SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS AND CREDIBILITY: JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL SCISSOR SHARPENERS ASSOCIATION (ISSA)!

Established in 2007, the ISSA is a global community dedicated to sharpening professionals. As a member, you'll gain access to valuable resources, connect with fellow sharpeners, and demonstrate your commitment to quality service.

Membership Benefits:

• Official Membership Credentials: Receive a professional wallet ID and a deluxe certificate to showcase your ISSA membership.
• Enhanced Credibility: Membership signifies your dedication to the sharpening craft, reassuring clients you're part of a respected international network committed to excellence.
• Exclusive Access: ISSA members can purchase high-quality branded merchandise like hats, jackets, and more to proudly display their affiliation.

Becoming a Certified Sharpener:

Take your expertise to the next level with our optional certification program:

1. Select the "Certified Option" during membership registration. 
2. Sharpening Test: You'll receive a written test and two shears - one beveled and one convex (potentially incorrectly sharpened in the past). Your task is to re-convex the latter. The shears may be dirty or nicked, simulating real-world conditions.
3. Evaluation Criteria: Sharpened shears will be judged on:
   • Ability to cut through wet tissue and dry hair effortlessly.
   • Sharpening angle appropriate for the shear type and salon use (wet & dry hair).
   • Smooth opening and closing action.
   • Overall cosmetic condition.

Certification is awarded by the ISSA. For questions about the judging process, please contact the ISSA directly.

Please note: We won't return the test shears unless you arrange for their return shipment.

Membership also includes:

• A commitment to upholding the ISSA Code of Ethics, ensuring professionalism and integrity within our community.

The Code emphasizes the following values:

• Enthusiasm for the craft
• Trustworthiness in all interactions
• Honesty in business practices
• Integrity as a core principle
• Competence through continuous learning
• Service excellence for all clients

By joining the ISSA, you'll elevate your sharpening expertise, connect with a network of passionate professionals, and gain access to exclusive member benefits. We look forward to welcoming you!

ISSA Update

 My apologies for not keeping up with the ISSA blog. I promise to do better in the future. The number of people joining and certifying is overwhelming. The YouTube playlist has 76 videos at this time. 

This is what the evaluation is all about. 

The latest of these video evaluation was posted yesterday. 

 I'm adding names from those who joined and / or certified for the ISSA. If you have questions, please call or refer to the www.bonika.com website. 

Watch ISSA Evaluation Testing for Certification

Watch the videos from this playlist to see how shears are evaluated for certification. 

My Sharpener Ruined My Shears!

My Sharpener Ruined My Shears!:
Maybe, maybe not. Reputable, trained sharpeners will often have bad days, just like stylists and deserve the courtesy of the opportunity to fix their work. However, before you call him back, take a close look at your shears. Open the shears and look at the inside of the blades. A correctly sharpened Japanese type shear will have a shiny line called a rideline or hone line along the cutting edge of the shears. If the shears have a shiny line up the back side of the blade, on the side that does not cut, your sharpener most likely doesn’t know what he is doing.I was just sent one of our Bonika Shears which was sharpened incorrectly in another state. These shears have a rideline on both the cutting edge and the back of the blade. He seemed to have taken the shears apart to sharpen them, (which is the correct way to sharpen these shears) but he put the pressure in the wrong area of the blade and changed the plane of the surface. I am unable to fix these. Bad sharpening is not covered under our LifeTime Warranty. Their sharpener did not understand the geometry of the shear blade and changed the dynamics of the cutting edge. If the stylist had sent these back to their sharpener to resharpen, they would have been even worse. Be cautious when you give your shears to a scissor sharpener. One bad sharpening can take away your entire investment. Note the shiny line on the front and back side of the blade. This is due to improper sharpening. This is an illustration from Arius Eickert used with permission to show what a Rideline should look like.

