shears. Work the oil in by using a cutting motion of the shears in the air. By working in the oil you and pushing out and dirt or hair that may be stuck in the pivot point. Once you are satisfied you have worked in the oil enough then wipe any excess oil off your shears with your cleaning cloth.
Oiling your shears should be done at least twice a week. You never want to have your Swivel Shears feeling stiff and rigid.
Tension
Having the right tension is more important with your Swivel's because if the tension is too tight it can cause the strain that you are trying to avoid while cutting with these scissors. Not only can your hands grow tiered with the incorrect tension but if the tension is too tight it can pull on your clients hair and if the tension is too loose it can bend the hair while cutting.
Sharpening
Sharpening your scissors at least twice a year will help maintain those sharp edges on your blades. Cutting with dull and blunt scissors requires more effort and strain on your part so keeping them sharp just makes sense right?
Some scissors will stay sharper for longer for you, depending on the type of steel they are made from. But all scissors will need to be sharpened by a professional hairdressing scissor sharpener to keep those blades sharp.
Make sure you always find a reputable Professional Sharpener in your area that specializes in sharpening hairdressing scissors.
Storing
Storing your Swivel Scissors correctly is super important for a few main reasons. The first reason being you do not want to damage or drop your shears, so the safest way to ensure this is to place them back in your scissors case after using them.
The second reason that is probably the most important, is storing your hair scissors away from water bottles or wet areas. If you have water that is left sitting on your Swivel Scissors then this can cause damage to your swivel thumb and blades.
Another way you can protect your Swivel Scissors is investing in a Scissor Holster. A Scissor Holster is a great way to store you scissors around your waist while you're cutting, especially if you are using many different types of scissors in a service. Instead of placing the scissors on your trolley while you're cutting to avoid any water being spilled on them, then the safest place for your scissors is around your waist.
But the main reason to store your hair cutting shears correctly, is to protect your investment.
So we're sure we can both agree that maintaining your fancy Swivel Scissors are important for the care of your scissors, the performance and to not create more strain for you while cutting if they are not properly maintained.
Yes the maintenance of your Swivel Scissors may be very similar to non Swivel Scissors but the benefits to a hairstylist not looking to cause any strain to their body would be far greater than a hairstylist that has no main focus on aches and pains.
We don't think that Swivel scissors need more maintenance than non swivel hair cutting shears but the swivel pivot point does need extra attention.