HAIR STYLISTS HAIR CUTTING..

Scissors, Shears, & "Scissor Sharpening"...PAST..PRESENT..FUTURE..XZACTA

 making scissors/shears, scissor sharpening education, knowledge and history fun....with a hand on the past, a grip on the present, and an eye on the future.  Xzacta Shears wil be making history very soon!!!

This page is  to other sites that hopefully will be educational, informative, and fun that are at least sort of related to you and our business.  Well acutually they are all related to hair, scissors/shears, hair cutting, scissors sharpening and more.  If you know a student that needs to do a book report on scissors or scissors sharpening,  they probably have all the sources they need to get an A.  We just added several links about the history of scissors, but also of metal, knives, and swords.  Real cool stuff.  Send them this way.   I've actually learned a few things, and had a chuckle or two.  The links below are in no particular order, and the education available is from very basic to extremely technical.   So enjoy, and please come back.  And, please let us know it you have any problems with any of these links...thanks!  We do not like spammers and scammers.

 1.   poemhunter.com/poems/hair/      Need a poem to give to your client or stylist?

  2.    http://www.hairfinder.com/hairquestions/hq-cuttinghair.htm    Lots of questions answered about hair cutting, hair styling, scissor sharpening, hair cutting shears, and more.....     After 34 years,  I've learned stuff from this site....ryan

3.     http://www.superpages.com/yellowpages/C-Scissor+Sharpening/       Question:  How can I find a "scissor sharpener" in my home town?    We would love to provide you with all your scissor sharpening needs,  however, if you do not want to mail your valuable hair cutting shears, check out the link above.   Also, ask other hair stylists for referrals,  and definitely ask more than one from different salons.  Call other salons and ask them.  Get at least a consensus of three referrals.  Then you have a chance.  It has been our experience that many hair stylists have never had a good, sharp high quality pair of scissors.  This is sad but true.  Xzacta assures you that the risks of sending your shears to us is minimal compared to blindly using a scissors sharpener in your home town, but the link above should help you.  Also, you might look in your yellow pages although many scissors sharpeners do not list in local phone books.       ....best of luck to ya....

4.       http://xzactashears.com/knife_sharpening.pdf          Do you want to learn how to sharpen a knife?   This is a great article on knife sharpening.  It also gives alot of info about purchasing a knife sharpener.  I know this doesn't have alot to do with scissors sharpening, but I am asked about knife sharpening all the time.  And by the way, I just recently invented an incredible knife sharpening divice.  I am almost as excited about this as I am my "scissor sharpening machine".   More later....

5.   http://sharpmatters.blogspot.com/   Yes, I am tooting my own horn.  This is my blog that is for "scissor sharpening" and hair cutting scissors specifically for "scissor sharpeners" and hair stylists that just want to really know.  Hopefully input will be not only from myself, associates, but maybe competitors as well.  I can't wait.  Yes, although I was going to keep it secret in the beginning.....I am Sharp Matters

6.   http://www.b2bfreezone.com/kk-sharpening/   This site is for scissor sharpeners interested in large buld purchases.  I know some of you purchase in very large quanities.  You can even submit a request to manufacturers for sharpening supplies and equipment that are not available on  this site.

7.   http://www.buzzle.com:80/articles/haircutting-scissor-problems.html   This site sometimes has some good articles related to not only scissors, but hair styling etc.

8.  http://talkingscissor.blogspot.com/    You've just got to check this out!  This is a blog by my friend "Mr. Taiking Scissor".   It is both humorous and educational about scissors/shears and "shear sharpening" from the view point of a very nice pair of scissors in communication to both hair dressers and sharpeners.

9.  http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&q=cosmetologist+scissors&start=10&sa=N  okay folks...I'm sticking my neck out on this one as I have requested permission to link.  I do not even totally agree.  But I think this site has alot to offer that I don't have time or space to share. Xzacta is all about sharing education and information to scissor sharpeners and hair stylists.  You will hear it over and over again.  But you will know that it's true from what we do.    thanks

10.  http://www.samplercovedesigns.com/content/tools/Scissors_07-2006.pdf    want to know more about the history of scissors, and see some really cool pictures of scissors.  These are not all hair cuttings scissors/shears, but they way to cool.   I love this site....check it out

11.  http://books.google.com/books?id=TMDSast-gBkC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=%22antique++hair+scissors%22&source=web&ots=xuESReRTm7&sig=IXWUNOJVFxgfbPIp8-mH3WAXqB4&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result#PPA114,M1    for those who want to get into some serious history of man's developement of metal.  This is heaven for the history buff....over 300 pages long.  This goes way before scissors and "scissor sharpening "were born.  And if you are into swords and knives, you'll love it...enjoy.  Also see link on sharpeners only, #11 for another cool link about swords and sword sharpening

12.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scissors  very simple straight-foward history of scissors, shears, and origins of cutting and hair cutting instruments

13.  http://uncommonscissors.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=2&chapter=0   this is a cute and humorous site with a brief history of scissors, and then humorous superstitions about scissors....  Or should we take it serious??? hmm!    strange this should land on lucky 13!