Bigger selection and more accurate measurement for washers for Scissors

Bigger selection and more accurate measurement for washers for Scissors: Welcome to the bizarre and confusing world os beauty shear washers. There is no standardization on screws for beauty shears and scissors. Because screws are all sorts of sizes, the washers are also various sizes to fit the scissors. Washers wear down, are lost or break and must often be replaced. Here at Bonika Shears we stock some of the most complete sizes of washers available on the internet for scissor sharpeners but this has been a formidable task. We often have to order washers from several companies and several countries to get our large selection. Even doing that, the washers which we order by the same part number may vary up to 5 mm in size. therefore, we measure each batch of washers that come in and organize them accordingly. this is why sometimes your favorite washer may or may not be available. We then sort them and count them one by one into little bags, often using little people (grandchildren) to do this. As in the photo here, not all of the holes are perfectly centered in the washers. sometimes there is a little rough edge on a washer. This can not be helped nor can each washer be inspected. Please understand the difficulties we face with this.At the time of this writing we have 9 sizes of washers. The product code will tell you the washer size. For instance a washer code of #WWAD55H4 is a white washer with a outside diameter of 5.5 mm and an inside diameter of 4 mm. Measurements are very difficult. You see me in the photo below using a micrometer to measure the inside hole. If the plastic washer stretches it can affect the measurement up to a couple of mm. Please refer to our website for ordering washers at http://www.bonika.com/custom-white-washers-bag-of-... Notice the photo shows 6 washers, but we now have 9 and very likely more sizes in the future. The current sizes are 7, 6, 5.5, 4.6 and 4 mm with various hole sizes. There is no longer an assortment, but there may be such sets in the bargain room of our Sharpeners Jam when we sweep the floor once a year and pick up all the loose washers.Here at Bonika Shears we will strive to stock more and more parts as we are able to obtain them to make the life of the scissor sharpener and those of their customer happier.

​How to Sharpen and Sell Beauty Scissors at a Local Beauty Shows

​How to Sharpen and Sell Beauty Scissors at a Local Beauty Shows: Tips for sharpeners on success at hair and beauty shows.

Nagura Stones

One of my new must have tools for sharpening is the Nagura Stone. When I use this stone in conjunction with my other watestones for creating a rideline, the hone line is noticeably shinier with less tiny scratches, even to the naked eye. Because of that, I use it now in all my sharpening and used it when I certified with the NBTSG last fall.

So what is a Nagura Stone and how do I use it?

“Nagura” on the internet is the Japanese word for either “correcting” or “famous storehouse” (depending on who’s blog you read.) Either way, these stones were created by the Japanese of super-fine hard stones that were not suitable for creating a hone. They used them with other water hones as a type of prep stone. When combined with water on your existing waterstone they work to slightly flatten your stone and remove the swarf or steel embedded in your stone. But most important, it the grit of your stone to create a slurry that sits on top of the stone. It does not change the grit of the stone you are using, but enhances it. I have used the same nagura stone on my stones from 500 grit to 15,000 grit with good results. Some of the old time sharpeners I met at the NBTSG said they have been using this stone over the years and call the slurry “sharpening juice.” They said it not only gave them better ridelines, but made the sharpening faster. I found this also to be true.

Rub it in a circular manner over your wet stone. There should be a slurry that has the same consistency and look of  watery milk on the surface of your stone. If the slurry gets thick or darker in color, add water make new slurry. Although the nagura stone will help create even wear on your stone and clean it up nicely, you will still need to occasionally flatten your waterstone in your usual way. I just find I can go a little longer between this process.

There is some controversary bout the need for a Nagura stone. I know when Hap from Shapton was here at the Sharpeners Jam two years ago, he did not encourage the use of the nagura. He didn’t give a reason except that it was not necessary. However, I find using the Nagura speeds up my sharpening and creates a better rideline. It’s also one of the cheapest tools in my kit (we sell these at Bonika and on our website for just $15.00) I’m not sure if they ever really wear out, I’ve only been using mine since June of last year. From what I unsderstand on the internet there are different types of nagura and a great variety in prices. I have only experimented with this one inexpensive nagura, but I have been enormously happy with the results and will continue to use it.