Scissors Questions

[absinthewilde]

I have a pair of hair scissors that I use for S&D. They aren't fancy super expensive ones but are specific for hair. How can I gauge when it's time for them to be sharpened? I've been using them for probably a little less than a year. Also, do I have to buy some special sharpening device?

[owlathena]

I don't know the best answer, I wonder this myself. I guess its time to sharpen/replace when they don't leave a clean line when they cut, you can look very closely at the cut hair in the light to see if its frayed at all. I've just been buying a new pair of cheap (they're often on sale at sallys for like $8 ) hair scissors every year or so. I have a few pairs laying around. They all seem to work fine.

[lapushka]

I don't think they need sharpening after (not even) a year of minimal trimming and/or S&D. Seems kind of unused, still.

[akilina]

I don't know the best answer, I wonder this myself. I guess its time to sharpen/replace when they don't leave a clean line when they cut, you can look very closely at the cut hair in the light to see if its frayed at all. I've just been buying a new pair of cheap (they're often on sale at sallys for like $8 ) hair scissors every year or so. I have a few pairs laying around. They all seem to work fine.
I like this idea. I am a hairdresser so I have incredibly expensive,-cut your finger off and not even feel it-sharp shears. However, I have plenty of cheaper pairs that I have now retired as sewing shears, or scissors for when I lose patience and need to cut something open. :D