14.  http://www.my-scissors-4u.com/pages/history.html   a very bried history of scissors/shears for your comparison

15.  http://www.senseishears.com/Shear_Education_s/31.htm   this is the first time I've put a direct link to a shears competitor.  However, I want you to be informed and happy when you purchase Xzacta Shears.  This site has some good information and I owned a pair of Sensei shears years ago.  Check it out and we do hope you come back.

16.  http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=95331    Here is a picture of a grinder.  Notice that the grinding wheel is vertical.  A flat hone will be horizontal.  I buy alot of tools from Harbor Freight Tools and it is my favorite store.  This little set-up would be okay to sharpen cheap household scissors, lawn mower blades, etc.  Please, please don't  use this on your hair cutting scissors.  You will probably be buying new ones.  Call your professional scissor sharpener.

17.  http://www.bigstockphoto.com/search.php?photo_name=scissors    need a picture of scissors or shears, they have over 2,000 pictures of scissors here.  They are very reasonable upfront cost with no royalty.  All kinds of pictures  of shears from antique to modern.

18.  Rockwell Hardness Test           a.  http://www.calce.umd.edu/general/Facilities/Hardness_ad_.htm      You want some very technical information about not only testing metal hardness of scissors/shears as well as testing other materials and other recognised testing procedures.  Has great pictures of various testing machines.                                                      b.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockwell_scale      scissors/shears hardness testing in a little more lay friendly explanation.  Goes into a little history.                                                                c.   http://steel.keytometals.com/Articles/Art140.htm      this is pretty technical with easy to understand language.  If you study all three of these sites, you should know more than you need to know about metal testing of hair styling cutting scissors/shears.  If you are a hair stylist, you'll probably know more than most scissor/shears sharpeners and especiallyscissor salespersons at the hair shows.  Maybe it will help you make a good choice and get a good deal.   

19.  HAIR STYLISTS CUTTING  SCISSORS/SHEARS METAL ANALYSIS      a.   http://www.catra.org/pages/services/testprodeval.htm   this is a company that does scissors metal anylysis as well as alot of other metal objects and equipment.  We have not used this company yet, but plan on checking them out.                                                                                                 b.   http://www.catra.org/pages/products/sissors/stm.htm      this is too cool.   Xzacta Shears will probably be sending a pair of shears off for testing on this machine.  We just learned about this.  Can't wait to check it out!  This goes beyond rockwell and scissors metal analysis.                                                                                                                                                                 c.   stainless steel     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel       since nearly all professional stylist hair cutting scissors/shears are made of some type of stainless steel alloy.   you will find this very educational.  Please note that stainless steel does not mean it will not rust or oxidize.  It will if abused and not protected.  It is just resistant.  This is why manufacturers of scissors/shears, as well as scissors sharpeners, strongly and constantly encourage to clean and oil your scissors.   I am looking for a chart of the various stainless steel alloys used in scissor making in order of their quality.

20.  http://www.hikariscissors.com/history.html   Now....how many companies do you know that are confident enough to put a link to a high end competitor?  You know at least one now...Xzacta Shears!   For those of you who may be knew to the world of hair stylist cutting scissors,  I wanted you to know about Hikari.  They were supposedly the first company to introduce the convex scissor edge or now commonly called japanese style scissors or shears.  You will also note that like myself, the founder of Hikari is a hair stylist.

21.  http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Scissors    This is just crazy and funny.  We have no idea how much of this stuff is true???

22.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4igH8Uq6X4   this is a you tube from Hikari.  I must say I agree almost entirely.  It is good.  Congratulations Hikari.. This is a great video.  Xzacta can teach you some things about sharpening...you will see.. until then enjoy!

23.  http://microsoftofficetutorials.com/Shears/     THESE ARE ALL VIDEOS ON SHEARS, HAIR CUTTING SCISSORS SHARPENING MACHINES, ETC.  Many of these are embedded from You Tube.  "and you can search for many other categories".  Yes, the Xzacta Shears Scissors Sharpening Machines videos are on there also...enjoy!