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10 Ways to Sharpen Hair Scissors & Keep Them Sharp: Professional Tips

by Jun Oh January 28, 2022 8 min read

10 Ways to Sharpen Hair Scissors & Keep Them Sharp: Professional Tips - Japan Scissors USA

A dull pair of hair scissors can be frustrating and can also lead to poor haircuts. In order to keep your hair scissors sharp, you will need to sharpen them regularly.

There are many ways to do this, but we will discuss the 10 best methods in this article:

  1. Professional Sharpening Service
  2. Sharpening Stone
  3. Professional Sharpening Tools From Amazon
  4. Glass & Aluminum Sharpening Methods
  5. Alcohol Sharpening Method
  6. Sandpaper Sharpening Method
  7. Knife Sharpening Tools
  8. Metal Pin Sharpening Method
  9. Sharpening Scissors With a File
  10. Buy a New Sharp Pair of Scissors

Professional barbers and hairstylists use these methods to keep their hair scissors sharp at all times. So, whether you are a professional or just someone who likes to cut their own hair at home, read on for the best ways to sharpen hair scissors!

In this article, we are going to discuss the 10 different ways you can sharpen your hair scissors.

You can also read similar articles on maintaining your hairdressing shears here:

Method #01: Professional Sharpening Service: Recommended!

A professional scissor sharpener fixing the dull blade on a pair of hair shears

If your hair scissors are really dull, the best way to sharpen them is to take them to a professional sharpening service.

This is the most accurate and precise way to get your hair scissors sharp again. A professional sharpener will use special tools and techniques to get your hair scissors razor-sharp again.

Paying for a service like this will save you the time and effort to sharpen hair scissors and ensure that your shears have their blades honed by professional sharpening tools.

The main reasons why you should use a professional sharpening service are:

  • Your dull scissors will have their cutting edge returned to maximum razor sharpness!
  • Dull blades are improved on by scissor sharpeners who use precision tools to ensure the entire length of the blade is honed correctly.
  • There are many different scissor blades, such as beveled edge, convex edge, and more, and each requires a different sharpening process to avoid permanent damage.
  • Good hair scissors are expensive, and having a professional who knows how to sharpen hair scissors will protect your investment!
  • Your hair scissors will be successfully sharpened with honing oil and professional tools, which will prolong your haircutting tool's life.

Whether you are looking to ultimately sharpen the cutting edge of your hair cutting shears, or perform a light sharpening, always consider a professional service to protect your investment.

However, if you have a cheap pair of hair scissors, you can follow the below methods to practice sharpening scissors at home!

Method #02: Sharpen the Hair Scissors With a Whetstone

A sharpening (whetstone) used for sharpen hair scissors

If you have some basic sharpening skills, you can sharpen your hair scissors with a whetstone. This is a type of stone that is used to sharpen hair cutting & thinning shears and other blades. It can be purchased from most hardware stores or online.

The steps to use sharpening stones to hone your hair shear blades include:

  • Wet the whetstone with fresh water
  • Place the hair scissors on top of the sharpening stone so that the blade flat and facing down.
  • Use light pressure as you move the blade of the scissors back and forth across the whetstone. Do this for about 15-20 strokes on each side of the blade. Full scissor strokes that cover the ensure cutting blade.
  • Rinse the whetstone and blade off with water, then use a damp paper towel to ensure the blade is completely clean before cutting hair.
  • Test the sharpness of the cutting edge by cutting through a small section of hair. If you notice the hairdressing scissors pulling or bending hair, then repeat the sharpening process on the entire edge of the cutting blade.

Even if you are sharpening just one blade on your scissors, the process requires patience and a keen eye to ensure you don't leave any scratch marks or cause damage to the cutting edge.

Method #03: Buy Professional Hair Sharpening Tools on Amazon

A man standing in front of hair scissor sharpening machines

If you don't want to sharpen your hair scissors yourself, you can always buy a professional hair sharpening tool. 

These tools are available online on sites like Amazon, and they are simple to use and will quickly sharpen your hair scissors.

Professional hair scissor sharpening tools can sharpen scissors with just a few swipes, but these typically cost upwards of USD $500.

You might enjoy the sharpening process so much that you don't cut hair and start sharpening hair scissors full-time.

If you only need to sharpen your scissors at home or as a once-off, we have easy solutions with everyday items.

Method #04: Sharpening Scissors With Glass or Aluminum

Mason jar used to sharpen shears

Another way to sharpen your hair scissors is by using glass or aluminum. This method is a bit more complex than the others, but it works.

You can use glass, and the best type would be the mason jar method. These have thicker glass sides that are perfect for when you need to sharpen scissors quickly.

Here are the steps: 

  • Cut strips of aluminum that is about the size of the blades of your scissors.
  • Place the glass (mason jar) or aluminum on a flat surface and place the hair scissors on top so that the blades are facing down.
  • Apply pressure to the scissors' handles and move them back and forth across the glass or aluminum. Do this for about 15 strokes on each side of the blade.
  • Rinse off the blade and glass/aluminum with water and dry them both off.
  • Test sharpness by cutting through a lock of hair to ensure a smooth finish. If you notice difficulty cutting through hair, then you may have a rough or coarse side of a blade. Slowly repeat the above sharpening process until you see the blade edge has a finer side.

