What Scissor Sharpening Machine Do You Need to Sharpen Professional Shears?

If you are thinking about learning professional scissor sharpening, one of your first questions will probably be: What scissor sharpening machine do I need?

That sounds like a simple question, but the answer depends heavily on the type of scissors and shears you intend to sharpen.

Two of the most common systems you will encounter in professional scissor sharpening training are the Twice As Sharp machine, often called TAS, and the Flat Hone sharpening machine.

They are not simply two competing versions of the same machine. They use different sharpening methods and are particularly suited to different types of shear edges. Understanding that difference before buying equipment can save a beginning sharpener from making an expensive mistake.

What Kind of Machine Is Used to Sharpen Professional Scissors?

There is no single scissor sharpening machine that should automatically be used on every pair of scissors.

The correct sharpening equipment depends largely on the construction and edge geometry of the shear.

Professional sharpeners commonly encounter:

• Traditional bevel edge scissors
• Professional barber shears
• Convex salon shears
• Japanese-style convex shears
• Semi-convex edges
• Serrated scissors and shears
• Texturizing and thinning shears

Before deciding how a shear should be sharpened, you first need to know what you are looking at.

That is why learning to identify different cutting edges is an important part of professional sharpening. Our Edge Types Training Module covers the differences between the major types of shear edges and why those differences matter during sharpening.

What Is a Twice As Sharp Scissor Sharpening Machine?

The Twice As Sharp is one of the best-known machines in professional scissor sharpening. Sharpeners also commonly refer to it as a TAS machine.

The Twice As Sharp uses rotating sharpening wheels together with a clamping system that allows the sharpener to establish and maintain an angle on the cutting edge.

This makes the Twice As Sharp machine particularly well suited for traditional bevel edge shear sharpening.

A bevel edge has a defined flat surface leading to the cutting edge. The sharpener can identify that bevel and work to restore the edge while maintaining the appropriate geometry.

For someone who plans to sharpen traditional scissors, barber shears and other beveled-edge cutting tools, learning how a Twice As Sharp system operates can be an important part of professional scissor sharpening training.

What Are the Sharpening Wheels on a Twice As Sharp?

The machine itself is only one part of the sharpening system. The abrasive wheels used on a Twice As Sharp also play an important role.

Different wheels and abrasives can be used for different stages of sharpening, refinement and finishing. A professional sharpener needs to understand what each abrasive is doing to the steel rather than simply moving a blade across a spinning wheel.

Our Sharpening Wheels for Twice As Sharp Training Module focuses specifically on understanding the sharpening wheels and abrasives used with a TAS system.

What Is a Flat Hone Scissor Sharpening Machine?

A Flat Hone sharpening machine uses a different approach.

Rather than sharpening against the edge of a traditional grinding wheel, the sharpener works against a flat abrasive surface. In trained hands, this provides the control needed to work with the curved outside geometry found on many professional salon shears.

This is especially important when sharpening convex edge shears.

A true convex or Japanese-style shear does not simply have one flat bevel leading to the cutting edge. The outside surface of the blade transitions through a curved radius toward the apex of the edge.

The objective of convex shear sharpening is therefore not simply to grind a sharp angle onto the blade. The sharpener needs to understand the existing geometry and preserve it during the sharpening and polishing process.

Why Is a Flat Hone Used for Convex Shears?

Convex shears are common in the professional salon industry, particularly among higher-quality Japanese-style hair shears.

The curved geometry is one of the reasons these shears can produce an extremely smooth cutting action, but that geometry also requires a different level of understanding from the sharpener.

Turning a convex edge into a simple flat bevel may still produce something that feels sharp, but it changes the geometry of the shear.

Professional Flat Hone sharpening is designed to give the sharpener greater control over how that convex surface is worked, refined and polished.

If you intend to sharpen professional salon shears, understanding convex geometry is essential. Our Convex Edge / Japanese Edge / Hamaguri Theory Module explains the geometry behind these edges before you begin removing steel.

What Sharpening Pads Are Used on a Flat Hone?

Just as the Twice As Sharp uses different sharpening wheels, a Flat Hone system relies on abrasive pads or discs.

The abrasive and grit being used determine how aggressively material is removed and how the blade surface is refined as the sharpener progresses toward the final finish.

Understanding abrasive progression is important because professional sharpening is not simply about making an edge sharp as quickly as possible. The goal is controlled material removal while maintaining the intended geometry of the shear.

Our Sharpening Pads for Flat Hone Training Module focuses specifically on the abrasive pads used during Flat Hone sharpening.

Do You Need a Flat Hone or a Twice As Sharp?

That depends on what you intend to sharpen.

If your sharpening business primarily services traditional scissors and bevel edge shears, a Twice As Sharp system may play a major role in your work.

If you intend to service professional salon shears with convex and Japanese-style edges, understanding Flat Hone sharpening becomes particularly important.

If your goal is to build a professional sharpening business capable of servicing a broad variety of scissors and shears, understanding both systems gives you considerably more flexibility.

The important point is not to choose a machine first and then force every shear onto that machine.

Identify the shear. Identify the edge. Then determine the correct sharpening process.

