It is very important for a novice manicurist to choose the right tools. It is difficult to do without a classic trimmed or combined hardware manicure when caring for your nails, so the issue of selecting specialized products and equipment is extremely pressing.
The editors of the YaNashla website, taking into account consumer reviews, present the best models of nail and cuticle clippers that are popular in the domestic market.
How to cut toenails correctly?
Before cutting your toenails, you need to carefully prepare them for this procedure. First, you should thoroughly wash your feet with any toilet soap . Next, all dirt is removed from under the nails . It is also necessary to remove the varnish . If your nails have a gel or acrylic coating, then you need to remove it according to all the rules.
It is advisable to make a foot bath based on sea salt or chamomile. The skin of the nail bed will be moisturized, and the nail itself will become more pliable. After the bath, your feet will need to be dried with a towel for 15 minutes. Now you can move on to cutting your nails.
Toenails should be trimmed carefully as they are usually prone to ingrown nails. The reason for this is not only improper cutting of nails, but also wearing tight shoes, injuries and fungal infections.
Toenails should be cut perpendicular to the cuticle, strictly in a straight line, without bends or rounding . Why shouldn't you cut off the corners of your nails? This will cause them to change the trajectory of their growth and begin to constantly grow.
There is also no need to cut your nails too deep, especially on the sides. With proper trimming, there should be a free edge of the nail - 1-2 mm , protruding beyond the space of the nail bed. After the procedure, you can apply a moisturizing cream to the nail and softening oil to the cuticle.
The average growth of a person's toenails is 4-5 mm in one month. This is an average figure that can vary significantly from person to person. Much depends on age, health status and even the time of year. With regular care, you need to cut your toenails at least 2 times a week .
To cut your toenails, you can use manicure scissors, pedicure clippers, or a nail clipper . Also, this procedure cannot be done without a nail file or tweezers for removing burrs. All these tools must be personal to avoid becoming infected with fungal diseases. Before the procedure, you need to treat them with an antiseptic or sterilize them. For these purposes, you can use hydrogen peroxide, an alcohol solution, or chlorhexidine.
Care Tips
- Before using the nippers, treat them with antiseptic liquid each time. This will eliminate the possibility of infection.
- As soon as you notice that the wire cutters have lost their sharpness, it’s time to sharpen them. Don't try to do it yourself, take it to a professional sharpener. Illiterate sharpening can completely “kill” a tool, turning it into an unusable piece of metal.
- To disinfect wire cutters, avoid aggressive solutions with bleach or aldehydes - these substances can destroy metal. If you use the nippers at home and only in person, then simply wipe them with alcohol from time to time.
- Store your pliers in a locked place, with the cutting side of the blades facing up, to prevent them from becoming dull.
By putting into practice our advice on choosing nippers and further care, you will provide yourself with a trouble-free tool for many years, with the help of which the hands of your beloved clients and your own will always amaze with their beauty, well-groomed and neat manicure. You may also be interested in the reasons why gel polish does not stick to your nails. Why gel polish bubbles on nails is described here.
Types of wire cutters
Knipser
There are several types of pedicure nippers, depending on their area of application. There are cuticle nippers, and there are nippers directly for nails. With the help of the latter, it is easiest to trim nails and remove hangnails. You can't do without pedicure clippers when working with rough, keratinized nails. They are practically no different from manicure ones in appearance, but have a stronger folding spring. Pedicure clippers may vary in size. Thus, a tool for cutting nails for men is always larger than a nail clipper for cutting a child’s nails.
Today, pedicure clippers are divided into the following types:
- Professional - made from surgical steel of the highest quality, as they are repeatedly subjected to heat treatment during the work process. These nippers will not need to be sharpened for several years.
- Knipsers are a compact type of nippers. This tool has a cutting edge for cutting the nail at an angle of 90 degrees. Unlike large tools, it allows you to get close to even small, curved nails. The sharpened cutting surface of the nail clipper makes it easy to trim the nail, preventing it from splitting. Ideal for use on brittle, peeling nails.
- Ingrown toenail clippers are a tool that is specifically designed for the treatment and correction of ingrown toenails. It has an elongated and thin cutting surface. Made from the highest quality stainless steel.
- Pedicure nippers for older people are a tool that is designed to work with thick and hard nails. Also suitable for nails affected by fungus. These are the nippers that are needed to give an elderly person a pedicure at home. Most of these cutters are made of carbon steel.
Nippers for ingrown toenails
See how to choose the right professional pedicure nail clippers:
Principle of operation
The basis of the operation of the tongs is a spring mechanism. By applying force to the handles, the blades close and then return to their original position. When pressing on the handles, it is the spring that creates resistance and ensures smooth operation.
The tongs can be equipped with the following mechanism:
- single spring . This option is the most short-lived and is not suitable for professional use, since with frequent use the mechanism begins to get stuck;
- a double spring ensures smooth operation of the tool, but force is required to cut the free edge of the nail;
- spiral is the most reliable option for professional use. This tool is easy to operate and has a long service life.
