How to Sharpen Hair Clippers: A Complete Guide
Table Of Content
Place the interior of your clipper blades on the sandpaper. If you’re noticing that the hair is being cut at different lengths, or that the hair is being cut in a jagged or uneven way, it’s probably time to give them a sharpen. Some clippers have an auto-sharpening function, but you can prevent unwanted cuts and jagged edges by sharpening them once and a while. Marking the blades enables you to keep track of how much you’ve worn them so you can determine whether they need more sharpening. Mark the interior or the flat sides that rest on each other.
B. Uneven cutting
Clippers are sometimes seen as synonymous with shaving tools, like razors and trimmers. But they actually aren’t meant for shaving — instead, they’re intended for shearing off hair. By following this advice, you can maintain the quality of your hair clippers and get the most out of them. If you are unsure of how to clean hair clippers thoroughly, I have an in-depth guide on how to get your hair clippers clean.
Oil your clippers regularly:
Remember, you don’t have to wait until they are tugging your hair and or cutting you. If their performance isn’t satisfactory, or you don’t find them as smooth as when you first purchased them, then they might need some servicing. Because while sharpening the blades on a whetstone or sandpaper, it's easy to get carried away.
Hair Clipper Sharpening
When you purchase through one of our links we may earn an affiliate commission (at no cost to you). You should see that the marker has gone and your blade is very shiny, compared to when you started. The plastic is exaggerated, it’s not as obvious as this but if you were to look at your baldes with a microscope, they’d have this shape.
The sharpening stone for this result should have a grit surface of 8000. Again, move the blade across the stone at an angle and only in a forward direction. Now that your blades are sharpened and back on your clippers, you need to oil them in order to reduce the friction between the blades.
Chips/ Rust
If you are patient and take your time with the steps below, you’ll have almost a brand-new pair of hair clipper blades. Note, this gunk might sometimes make your clippers feel blunt when they are not. So, after cleaning, assemble the hair clippers to see if they’ll work well.
C. Storage and Handling Tips
Self-sharpening blades do an excellent job of sharpening themselves and don’t usually need to be sharpened. The easiest way to determine if your blades need to be sharpened is to pay attention to how it’s performing. Dull blades will catch on your hair and tug on your strands. This is because dull blades slow your motor down and cause it to work much harder. Eventually, your clippers may even stop working due to the strain on the motor. A good pair of clippers can be expensive, so naturally, you want to protect your investment.
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So, if you have the time, you can let them air dry for a few minutes. It is important to note that there is a difference between dull and damaged blades. Dull blades can be sharpened and reused, while damaged blades will need to be replaced. Damaged blades can occur due to rust, wear and tear, or accidental damage.
If you are struggling for grip, splash a bit of water on your grindstone to help with lubrication or use a magnet to hold your hair clipper blade. Some cordless clippers especially may not have screws, in that case, they may have a different way on which you can remove the clippers. Take your time with this step and be careful when taking the blades out. Make sure not to hit or move the other components of your hair clipper. You need the right tools to sharpen your clippers correctly.
When you have done this and still notice hair pulling, you can take your blades to a grindstone or sandpaper. Sharpening your clippers at home is the most cost-effective and efficient way to sharpen your clippers. There are many ways to sharpen them, including sandpaper, rock salt, and a sharpening stone.
Below I have a quick list of tools you will need to begin sharpening your clippers correctly. Oversharpening your clippers or just sharpening for no good reason, can lead to your blades blunting. You have regular 2-blade clippers (guard blade + cutting blade) that are dull and pull hair, you should be fine to give them a sharpen. It should only take around 5 to 10 swipes across the stone to sharpen the blades fully. Remember that you’re only sharpening the inside of the blades – the parts that rest against each other.
Look for nicks, dull edges, and chips that need to be buffed away. Dry the blades with a cloth to remove the water or alcohol residue. The following are among the easiest cuts you can carry out at home with clippers, according to experts. If you’re tempted to use clippers to shave your head, you might want to think again. Just use a piece of cloth to wipe down the blades and that should more than likely be enough to get them clean.
Once the clipper blades are completely dry, you might want to reassemble them and test it – often, it’s not a dull blade but a dirty one that’s causing issues. If that doesn’t work, or you just know that they need to be sharpened, you can move on to the next step. Once you reassemble the hair clippers, add a few drops of hair clipper oil to the blades. That is the same oil you apply after every few cuts that you perform. The oil also reduces friction that can damage the blades with continual use.
If you clean and oil your clippers regularly, the blades should last up to five uses. For most people, clippers blades only stay sharp for two to three uses. By far, whetstones are the best way to sharpen your clippers. Luckily, there are a few other things you can use to sharpen your blades. If you’d like to learn more about hair clippers, check out our in-depth interview with Candice Ayers. Plus, while salons were temporarily shut down due to the COVID-19 crisis, they became especially helpful to have in your stash for maintenance purposes.
Instead of replacing your hair clippers every few months, you can sharpen them and continue to use them for years. Lastly, it improves the quality of your work, allowing you to provide your clients with the best possible service. The clippers are a part of a kit that features tapering combs, barber scissors and blade oil. “All the combs have length marks on them for easier navigation,” Davis added. It’s important to store your hair clippers correctly to prevent damage to the blades.
Proffesional blade sharpeners will know the right hollow for your blades and are a good investment for your blades’ longevity. The method of sharpening I outline above and below in more detail is flat surface sharpening. If you have a cordless hair clipper you most likely have a battery.
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