Are you wondering how long your clipper blades will stay sharp, or why they sometimes seem to dull faster than expected? Maybe you're curious about the best way to care for your blades, or how often you should sharpen them?
Understanding the lifespan of clipper blades can be a bit tricky, as it depends on a number of things such as the cleanliness of the coat to the quality of lubrication. But with a few simple tips, you can help your clipper blades stay sharper for longer and avoid the frustration of them going blunt midway through a clip. Read on to discover how proper care and maintenance can keep your clipper blades in top condition.
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How Long Do Clipper Blades Stay Sharp?
So exactly how long do clipper blades stay sharp for? The answer depends on many factors! Whether you are clipping dogs, ponies, horses or even cattle, there are many causes that will rapidly dull your clipper blades. These include:
- Clipping a dirty or greasy coat
- Clipper tension set too high.
- Not enough lubrication.
- Using the wrong type of lubrication.
- Improper sharpening
- Residue in the coat left from shampoo or conditioners
With careful planning and the right tools, your clippers blades can last for many clips before finally needing to be sent away for re-sharpening. By following these tips, your blades will stay sharper for longer and you should see blades carrying out clips easily into double figures. Rest assured our Masterclip range of clipper blades are made using premium toughened steel for increased performance and longevity.
How To Get The Best From Your Clipper Blades
1. Start With A Clean Coat
Clipping a dirty coat is the primary reason why clipper blades dull quickly. This happens as particles of dirt and grease become caught between the cutting surfaces of the blades. When the blades rub together at high speeds, the friction causes excessive wear to the cutting surfaces, dulling the blades fast. Taking the steps to ensure the coat is clean before you clip by bathing your horse or dog first can seem time consuming but it’s worthwhile to give the best clip results, give the most comfortable clip for your animal and save you money in the long run.
Even a coat that looks clean on the surface can be oily and greasy closer to the skin. A poor-quality clip, clip lines, visible teeth grooves or quick dulling of the blades is often blamed on low quality blades or even the performance of the clipper itself, but it is unreasonable to expect a great clip result from a poorly prepared coat.
If you are unable to fully bath your horse before clipping, a deep thorough groom with daily hot clothing before you clip can go a long way to help ensure a better quality finish and keep your blades sharper a little longer. Read more on our blog here.
2. Animal Shampoos And Conditioners
Whilst bathing your horse or dog is always recommended, the type of shampoo used can play a role in keeping your blades sharper for longer. Strong pet shampoos or those with added coat conditioners can leave a film on the hair shafts, even when rinsed well which will coat the clipper blades when you come to clip. Instead, it’s best to use a mild, natural shampoo and work this gently into the coat to lift the grease and dirt.
Natural shampoos also help to retain the natural pH of the skin and won’t leave any kind of residue in the coat so that your clipper blades glide through easily. Conditioners, coat oils and fragrance sprays can then be applied to the coat after clipping.
3. Keep Your Blades Lubricated
- Keeping the cutting surfaces well lubricated is a crucial part of reducing friction and increasing the longevity of your clipper blades and is another common reason why blades become hot and dull.
- Clipper oil needs to be applied regularly, every 5 minutes during clipping so that the blades glide against each other smoothly and reduces heat production. Clipper oil is a fine mineral oil, perfectly suited to keeping blades running well without becoming sticky.
- Avoid using any other types of oils or cooling agents as these could leave a film on the blades and cause them to become dull. Other products such as WD40 or surgical spirit may not have the same viscosity as clipper oil and may seep into the motor causing damage. They could also cause irritation to your animals skin.
4. Getting The Right Tension For Your Clipper
Heavy duty clippers for horses and cattle require tensioning to ensure the right amount of pressure is applied to blades for them to cut effectively. Check you have the right tensioning as per your clipper model from the instruction booklet or watch our YouTube guides here. A5 clipper blades are pretensioned so won't need any further adjustments.
TOPTIP: As a rule of thumb, it’s better to clip use the least amount of tension possible.
If the tension is too tight, excess pressure is placed upon the blades which increases friction and heat generation which will wear down the cutting edges more quickly, leading them to dull faster.
5. Looking After Your Clipper Blades
After clipping, clipped hair and grease from the coat can congeal and stick to the blades if left on for a length of time. After each clip give each clipper blade a thorough clean and run a fresh line of clipper oil over the cutting surfaces before storing them carefully in the original blister packaging or an airtight plastic case to avoid damp and rusting. You can clean clipper blades with Andis cool care spray to give extra disinfection and protection from rust.
6. Expert Sharpening
Where or how you choose to have your blades resharpened can play a significant part in how long your blades will stay sharp too. You can find more details on this in our blog here.
- Make sure your clipper blades are expertly sharpened with a reputable company that has the right grinding and lapping equipment to give the best finish on your blades.
- An incorrectly sharpened blade may just not clip well but can also ruin the blade, costing you more to replace them in the long term.
7. Clipper Servicing For Optimal Performance
There is nothing more frustrating than a clipper blade going blunt part way through a clip but it helps to have two or three clipper blades of the same type so should a blade go blunt you have a spare set to finish the job and a spare to send of for sharpening.
Other causes of blades going blunt quickly could be that the clipper has worn parts that need replacing. Regular servicing of your clippers includes the checking and replacement of wearable parts so that your clipper is always performing optimally.
Summary: The Key To Sharp Blades
Keeping your clipper blades sharp depends on several key factors but here are the top three reasons for causing dull blades.
Clean coats matter – Clipping a dirty or greasy coat is the primary cause of dull blades, so always ensure the coat is clean before clipping.
Proper lubrication – Use clipper oil regularly to reduce friction and prevent overheating, which can wear down blades faster.
Correct tension – Ensure your clipper’s tension is set correctly to avoid unnecessary wear on the blades.
For more tips on maintaining your clippers, check out our other blogs, or feel free to contact us for advice on choosing the right clipper for your needs.
How much does it cost to sharpen clipper blades?
The price of clipper blade sharpening varies between professional sharpening services and how many blades are sharpened at a time. We recommend sending your blades to Shear Ease Ltd with blade sharpening starting from £9 including postage. Find out more here.
Can all Masterclip clipper blades be resharpened?
All of our steel clipper blades including our A5 blades, A2 blades, dagging and shearing blades, heavy duty Heiniger clipper blades and Showmate II trimmer blades are readily resharpenable. Only our ceramic and titanium Showmate Mark I trimmer blades are not usually able to be resharpened.