Toenail clippers using a spiral as a mechanism - the most reliable tool for a professional The
“joint” of the clippers can be standard, when one part is placed on top of the other and secured, or made using the “English lock” technique, when both parts fit into each other .
Among tools with an “English lock”, low-quality products are more often found, so when purchasing, you need to check the play. To do this, move the handles of the tool up and down and in the open and close position. The work should be performed smoothly, and the divergence of the handles along the vertical axis should be minimal.
Requirements for pedicure instruments
Ideally, cutters and clippers should meet the following requirements:
- professionally sharpened by hand;
- made of stainless medical steel;
- must have a smooth ride that does not bounce;
- their surface should have smooth cutting edges;
- should have a comfortable grip for left and right hands.
If the blades of the clippers are well sharpened, then they will easily cope with nails of any thickness and hardness, cutting the nail plate perfectly evenly, without delamination.
FAQ
What is the difference between nail clippers and cuticle clippers?
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Both instruments have a similar design. But the nail plate is much thicker and harder than the cuticle. Therefore, cutting it effectively and safely requires nippers with reinforced blades and handles.
How to extend the life of wire cutters?
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Before and after use, it is necessary to disinfect and sterilize the instrument. Regular use will require frequent lubrication of screws and joints. You should also avoid accidental impacts, falls, and excessive pressure on the edges. To carry the pliers, we recommend purchasing a special case.
How to choose pedicure clippers?
Pedicure nippers may differ in material, blade shape, and quality of sharpening. The price of the instrument depends on all these indicators. Also, tools from well-known brands are many times more expensive. But this justifies their high quality and long service life. Therefore, there is no need to save money.
The highest quality pedicure clippers are made of stainless steel . Such a tool will hold an edge perfectly and will not bend or break during operation. In addition, stainless steel nippers can be sharpened many times and can also be sterilized in any sterilizer.
When choosing between factory and manual sharpening of wire cutters, give preference to the latter. Factory sharpening is much inferior to manual sharpening. With it, the blade usually does not sharpen evenly, and burrs may appear. If sharpened by hand, the tool blade will be perfect, without burrs, and will last much longer.
Some people don't see the difference between manicure and pedicure clippers. But the latter are usually somewhat wider and better sharpened.
Best models
All pedicure nippers and knipsers can be divided into several categories. Which ones to choose? The most common and popular of them include instruments of the following brands: Singer, Merz. The quality of these cutters is approximately the same. They are produced in China. They are ideal for working with non-thickened healthy nails.
Nippers from the following brands are suitable for hard nails Credo Solingen and Stalex . German and Russian brands are ideal for solving the problems of aging nails. These cutters are made from the highest quality steel that has undergone special heat treatment. They feature a well-sharpened blade.
If your nails are thick or very hard , then you should take a closer look at the products of the Wuesthof Solingen . These tools are made of carbon steel. The pliers of this brand are very comfortable to hold in your hand. They are suitable for working with even the most problematic nails.
Learn how to choose the right nippers with a professional:
Reviews
What those who have already tried to work with the cutters presented in the review say:
- Anya, manicurist : “I’ve been working in the manicure business for 8 years now, and from the very first day of school I’ve had Stalex nail clippers. They were recommended by a teacher during the course. Since then I have not parted with them. I am completely satisfied with my choice; no other tool provides such clean and accurate cuticle processing. I think that these nippers are ideal for professional use. I recommend".
- Victoria : “I prefer to work with Stalex and Yoko nippers. The tools of these brands seem to me to be the most suitable for work in the salon. They do not dull for a long time, which allows them to handle a good flow of clients every day, they lie comfortably in the hand, they can even be disinfected in boiling water, which is sometimes required, since clients are different. I would recommend the cutters from these companies for professional work.”
- Irina : “I purchased Stalex wire cutters for personal use and am completely satisfied. Although I was warned that they have very sharp blades and if I’m not used to it, I could cut myself, this didn’t happen - they have such a smooth and obedient move that I didn’t cut myself at all. In addition, the company has a large selection of blade lengths, and I chose short blades, which is most convenient for me - after all, I am not a professional craftsman. Completely satisfied. I've been using them for 5 years now, I haven't sharpened them even once, they are still as sharp as the day I bought them. This is what professional quality means. I recommend".
How to choose nail polish with gel effect?
Find out why gel nail polish cracks.
Photos of gel polish designs on short nails: .
How to use wire cutters correctly?
There is no need to cut the entire nail width at once using clippers. This needs to be done in several steps. First, the side parts are cut, then the middle. It’s worth doing everything in this order because nails usually don’t have a perfectly flat surface and can simply crack if cut at once.
shorten the corners at the edges , especially if they are prone to ingrowth, by rounding them a little . In this case, it is best to trim the free edge of the nail perfectly straight, then you can get a shape suitable for a French manicure.
After completing the circumcision procedure, you should straighten your nails with a file . It is best to take a ceramic or glass file for this purpose.
If you have already learned how to use pedicure clippers, master the full course of classic trim pedicure:
