Sharpening a manicure tool

A beautiful manicure gives the hands a well-groomed look. An important role in creating a truly neat and sophisticated design of nails is played not only by the skill of a manicure specialist, but also by high-quality tools that are used in the work. No one wants to have their fingers cut during a manicure - or the cuticle has been partially removed, featuring "torn" edges. To prevent such a situation, the masters periodically sharpen manicure tools.

You will have to pay a decent amount of money for professional sharpening of inventory. But such an investment pays off, as it extends the life of the tools. In addition, well-sharpened scissors, tweezers or wire cutters do not injure the skin and do not harm the nail plate.

But first things first. It is worth understanding the intricacies of professional sharpening and the implementation of such manipulation on your own. Not everyone knows how to avoid mistakes and not spoil the inventory.

Going to the workshop for sharpening manicure tools, try to find reviews and opinions of customers who have already used the services of this specialist. Do not trust your tool to "wandering" masters who, in search of clients, move from one beauty salon to another. They can carry out the necessary procedure poorly or simply render the inventory unusable.

There are two techniques for sharpening manicure devices:

1. using a special machine.
2. Manually - or the so-called individual sharpening.

If the master uses the first technique, then your tools will be sharpened on special equipment using diamond and polishing wheels, and as the final phase, a felt washer. Such the machine allows:

• return the tools to their former sharpness;
• align the edges of the blades;
• remove the notches and roughness that appeared in the process of using manicure devices.

The main advantages of the easel sharpening technique include:

• saving time - the process is much faster than in manual mode;
• exclusion of the possibility of harm the structure of the blades themselves.

But do not forget that during the operation a sufficiently large amount of the blade is removed. Tweezers, scissors and wire cutters can withstand from 8 to 12 such manipulations - depending on the size of the blades themselves.

If the master performs manual sharpening, then you will have to be patient, because he can spend from 30 minutes to an hour on this procedure, depending on the condition of the tools. This process is carried out under a microscope, using a diamond bar. The specialist polishes every millimeter of the blade.

If you entrust your tool to a highly qualified specialist, then manual sharpening will be carried out at a higher level than using a machine. If your devices fall into the hands of an inexperienced specialist, then there is a risk of ruining them forever.

Tweezers, scissors and wire cutters will be able to withstand 25 to 35 such procedures - unlike the first option.

It is worth considering in more detail how each tool for manicure is sharpened.

The process of sharpening cuticle nippers is carried out in several stages:

• The backlash is eliminated.
• Spring adjustment.
• Removal of traces of rust, if it was formed during the use of cuticle nippers.
• Sharpening cuticle nippers from the inside, each plane is given separate attention.

In order for these devices to work well without adversely affecting the cuticle, they must be distinguished by a sharp corner of the spout and cutting edges, otherwise the nippers will tear the skin.

Checking the quality of the work done is quite simple - use the usual thin plastic bag. You need to pull the edges of such a package between your fingers and try to cut it.

If the cuticle nippers have been sharpened correctly, then you will get a cut that is distinguished by smooth, clear edges. If the tool “chews” the plastic bag, it means that the sharpening process was carried out in violation of the technology, and the master must correct the shortcomings.

During operation, the blade of the tweezers becomes uneven, slides over the nail plate without cutting it off. As soon as you notice such a problem, you will need to hand over the product for sharpening.

To check the quality of the work done, you also need to test, but instead of a plastic bag, a denser material is used - for example, electrical tape or printer paper. You should get a cut with clear edges, without torn or chewed elements.

Glass nail files are gaining popularity among manicure specialists due to the fact that this tool does not harm the nail plate during use. Nails do not delaminate, besides, you can cut with such nail files in different directions.

Over time, the abrasive surface of this device becomes unusable. It is not at all necessary to get rid of such a glass nail file, you can take it to a workshop for sharpening. In the skillful hands of the master, this product will be restored to its original properties, it can be used again.

If your tweezers that you use for plucking your eyebrows have stopped properly grabbing the hairs (you can’t pull out short hairs or grab vellus hairs with it), then you need to sharpen the tool. A similar situation can happen with eyelash extension tweezers.

After sharpening these devices, pay attention to the following points:

1. The edges of the tweezers after the sharpening procedure should fit perfectly, leaving no lye or any gaps, much less distortions.
2. The jaws of the tweezers should not show any burrs or elements that protrude. The working surface should be rounded, this will help you not get injured on the skin while pulling out the hairs.
3. Please note that the tweezers must be sharpened in such a way as to capture the hairs, and not bite them. Otherwise, the hair will not be pulled out by the root, but cut off. And soon the correction will have to be repeated. This rule also applies to eyelash extension tweezers. With such a drawback, this device will not be able to capture an artificial eyelash, but will simply cut it off.

If during operation these tweezers have undergone deformation, they are carefully bent or straightened, returning their original appearance.

Intending to carry out the procedure for sharpening manicure tools yourself, be prepared for the fact that you will need special equipment. The tool sharpening machine must have a diamond wheel.

The use of folk methods such as "cut foil or sandpaper" can lead to tool breakage. The cutting part will be irretrievably damaged, and you will have to purchase new fixtures.

The step-by-step process of sharpening manicure tools using cuticle nippers as an example is as follows:

1. Remove backlash. To do this, you need to take the wire cutters by the handles and shake relative to each other.If you feel movement, you need to tighten the middle screw.
2. Sharpen the blade from the inside, trying to align the cutting edges.
3. Next, you need to sharpen the blades from the outside, and also adjust the tips.
4. Squeeze the cuticle nippers and sharpen both blades from the outer side, in the area where they meet. Try not to break the geometry of the product.
5. The final step is to polish the instrument using a piece of leather or polishing paste.

The process of sharpening nail tweezers yourself is much more difficult, you will have to be extremely careful and careful not to spoil them. Be prepared for the fact that it will take you much more time to process this device.

The frequency of the sharpening process also depends on the correct and careful attitude to manicure tools.

Here are a few tips to help extend the life of your appliances:

• Do not knock out hairs, skin or cut off nails from tweezers, nippers, and tweezers on a countertop or comb.
• It is not recommended to boil products. To eliminate microbes, special devices for disinfection are used.
• It is better to store all your working tools in protective cases or cases. Make sure that the tools do not come into contact with each other, as this can cause the blades to become dull.

• Nippers and tweezers can lose their sharpness faster if they are placed on the countertop with the blades down.
• Do not leave tweezers, nippers and tweezers for a long time in disinfectants, as they can also lead to dulling of sharp elements.
• Carefully treat the articular parts of your manicure devices, as grease and hairs constantly accumulate between them, reducing the life of the tools.
• After finishing work and carrying out disinfecting procedures, the products must be lubricated with oil.
• Get your sharpening done by a qualified professional.

Properly sharpened tools with careful handling will allow you to create the perfect manicure and last a long time.

How to sharpen nail clippers, see the following video.