As we go further down the list of methods to sharpen hair scissors, you may find that they become less common, as you might need to take a visit to the local hardware store to pick up items necessary to complete the job.

Method #05: Use Alcohol to Sharpen Your Hair Scissor Blade

Rubbing alcohol for hair shears

If you need to sharpen your hair scissors quickly and don't have any other tools available, you can use alcohol.

This method isn't as popular as you require rubbing alcohol, and you might not have this readily available.

This is a method that barbers and hairstylists often use to sharpen their hair scissors quickly. Here are the steps:

  • Pour some rubbing alcohol into a small bowl or container.
  • Place the hair scissors in the bowl to submerge the blades in the alcohol.
  • Let them soak for about 15 minutes.
  • Remove from bowl and dry off with a towel.
  • Start cutting hair! If you notice any difficulty in cutting through sections of hair, then repeat the above process again.

Method #06: Use a Strip of Sandpaper To Sharpen Scissors

Sandpaper cut to the length of a 6.0" hair scissor

If you need to sharpen hair scissors but don't have anything else available, you can use sandpaper. This is not as precise as other methods, but it will work in a pinch.

Using sandpaper to sharpen hairdressing scissors may leave scratch marks on the blade. 

Unlike professional sharpening tools, sandpaper isn't specifically designed to sharpen scissor blades, so skip this step if you want to avoid scratch marks.

Here are the steps to sharpen scissors with a strip of sandpaper:

  • Cut a strip of sandpaper that is about the size of the blades of your scissors.
  • Place the sandpaper on a flat surface and place the hair scissors on top so that the blades are facing down.
  • Apply pressure to the scissors' handles and move them back and forth across the sandpaper. Do this for about 15 strokes on each side of blade.
  • Rinse off with water and dry off with a paper towel
  • Test sharpness by cutting through a section of hair. If you struggle to cut through hair, or the scissors or pulling or folding hair, repeat the above steps to sharpen your scissors.

Method #07: Use Knife Sharpener to Sharpen Hair Scissors

Knife sharpening tool for scissors

If you have a knife sharpener, you can use it to sharpen your hair scissors, and this precise method will give your hair scissors a sharp edge.

The angle of the knife sharpening tool is as precise as hair scissor sharpening tools, so we recommend avoiding this method if your shears are expensive.

Here are the steps to use a knife sharpener on hair scissors:

  • Place the knife sharpener on a flat surface.
  • Place the hair scissors in the knife sharpener to face down the blades.
  • Use light pressure and move the blade of scissors back and forth across the knife sharpener. Do this for about 15-20 strokes on each side of the blade.
  • Rinse off with water and dry off with a paper towel
  • Test sharpness by cutting through hair.

Knife sharpening tools are specially designed to sharpen edges to tear and cut through meat, vegetables, and other materials. This is why you won't see anyone sharpening professional hair-cutting tools with this method.

Method #08: Use a Metal Pin To Sharpen The Blades

Metal sewing pins used to sharpen hair cutting shears

Close the scissors and take the pin away from the blades until the scissors are closing. Avoid using a great deal of pressure to shut the scissors, but let you let the sewing pin perform the sharpening. After that, repeat the process again until the blades are flat and have a sharp edge.

Method #09 Sharpen Scissors With a File

A scissor sharpening file tool

What is a file for sharpening? A file is a tool that has rough surfaces on each side, and these surfaces will help sharpen the blades of your hair scissors.

If all else fails, then you can use a sharpening file for breathing some life back in your hair shears.

It is best to choose the length of a medium-sized file when sharpening your scissors. 

The reason is that the tools are tiny and do not require the largest file size for sharpening them. A file between 8 and 12 inches is suggested.

The bolt that connects the scissor knives. This way, you can sharpen each scissor blade one time at a time. You will also be more flexible while sharpening your blades.

Use one hand while holding use the file in the opposite hand. Drag the blades of the scissors starting from the bottom on the blade to are at the point. Repeat this 5-10 times. Repeat this action with the second blade.

Method #10 Buy a New Sharp Pair of Hair Scissors

A new pair of sharp hairdressing scissors

If all else fails, and you have reached method number ten, then it might be time to buy a new pair of hair scissors.

There are many different ways to sharpen scissors, but the extreme sharpness makes hair shear blades unique. This can be a double-edged sword, pun intended, as the ultra-sharp blades effortlessly cut through hair, but when they become dull, it is expensive to sharpen.

If your pair of hair scissors are expensive, we recommend using a sharpening service with the tools to protect your investment.

You may be able to use everyday sharpeners once or twice, but they could then permanently damage the blades. So be careful when deciding which sharpening method is best for you! Thank you for reading this article!

You can also read more about how to sharpen your hair scissors here (references):

Jun Oh
Jun Oh

Jun is a professional journalist for barbers and hairdressers. She is a huge fan for high-end hair scissors. His top brands to review include Kamisori, Jaguar Scissors and Joewell. She instructs and educates people about cutting hair, haircuts and barbering across America, Canada and the UK. USA, UK, Australia and Canada.


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