Clipper Blades - How long do they last? - Tips too?

[Sparky Boy]

How much clipping can be done with a new set of blades on body clippers? More than one hairy horse?

Any body clipping tips you'd like to share? I'm told to start with a super clean - show sheen'd slippery horse.

[Katie-Nicole]

Good quality blades, I can get 2-3 clips out of. Bad blades don't even do one. Sharpen and repeat (up to 3x)

[asanders]

Good quality blades, I can get 2-3 clips out of. Bad blades don't even do one. Sharpen and repeat (up to 3x)

Also depends on how clean the horse is (dirt dulls like crazy), and a little bit on how big or wooly.

[Katie-Nicole]

Also depends on how clean the horse is (dirt dulls like crazy), and a little bit on how big or wooly.

True that!

[Ambrey]

2/3 of one incredibly wooly pony (including dirt trapped beneath the hair where I couldn't get to it).

Yeah, that was fun.

[ljc]

Try clipping a miniature horse -- that'll destroy any blade! Generally speaking, however, with full-sized horses, I'm grateful to get 1 - 1 1/2 clipping out of a new blade. I just body clipped a 17.3 hand TB today and his hair is fine enough that the blade(s) were still in good shape at the end.

Is it only me or do re-sharpened blades not last long?

[Baroque-n-Dreams]

Try clipping a miniature horse -- that'll destroy any blade! Generally speaking, however, with full-sized horses, I'm grateful to get 1 - 1 1/2 clipping out of a new blade. I just body clipped a 17.3 hand TB today and his hair is fine enough that the blade(s) were still in good shape at the end.

Is it only me or do re-sharpened blades not last long?

AMEN to the wooly Mini issue! LOL

I'm lucky that one of my best friends actually has a side business for sharpening clipper blades, so I pretty much stopped paying attention, but you may be right. Thanks to his help, I always seem to have sharp blades at hand without even asking.

[the_other_mother]

Clipping dirty or wet hair dulls the blades faster than anything. For best results clip only dry, clean coats. Get yourself a stiff wire brush and some Kool-Lube or Clippercide--its a lubricant for the blades. Periodically during the clippping process when you feel the blades starting to dull, use the brush to clean the hair from the teeth, spray the blade with Kool Lube and let it run for a couple seconds before resuming clipping. The Lubricant will cool, clean and lubricate the blade and it will clip better. Also when you buy new blades, they are coated with a substance for packing and you need to clean it before you use it or it wont cut right. Get Blade Wash, put a small amt in a small container (I use a cat food can or tuna fish can) just enough to cover the teeth of the blade, run clipper w/blade on for a minute or two to clean off, then pat dry and spray w/ Kool Lube. The blade is then ready to use. Your blades will last a lot longer if you take care of them properly. After a heavy use, they should be cleaned with Blade Wash (run clipper w/ blade on, tip dipped in Blade Wash for a mn or two) and resprayed w/ Kool Lube. I do mine every week but I groom dogs as well so Im clip alot.

[BeastieSlave]

I'm pretty good about lubing and cleaning my blades, but I usually plan on using a fresh set per beastie when I do body clips.

[Sparky Boy]

I thought I read there was some household product that worked like blade wash?

[ljc]

Clipping dirty or wet hair dulls the blades faster than anything. For best results clip only dry, clean coats. Get yourself a stiff wire brush and some Kool-Lube or Clippercide--its a lubricant for the blades. Periodically during the clippping process when you feel the blades starting to dull, use the brush to clean the hair from the teeth, spray the blade with Kool Lube and let it run for a couple seconds before resuming clipping. The Lubricant will cool, clean and lubricate the blade and it will clip better. Also when you buy new blades, they are coated with a substance for packing and you need to clean it before you use it or it wont cut right. Get Blade Wash, put a small amt in a small container (I use a cat food can or tuna fish can) just enough to cover the teeth of the blade, run clipper w/blade on for a minute or two to clean off, then pat dry and spray w/ Kool Lube. The blade is then ready to use. Your blades will last a lot longer if you take care of them properly. After a heavy use, they should be cleaned with Blade Wash (run clipper w/ blade on, tip dipped in Blade Wash for a mn or two) and resprayed w/ Kool Lube. I do mine every week but I groom dogs as well so Im clip alot.


