Start with the pillar
The Shear Maintenance & Care Mastery guide is the backbone of every recommendation on this site. Work through each section, then use the resources below to tighten your workflow.
Daily, weekly, quarterly routines
- Follow the daily five-minute ritual and log each step in your maintenance sheet.
- Run the weekly and monthly resets to catch tension drift before it escalates.
- Use the maintenance schedule template to keep sharpening timelines visible.
Reference material
Sharpening cadence & technician vetting
- Confirm your steel’s cadence in the sharpening section.
- Vet every technician with the sharpener checklist before handing over your kit.
- Review the VG-10 vs 440C comparison to align service intervals with your workload.
Key reminder: Log the date, technician, and service notes after every appointment. Consistent records maintain warranty coverage with premium brands.
Public sharpening questions checklist
Before you hand over a pair of shears, run through these questions with the technician. They come straight from our internal vetting guide but are condensed for salon visits:
- Steel experience: “Which steels do you sharpen most often? Have you worked with VG-10, ZA-18, cobalt alloys, or powder steels like NPM?”
- Convex workflow: “Can you explain how you maintain a convex edge? Do you use a flat hone and polishing steps rather than a grinding wheel?”
- Temperature control: “How do you keep the blade cool during sharpening so the temper isn’t ruined?”
- Clamp & alignment: “What method keeps the blade aligned while you work? Can you return it with the same set and ride line?”
- Tension reset: “Will you reset tension to the client’s preference and supply notes if adjustments are needed?”
- Turnaround & guarantee: “What’s the expected turnaround time, and do you stand behind the work if the edge fails early?”
Record the technician’s answers in your maintenance log. If anything feels vague, keep looking—premium steels and ergonomic handles deserve specialists.
Arrival & service prep resources
- Shear arrival inspection checklist — Step-by-step process when new tools land.
- Pre-sharpening prep guide — What to do before meeting your technician.
- Premium purchase questions — Quick vetting guide before you invest.
Annual servicing calendar (guide rails)
- January: Audit maintenance logs, update contact list of technicians, and set quarterly reminders.
- April: Review steel-specific service windows (VG-10, ZA-18, ATS-314, cobalt, NPM) using the sharpening guide; book appointments before winter rush.
- July: Mid-year inspection—compare edge life against expectations, recalibrate tension habits, replace worn inserts.
- October: Schedule premium shear servicing ahead of summer peak; confirm backups are sharpened and ready.
- December: Inventory every shear, capture serial photos, and log turnover plans for the next year.
Tie each milestone to your salon’s digital calendar so the team receives reminders alongside the maintenance log template.
Need a structured audit? Work through the Quarterly Salon Tool Audit checklist to capture inventory, service status, and upgrade plans.
Authenticity safeguards
- Step through the authenticity checklist before first use and after every major service.
- Cross-reference serials and documentation with the brand directory if anything looks off.
- Flag red flags immediately using the counterfeit indicators.
Coming soon
- Australian sharpener directory segmented by state and steel expertise
- Printable maintenance logbooks for value, professional, and premium kits
- Authenticity case studies highlighting common counterfeit tactics
Need bespoke help setting up maintenance SOPs for your team? Reach out via the contact page with your salon size and current toolkit.