Caring for and sharpening Japanese hairdressing scissors: the workshop guide

A well-maintained pair of Japanese scissors gets handed down. Poorly maintained, the finest convex blade loses its edge within months. Here are the habits our certified workshop recommends to every hairdresser, from day one to the annual service.

Every day: two minutes that change everything

• Wipe the blades at the end of the day with a soft, dry cloth: hair, water and product residue are steel's first enemies.
• One drop of oil (scissor oil, never cooking oil) on the screw and along the edge, blades open. Open and close several times, then wipe off the excess.
• Store them in their case, blades closed — never loose in a drawer or a pouch with other tools.

Every week: the tension check

Hold one blade horizontal, open the other to 90° and let it drop. It should stop between a third and half of its travel. If it closes completely, the screw is too loose: the cut folds the hair instead of slicing it. Too tight, and it tires the thumb and wears the edge prematurely. Adjust in small increments with the supplied key.

What you must never do

• Never a standard grinding wheel. A general-purpose grinder destroys the convex angle (hamaguri-ba) in a single pass: the blade then needs a full reprofile — when that is still possible.
• Cut hair only. Paper, fabric, cheap synthetic wefts: every shortcut is paid for on the edge.
• Do not dismantle the bearing screw yourself on bearing-fitted models: the factory setting is redone on a bench.

Once a year: sharpening on stones

Even perfectly maintained, a Japanese convex blade benefits from a yearly service by a sharpener trained on Japanese blades: edge restored on water stones, polishing, curvature check, tension adjustment, cutting test on a strand. That is exactly what our Togiya-certified workshop does — you send your pair in, it comes back set like day one.

Unsure about the state of your pair, even another brand? Write to us with a photo and the workshop will tell you what can be done.