Shear, Cutting, and Curtains

“Plastisol ink is to be sheared, not pushed.”

Growing up, my grandmother used to cut our hair. Being from the South, she never said, “Get me the scissors.” She’d say, “Get me the shears.” Shears were for cutting hair. Shearing meant cutting. Funny thing — the curtains in the living room were called sheers, too. Different words. Same sound. A whole different job. Oh well.

Shear = cutting. Shears for cutting hair. Shears for shearing wool. And in screen printing, plastisol ink should be sheared, not pushed.

The Shear Process

To shear ink properly, you need: a properly tensioned screen and a sharp squeegee.

1. Flood the image — fill the stencil and image area with ink.

2. Print with the edge — keep your squeegee at about 0–15°, using just enough pressure to transfer the ink to the shirt. The screen should release cleanly behind the squeegee.

That’s shearing — the edge cuts the ink from the screen and lays it on top of the garment, not into it.

How to Know You’re Pushing — Not Shearing

If your print feels heavy, dull, or you’re fighting for opacity, check for these:

1. Poor Mesh Tension – Is the mesh releasing slowly behind the squeegee instead of snapping back cleanly? That’s a clear sign of low tension.

2. Too Much Pressure – Is your squeegee bending over instead of staying upright? That’s not shearing, that’s pushing.

Both of these kill efficiency, reduce opacity, and drive ink into the shirt instead of leaving it cleanly on top.

The Results

When you shear correctly: better opacity, less ink usage, finer mesh options, improved consistency and detail. All while increasing ink yield — sometimes by up to 15% more coverage per gallon. That’s not just better printing. That’s profit.

Howe Pro Tip: Keep your screens tight and your squeegees sharp. Your ink will thank you — and so will your bottom line.