Flat Hone vs. Twice As Sharp: Which Is Better?

It is tempting for a beginning sharpener to ask which machine is better, but that misses the more important question.

The question should be: Which scissor sharpening machine is appropriate for the edge I am trying to restore?

The Twice As Sharp excels at traditional bevel edge sharpening. The Flat Hone gives a trained sharpener the control needed for professional convex and Japanese-style shear sharpening.

If you want a deeper comparison of the two systems, read our Flat Hone vs. Twice As Sharp: Which Scissor Sharpening Machine Do You Need? guide.

Can One Scissor Sharpening Machine Sharpen Everything?

This is where beginning sharpeners need to be careful.

A machine that can physically remove metal from a blade is not necessarily the correct machine or process for preserving that blade's original geometry.

Professional sharpening requires knowing the difference.

If a convex shear is treated like an ordinary bevel edge, for example, the sharpener can alter the outside geometry even though the resulting edge may initially feel sharp.

Likewise, buying a Flat Hone does not automatically teach someone how to sharpen a convex shear. The sharpener still needs to understand convex geometry, abrasive progression, ride lines, tension, set, alignment and finishing.

A Scissor Sharpening Machine Is Only a Tool

This may be the most important thing for someone considering a career in professional scissor sharpening to understand.

Buying the machine does not make you a professional sharpener.

A professional hair shear is a complete mechanical cutting system. Both blades have to interact correctly from the throat of the shear through the tips.

That means professional scissor sharpening training needs to go beyond simply teaching someone how to operate a Flat Hone or Twice As Sharp machine.

A trained sharpener should understand:

• Bevel and convex edge geometry
• Ride lines
• J-hooks
• Shear set and bow
• Tension systems
• Proper tip alignment
• Abrasives and polishing
• Testing the finished shear

For example, understanding the Ride Lines is critical because a beautifully sharpened edge will not correct a shear whose blades are not interacting properly.

Should You Buy a Scissor Sharpening Machine Before Taking Training?

There is a strong argument for learning the fundamentals before investing heavily in sharpening equipment.

If you understand the difference between a bevel edge and a convex edge, what the Flat Hone is designed to accomplish, and what the Twice As Sharp is designed to accomplish, you can make a much more informed equipment decision.

You also begin your training understanding that the objective is not simply to remove steel until the scissors cut.

The objective is to restore the shear while maintaining the geometry and mechanical relationships that allow it to perform correctly.

Learn How Flat Hone and Twice As Sharp Machines Are Used

The Shear Fanatic Sharpening Machines Training Module teaches the differences between Flat Hone and Twice As Sharp sharpening systems and where each machine fits into professional shear sharpening.

The machine module is part of a larger professional scissor sharpening training program covering the technical subjects a sharpener needs to understand beyond the machine itself.

Individual training modules allow you to study specific subjects, while the complete program connects those subjects into a broader understanding of professional shear sharpening.

Explore the Complete Professional Shear Sharpening Training Program →

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Frequently Asked Questions About Scissor Sharpening Machines

What is the best scissor sharpening machine?

There is no single machine that is best for every type of scissors. The correct sharpening system depends on the edge geometry and type of shear. Twice As Sharp machines are particularly suited to traditional bevel edges, while Flat Hone systems are important for professional convex and Japanese-style shear sharpening.

What machine do professional scissor sharpeners use?

Professional sharpeners may use several types of equipment depending on the work they perform. Flat Hone and Twice As Sharp machines are two commonly encountered systems in professional scissor and shear sharpening.

Is a Twice As Sharp machine the same as a Flat Hone?

No. They are different sharpening systems. Twice As Sharp uses sharpening wheels and is particularly suited to traditional beveled edges. A Flat Hone uses a flat abrasive surface and provides the control required for sharpening and polishing convex shear geometry.

What does TAS mean in scissor sharpening?

TAS is commonly used as an abbreviation for Twice As Sharp, a professional scissor sharpening machine used extensively for traditional bevel edge sharpening.

What machine is used to sharpen convex hair shears?

Flat Hone sharpening systems are commonly used by professional sharpeners working with convex and Japanese-style hair shears because they allow the sharpener to control and preserve the curved outside geometry of the blade.

What machine is used for bevel edge shear sharpening?

The Twice As Sharp machine is particularly well suited for sharpening traditional bevel edge scissors and shears because its wheel and clamping system allows the sharpener to work with a defined bevel angle.

Can you sharpen salon shears on a Twice As Sharp?

It depends on the edge. Some professional hair shears have traditional beveled edges that can be appropriately serviced with a Twice As Sharp system. True convex and Japanese-style edges require a sharpening method capable of preserving their curved geometry.

Do I need training to use a scissor sharpening machine?

Operating the machine is only part of professional sharpening. Proper training should also cover edge identification, shear geometry, ride lines, tension, set, alignment, abrasives, polishing and testing so the sharpener understands the complete cutting system.

Where can I learn professional scissor sharpening?

Shear Fanatic offers professional scissor and shear sharpening training through individual technical modules and a complete training program covering sharpening machines, convex edges, edge identification, abrasives, ride lines, tension systems, alignment and other essential sharpening skills.