maintenance Archives

How to Tell When Your Hairdressing Scissors Need Sharpening

17 December 2025

Signs your hairdressing scissors need sharpening

For most hairdressers and barbers, your scissors are your most important piece of kit. But even the best sidekicks need a little TLC from time to time. When they’re sharp, cutting feels smooth and controlled. When they’re not, your work can suffer.

If your trusty scissors have been feeling a little… off lately, they might be trying to tell you something. At Mr Knife Guy, we know what a sharp pair of scissors should feel like, and more importantly, what they shouldn’t feel like. So here are a few telltale signs that your scissors are due for a professional sharpening – because dull scissors and great hair don’t mix.

You’re Finding Cutting Tricky

This is an obvious one; if your scissors are no longer gliding through hair like butter and instead feel more like they’re chewing through it, it’s a red flag. Tugging, pulling, folding, snagging, or needing to go over the same section twice? That’s not your technique – it’s your scissors begging for a sharpen.

Not only does a dull blade slow you down, but it’s also not great for the hair. Blunt scissors can cause split ends and uneven textures, and of course this reflects back onto you as a stylist. Keep your scissors sharp is the key to providing the best experience for your clients.

They’re Looking a Little Rough Around the Edges

Grab your scissors and give them a little once-over. Do you see any nicks, dents, or dull edges? If you can spot wear and tear with the naked eye, chances are your scissors are well past their sharpening date.

A bit of visible damage might not seem like a big deal, but it messes with your precision and could end up damaging the hair. It sounds a bit dramatic, but it’s true. Regular check-ins with your blades is essential, and getting your scissors sharpened regularly allows them – and you – to continue performing at your best.

Your Hands Are Tired… Like, All the Time

If you’re finding yourself finishing the day with sore fingers or aching wrists, your scissors may well be the culprit. Dull blades require more effort as more force is required to cut through the hair, and this can put unnecessary strain on your hands and wrists.

Using sharp scissors makes cutting feel effortless. When your scissors aren’t sharp, not only does it affect your work, but it can also lead to long-term discomfort and injury.

There’s a Change in Sound or Feel

Have you noticed a subtle grinding sound while you’re cutting? Or are your blades resisting or feeling a bit ‘heavy’? That’s your scissors sending out a wee SOS, begging for a tune-up. The change might be minor, but any deviation from the norm is a sign that they might need some love and attention.

You know how your tools are supposed to feel. When they start acting up, don’t ignore it.

You Can’t Remember When Your Scissors Were Last Sharpened

If you’re racking your brain and still drawing a blank on the last time your scissors got a proper sharpen, that’s probably your answer right there.

How often your particular pair of scissors will need sharpening really depends – on how many cuts you’re doing, what kind of hair you’re working with, and how well you’re looking after them day to day. (Are they being cleaned, oiled, and stored properly, or are they rolling around loose in a drawer with some bobby pins and a rogue hair clip?)

The thing is, scissors usually go dull gradually. Unless you’ve dropped them, you probably won’t notice a sudden change in your scissors’ performance. Lots of the signs that your scissors need sharpening happen gradually and before you know it, you’ve adjusted your technique to compensate without even realising it.

So, if your blades feel fine but not fabulous, and it’s been a while since their last sharpening – then yep, it’s probably time to book us in for a sharpen. If you’re tempted to have a go yourself with a piece of tinfoil or some sandpaper, you can read why that’s not the best idea in our guide to why professional sharpening matters, here.

Give us a ring and we’ll come out to you. We cover a large splodge of the North West with our mobile sharpening service, and if you’re based outside of our catchment area, we also offer a quick and simple postal service for scissor sharpening.

If you’d like to learn more about our sharpening process, you’ll find that on our Scissor Sharpening page. And if you’re read to book your appointment, please give us a quick ring on 01706 489481 or 07341 304221.

By LucyIn Knife care

How To Look After Your Kitchen Knives

3 December 2025

Everyday knife care that prevents damage and dulling

So, you’ve got your gorgeous new knives, and now you want to know how to keep them at their best. We’ve put together this short guide on how to care for them. Stick to these few simple rules and you’ll find your knives stay sharper for longer, and you’ll also enjoy fantastic results from them for years to come.

Handwash Only

We know it’s tempting to bung everything in the dishwasher, but your knives really are the exception. To keep them in top condition, they should always be washed by hand. The intense heat and prolonged exposure to water and steam inside the dishwasher can damage both the blade and handle.

It’s also a bad idea to soak your knives in the sink, as again this can impact the integrity of the handle. Instead, wash your knives in warm, soapy water after use (try not to leave them too long after use, to prevent any food residue from drying out on the blade) rinse them thoroughly, and dry them straight away with a soft, clean cloth. A little extra care goes a long way to help keep your knives sharp.

Store Them Carefully

Proper storage is just as important as proper cleaning when it comes to looking after your knives. Storing them carefully will help save their edge… and your fingers! We recommend a wall-mounted magnetic strip as it keeps your knives accessible and spaced apart, with no chance of the blades knocking into each other.

A knife block or in-drawer knife organiser also works well to keep your knives safe and secure. What you don’t want to be doing is keeping your knives loose in a drawer; this is one of the biggest causes of chips and nicks in the blade, and it’s also a finger slicing nightmare waiting to happen. Each time your knives are knocked against your spatulas and spoons, you’re putting unnecessary wear along the blade. Help keep your knives sharper for longer by storing them well.

Use a Wooden Chopping Board

Always use a proper chopping board when you use your knives. Never cut directly onto your kitchen worktop, as this is the fastest way to a dull blade. Avoid glass chopping boards too; while they look great, they’re far too hard, and can cause unnecessary wear or even chipping along the knife’s edge. Instead, choose a really good quality wooden board, or a thick plastic board. These are much better for your knives, and will help keep them sharper for longer, while also providing a safer and more stable surface to cut on. A small switch like this can make a big difference to the longevity of your knives. If you’re ever unsure whether your knives are still performing as they should, here are six signs your kitchen knives need sharpening.

