What Are Laminated Springs?
Laminated springs are a crucial component of heavy-duty horse and cattle clippers that have a traditional Heiniger-style clipping head. In our range, this includes our older Ranger, Hunter, HD Roamer, and multi-head livestock clipper models.
The Laminated springs comprise of three sheets of metal and come in pairs. They form part of the mechanism that holds the blade carriage in place and enables the cutter component of the clipper blade to swing from side to side to produce the cutting action of the clippers.
You can spot the springs inside the clipper head once you remove the blades. As a consumable component, they are designed to wear out over time and will need to be replaced periodically to ensure the optimal operation of your clippers.
How Long Do Laminated Springs Last?
Predicting the exact lifespan of the laminated springs can be challenging as it varies based on the number of horses or animals that you clip and the types of coats. On average, these springs last about a year, but this can fluctuate. For instance, clipping dense, dirty coats will cause the springs to wear out much faster and may even lead to snapping if the tension is often applied too tight consistently. The good news is that laminated springs are inexpensive and can easily be replaced in minutes at home.
Common Causes Of Broken Laminated Springs
A common reason for the laminated springs to wear quickly is over-tensioning of the clipper. Applying excessive tension puts undue strain on the springs, leading to shearing. Therefore, it's vital to adjust the clipper tension according to the manufacturer's recommendations, which can differ between various makes and models.
Finding The Perfect Tension For Your Clippers
For Masterclip clippers with the traditional Heiniger style clipper head, the tension needs to be set as follows.
- Loosen off the tension knob before removing the clipper blades from the handset.
- With new or freshly sharpened blades placed correctly onto the clipper head, tighten the tension knob clockwise until the first resistance is felt.
- Then turn the tension knob for just ¼ turn more.
- The tension is now set. Test the clipper on the coat and check the cutting action.
Watch our YouTube video guide here.
Avoid Over-tensioning Your Clipper
Over-tensioning your clipper not only risks breaking the laminated springs but also causes the clipper to overheat due to the increased friction caused by the excess pressure on the clipper blades. The additional stress of over tensioning can lead to damage of the motor and reduce your clipper's lifespan.
TOPTIP: As a rule, always operate your clippers with the tension as loose as possible while still maintaining effective clipping. This approach keeps the blades cool and maintains their sharpness for longer whilst prolonging the useable life of your clippers.
How To Replace The Laminated Springs
Replacing the laminated springs in the clipper head is a simple task and can be carried out at home. If one of the laminated springs is showing wear, it is recommended to replace both springs at the same time for balanced use. You can purchase a replacement set of laminated springs for your Masterclip clipper model here from our website and fit them with the help of our YouTube tutorial guide below.
- Ensure the clipper is turned off and disconnected from the mains power. For cordless clippers remove the battery from the handset to avoid accidental operation of the clippers.
- Using a slim screwdriver, undo the two screws either side of the clipper head and place to one side.
- Remove the blade carriage with the two springs attached from the clipper head.
- Using a screwdriver, remove the two screws securing each of the springs to the blade carriage.
- Replace each spring onto the blade carriage and secure into place using the two small blade carriage retaining screws.
- Place the blade carriage into the clipper head making sure the square nut is sitting level inside the carriage cradle.
- Secure the laminated springs into the clipper head using the two larger head screws.
Maintaining Your Clippers With Servicing
Sending your clipper away for a routine service will not only deep clean the inside of your clipper handset but will ensure that the laminated springs and other wearable components such as carbon brushes are replaced regularly.
- We recommend sending your clipper for servicing once a year over the summer to keep them primed and ready for the busy winter clipping season.
- You can find our clipper servicing and repairs information here.
Before and after -clipper service of this old Ranger clipper from the Masterclip workshop
Modernise Your Clipper
Did you know that your traditional Masterclip clipper can be upgraded with our newer A2 clipper head for a fraction of the cost of buying a new clipper? It's simple to upgrade and can be easily carried out at home!
The Masterclip A2 clipper head offers a modern, sleek design with simple, precise tensioning and easy blade changes.
Our A2 head removes the need for laminated springs completely and can be used with a wider variety of premium A2 clipper blades to give you choice of cut to suit a wide variety of coats, whether you need a close clip for an eventer or to regularly clip a thick coated cob.
Choose from superfine, fine, medium and coarse cut blades for horses and livestock blades for shearing and dagging sheep, llamas, alpacas and clipping dirty cattle.
