Usage 1: Soak hands in warm water to soften nails before cutting. 2: Clip nails into the desired shape by starting at the corners and clipping toward the center. 3: Next, clip center to finish the shape. This will apply less stress on the natural nail and help prevent the chance of splitting while clipping. 4: Clean blades after each use with an alcohol wipe. 5: If the scissors stick, put a drop of oil in the joint and work back and forth to loosen.