Checking and Adjusting a Scissor's Tension.

Here at Abbfabb Grooming Scissors Ltd, we ensure that all our dog grooming scissors are set with the correct tension before we send them out to our customers. 

However, it is important that when you have finished using your dog grooming scissors for the day that they are cleaned thoroughly. Your scissors should then be stored in the fully closed position, to avoid any stray debris accidentally damaging the cutting edge of the blade. Ideally, they should be stored in a case to protect them from environmental factors, and away from magnets, which can cause the scissors to attract dust and other damaging particles.

Correct scissor tension is VITAL for maintaining your dog grooming scissors and getting the best out of them. Not only having the correct tension which will result in your scissors performing to their full potential, it will also prevent the blades from locking or catching against one another, a groomers nightmare, and premature blunting.

If the dog grooming scissor is too tight, the blades feel stiff and do not move freely. This will result in unnecessary wearing down of the scissor, blunting and will cause fatigue for the dog groomer due to the extra pressure required to move the blades. On the other hand, if the dog grooming scissor is too loose, this will result in the blades closing too quickly and will cause the hair to fold rather than be cut.

How to adjust the scissor tension appropriately:

Please watch our video below which demonstrates how to set the correct scissor tension and puts the theory discussed above into practice. 

After a time, the scissor tension may loosen. It is important that you hold the scissors at the handles and with blades facing upwards at a 90-degree angle. Adjust the tension screw extremely gently and allow the cutting blade to drop. Adjust the screw accordingly so that the blade only falls to a 2/3 (45-degree angle) closed position.  Again, please use the diagram below as a reference.

At Abbfabb Grooming Scissors Ltd, we use two scissor screw types:

The Raised Jewelled Screw:

This Raised Screw is designed to be "raised' from the surface of the dog grooming scissor and means you manually adjust the screw to the right to tighten  and to the left to loosen the tension. Please note that this type of screw could potentially be 'knocked' out of position during the scissor being used and could snag the dog's coat if in close proximity. Checking the screw's tension regularly can help prevent the scissor's tension from adjusting. 

The Flat Screw:

The flat screw system is an ultra precise screw with little looseness. The design of the tension screw sitting within the blades, helps maintain the correct tension for a longer period of time, does not hinder the scissoring and does not get in the way of your comb. This screw is adjusted using a scissor key. We provide the scissor key for all our flat screw dog grooming scissors.