Tension Settings - Why Bother

Scissors Tension Settings - Why Bother

Good things happen when the tension is adjusted.

The fingers can be relaxed, allowing a free moving thumb to maneuver the blade.
The scissors feel balanced, weightless, and smooth.
The thumb does not bear any of the scissor’s weight.
The small finger with a slight and constant downward push on the finger rest keeps the handle comfortably cradled under the fingers.
The fingers easily bend at the first joint and slightly drape over the handle, holding everything in place without a tight grip.
The thumb can gently touch the handle ring devoid of pushing or pulling to maneuver the blade.
When indexing the blade, it will be exceptionally smooth, allowing a free range of radial and directional movements.
Good things happen when the tension is set properly at the beginning of each workday.

The fingers are not relaxed while holding the scissors handle, unconsciously forming a tighter grip, giving a false sense of control.
The thumb that should just touch the handle ring, now slips inside that ring, transferring the weight of the scissor onto the thumb, and the finger unconsciously lifts off from the finger rest.
The blade starts to droop because the elbow rises, and you overcompensate to regain control of the scissor.
When the thumb naturally flexes, the fingers tighten their grip, and this affects the blades’ ability to produce a clean slice on the hair.
As the tension continues to incrementally loosens, the thumb slips deeper into the handle ring, and the fingers tighten their grip causing even more hand stress.
Now the blades are grinding together causing damage, and the hair will sporadically be bending, pushing, and pulling while you are attempting to cut.
Producing a precise haircut has become frustrating and difficult.
The resolution starts with taking 5 seconds each day to properly set the tension and prepare your scissors for a perfect haircutting experience. This is also the first step to regaining upper hand control.