Haircutting For Dummies. Jeryl E. Spear

cosmetology license. Besides, if you’re so good that people want to pay you for a trim, you should become a licensed stylist anyway!

Chapter 2

      Strapping On Your Tool Belt

      IN THIS CHAPTER

      

Cutting to the chase with scissors

      

Getting the buzz on trimmers

      

Stocking up on the right combs

      

Adding some helpful tools and supplies to make your haircuts go more smoothly

      

Holding hair fast with clips and clamps

      I confess. Before I became a stylist, I’d pick up whatever tool I happened to have handy to comb, brush, or cut my hair. I didn’t know the difference between a bad styling tool and a good one and, to be honest, I didn’t care. I used brushes until the bristles melted. And, as long as they still cut, I saw no reason why I shouldn’t use the same pair of scissors for trimming my bangs, opening the mail, and snipping the packing tape off boxes.

      After I began cutting hair for a living, though, I realized that not all tools are alike. Sharp, high-grade scissors allow you to cut through hair like a hot knife through butter, and a smoothly finished comb glides rather than snags through the hair.

Beyond quality, you also have different types of tools and sundries to consider. Some are designed for multipurpose use, while others are strictly specialty items. I explain these tools and the assorted sundries needed for haircutting in Table 2-1, Table 2-2, and Table 2-3 in this chapter.

Running with These Is a No-No

I have to admit that I’m not much of a gizmo girl. In fact, when I see a screwdriver or ratchet, I instinctively walk the other way. Yet the more I know about haircutting scissors (shown in Figure 2-1), the more I realize that scissors are as sexy to a haircutter as prized knives are to a master chef.

      Fromm (www.frommpro.com)

      FIGURE 2-1: Haircutting scissors range from $20 to $1,200 or more, depending on the materials, finishing steps, and brand name.

      Manufacturers perform over 100 steps on quality scissors — including hand polishing, sharpening, and balancing — to create a tool that effortlessly cuts the hair. That’s why many professional scissors cost hundreds of dollars — a price most beauty pros are willing to pay because their livelihood depends on creating beautiful designs. Still, even the crème de la crème of haircutters must start somewhere, and that place is usually at the lower end of the professional scissors spectrum. I recommend that you start with a $20 model made by a reputable company.

      

My dear friend and haircutter Sean recently moved from Scotland to America to expand his career opportunities. Confusion immediately reigned. “Why are they callin’ scissors shears?” he asked. “We use shears for trimmin’ bushes and shearin’ sheep.” Technically, Sean is correct. Scissors are officially defined as having 6-inch or shorter blade lengths. But somewhere along the line, American marketers started calling haircutting scissors “shears.” Just for the record, I refer to these haircutting tools as “scissors” in this book, but “shears” is also a commonplace term that you should keep in mind when venturing out into the beauty world on your own.

Haircutting scissors that cost up to $20 are considered to be disposable because it’s cheaper to buy a new pair than pay to have the dull pair sharpened. But don’t let this “throwaway” status fool you. A pair of scissors in this price range can adequately care for your family’s hair from several months to a couple of years — depending on how frequently you use them and how well you care for them. (See the “Caring for your scissors” section later in this chapter.)

      

The quickest way to dull your scissors is to use them for cutting anything but clean, human hair. Cutting mannequins or wigs with synthetic hair dull the blades and may even damage them to the point they must be replaced. Cutting hair coated with styling products will also hasten their need to be sharpened or thrown way.

      Selecting scissors

      Check the quality of the workmanship when shopping for scissors. First, examine the most expensive pair of scissors in the store and then compare them to lesser-priced brands that fit comfortably within your grooming budget.

       Run your fingers over the metal to see how smooth and glassy it feels. If it has even one rough spot, pass on the scissors. Unpolished, rough surfaces are open to rusting. Rough spots are also a sign of overall poor workmanship.

       Close the scissors and examine the tips. Do they meet (good), or is there a gap (bad)?

       Feel how smooth the ride is (the way the scissors feel as you make cutting motions) by opening and closing the blades. Does the ride feel rough (lots of friction) or smooth?

      To shop for bells and whistles, consider these important options:

       Tension screw: This feature eliminates the need to use a screwdriver to adjust the tightness of your blades (see Figure 2-1).

       Finger tang: Also called a finger rest or brace, this option adds a measure of control while cutting the hair. Some stylists can’t live without a finger tang while others find it a nuisance. If you are leaning toward using a tang, I suggest that you purchase scissors that have a removable tang so you can have the best of both worlds. (The tang shown in Figure 2-1 can be unscrewed).

       Finger and thumb sizing inserts: Also called ring sizers, these rubber-like inserts fit inside the scissors’ finger and thumb rings to create a more custom fit (see Figure 2-1). Finger and thumb inserts are especially helpful for people with slender digits as they reduce the interior circumference of the finger ring.

      USING THE OLD PAIR

Before turning into a white-knuckle shopper as you approach the register with an armful of tools, consider this: In some instances, nearly any old tool can do the job. If you’re only planning on cutting your child’s bangs, for instance, or doing an end-trim on your dear Auntie J’s hair, that inexpensive comb that you’ve been keeping in your bathroom drawer for the past several years will probably do the trick. The same is almost true for scissors. While you should never try cutting hair with the blunt-nosed pair that you keep in your children’s arts-and-crafts box, a simple $20