Use Your Knives for Food Only

It might sound obvious, but your knives are designed for chopping food – and nothing else. As tempting as it might be in the moment, don’t use them as a substitute for scissors. That means no using them for opening packets, or cutting through tape or string – and definitely no using them to pry open stubborn containers. Using your knives like this is a surefire way of dulling and damaging the blade – most of the broken tips we repair have been caused by people moonlighting their knives.

By keeping your knives exclusive to food prep, you’ll help avoid damage and unnecessary wear and tear. For everything else, keep a good pair of kitchen scissors in your drawer; it’s a lot safer for you, and for your knives.

Skip the DIY Sharpeners

While we understand the temptation of using an at-home sharpener, we strongly recommend avoiding them. They often end up doing more harm than good; they’re inconsistent, they tend to remove more of the edge than is needed, and they could very easily end up damaging your knives.

Instead, invest in a good quality honing rod, and learn how to use it between professional sharpenings. Honing rods don’t sharpen your blades per se – they realign the edge, keeping it straight and enabling your blade to cut effectively for longer. By using a honing rod a few times a week, you’ll be able to keep your knife performing at its best until you’re ready for another professional sharpening.

Use a Reputable Sharpening Service

When your knives do need sharpening, it’s important to choose the right people for the job. While there are plenty of sharpening services out there, they’re not all equal in terms of the quality of services they offer – and your knives deserve better than a ‘Jack of all trades’ approach.

Look for a kitchen knife specialist – they’ll understand the nuances of different blade shapes and they’ll know exactly how to restore your blades edge. A reputable knife sharpener will use specialist equipment, tools and techniques. They won’t be strapping your knives down onto a grinding machine and hoping for the best.

At Mr Knife Guy, we are kitchen knife experts. We sharpen knives for both chefs and home cooks in anything from huge professional settings right down to domestic kitchens. Whether you’re looking to restore a favourite blade or just to keep your knife set razor sharp, we’re here to help, with expert care and years of experience behind every edge.

Get in touch today and let us work our magic on your kitchen knives – call us on 01706 489481 or 07341 304221 for an appointment.

By LucyIn Scissor care

How Can You Look After Your Scissors Between Sharpening Appointments?

22 October 2025

How Can You Keep Your Hairdressing Scissors Performing At Their Best?

A good pair of well-maintained hairdressing scissors is an essential bit of kit for every barber and stylist. But how can you look after your scissors to keep them performing at their best between sharpening appointments?

Store Them Safely

The easiest and most important way to look after your blades is to make sure they’re stored carefully and safely between uses. We recommend keeping them in a scissor pot or a case (and if you’re a rental customer, we’re more than happy to provide you with either or both, free of charge!) Safely stored scissors are a lot less likely to get dropped or damaged, which means a lot less heartache and stress for you.

Keep them clean

Lots of the hair products that are used in barbers and hair salons contain ingredients that aren’t water soluble. When they’ve been used before or during a cut, scissors can pick up a thin film of this residue which then sits along the surface of the blade. This barely-visible film can cause problems in a couple of ways; firstly, it impacts how well the scissors cut, and it can also cause the scissors to get blunt more quickly.

Your scissors will absolutely need regular cleaning, and we provide our rental customers with a specially formulated spray to do this. Keeping your scissors in solutions like Barbicide can and does cause damage. We regularly see scissors that are suffering because they’ve been stored in liquid disinfectant, and this is something we never recommend. All you need is a quick spray of our scissor cleaner before wiping off any excess with a clean tissue, and your scissors will be clean and sanitised without any damage. We recommend you do this whenever you have a chance; between each client ideally, but daily as a minimum.

Oil Your Scissors

We also recommend using our scissor oil at the end of each day. Scissors that are clean and oiled cut better, and also tend to last longer between sharpenings. Open your scissors up, and pop a drop of oil onto the joint to ensure they move freely and easily. Any grime, dirt of hair caught between the hinge will ease free. It’s important to use specially formulated scissor oil (again, we’re happy to supply our rental customers with bottles of this for free!) as even clipper blade oil can cause problems for hairdressing scissors. Need more oil? Just give us a shout!

Only Use Your Scissors On Hair

It’s also super important that you don’t use your scissors for cutting anything other than hair. Even snipping off a piece of Sellotape with them can cause problems, as you’ll get a sticky residue along your blade and your scissors won’t cut because of this. Hairdressing scissors are a lot more temperamental than you might expect, and using them to cut wrapping paper or plastic clothing tags can cause real issues. If it’s not hair, don’t cut it! Hairdressing scissors are precise little things, and they don’t forgive you easily.

Call Us Out As Soon As You Need Us

Lastly, don’t try to plough through with scissors that don’t feel right. If there’s a problem, your scissors aren’t going to rectify it themselves – leaving it will only make it worse. Give us a call as soon as you feel like your scissors might need some attention and we’ll get them back to their best straight away. We’ve written a quick guide on how to tell when your hairdressing scissors need sharpening, here.

The sooner we take a look, the quicker we can get them back in top condition and save you from potentially bigger issues down the line.

You can find out more about our Mobile Scissor Sharpening Service here, and if you’d like to read about our Scissor Rental Service, you can find that here.

Signs your hairdressing scissors need sharpening

You’re Finding Cutting Tricky

They’re Looking a Little Rough Around the Edges

Your Hands Are Tired… Like, All the Time

There’s a Change in Sound or Feel

You Can’t Remember When Your Scissors Were Last Sharpened