Wow, I think I've been doing this wrong. I use Blade Wash while clipping; dunking the clippers in a small amount (while running), then wiping them, then continuing. I've had a can of Kool Lube but never even tried it. Will it work better than the Blade Wash while clipping?

[citydog]

I use a dandy brush to brush hair off the blades (wire seems like overkill and I could see it potentially duling teh blades or breaking a tooth?), then dunk in Blade Wash, then spray with Kool Lube, then resume clipping.

I have a wooly yak of a horse, so get one clip per sharpening.

[GallopHer]

Is it necessary to oil the clipper blades every time you clean them with Blade Wash?

[equusus]

I use a product caled H-42 while clipping. It is a blade wash AND lubricant ("It's a floor wax! It's a dessert topping!").
I clean the blades with a brush and dip them in the wash, wipe off the excess and continue clipping. The H-42 does a great job keeping the blades cool and lubed!
I have been clipping show saddlebreds who are always impeccably clean and don't get wooly. I get 2-3, sometimes 4 horses out of a set of blades.

How can you tell if the blades aren't worth sharpening anymore? I have a whole bunch, all different ages and I don't know how to tell when it's not worth sending them off anymore. Any suggestions?

april

[the_other_mother]

Some of the "old timers" in grooming school said that you can use kerosene instead of Blade Wash. Never tried it, but I have heard several people say that they have and it works just as well. Just make sure you wipe the blade well and spray w/ Kool Lube or Clippercide before you use it.

I thought I read there was some household product that worked like blade wash?

[the_other_mother]

Blade Wash isnt meant to be used while clipping, Kool Lube or Clipercide is meant for use during clipping. It lubricates and cools the blades so the blades cut better. The Blade Wash is actually oil based and will prevent your blades from clipping well if you dont use it properly. You're supposed to clean your blades with it periodically (depending how much use your blades get--I do mine weekly) After you clean the blades, you're supposed to pat dry with a paper towel, and spray the blades (while running) with Kool Lube or Clippercide, then clip. The Blade Wash cleans, the Kool Lube lubricates and cools. Use the Kool Lube often while cliping, whenever you feel the blade getting hot or starting to drag.

Wow, I think I've been doing this wrong. I use Blade Wash while clipping; dunking the clippers in a small amount (while running), then wiping them, then continuing. I've had a can of Kool Lube but never even tried it. Will it work better than the Blade Wash while clipping?

[the_other_mother]

Yes, you really should. Use the little tube of oil that comes with the clipper when you buy it (or you can get a tube at the tack store or even Pet Smart, its called Oster Clipper Oil)--MAKE SURE YOU USE THE OIL NOT THE TUBE OF GREASE THAT COMES WITH IT. The grease is for the inside motor) Slide the two cutting edges apart and put a LITTLE drop of oil between them in the area where they slide back and forth when cutting. Run the clipper a few secinds with the blade on to disperse the oil, and spray with Kool Lube.

Is it necessary to oil the clipper blades every time you clean them with Blade Wash?

[the_other_mother]

You can tell when they have pretty much reached the end of their usefulness when you can see the wear on the teeth where it has been ground and theres not much left to sharpen. For comparison, place an old blade next to a new one and you will see the difference in the teeth. Eventually there isnt enough left to sharpen. They begin to come back dull after sharpening as well, that's a pretty good sign as well.

I use a product caled H-42 while clipping. It is a blade wash AND lubricant ("It's a floor wax! It's a dessert topping!").
I clean the blades with a brush and dip them in the wash, wipe off the excess and continue clipping. The H-42 does a great job keeping the blades cool and lubed!
I have been clipping show saddlebreds who are always impeccably clean and don't get wooly. I get 2-3, sometimes 4 horses out of a set of blades.

How can you tell if the blades aren't worth sharpening anymore? I have a whole bunch, all different ages and I don't know how to tell when it's not worth sending them off anymore. Any suggestions?

april

[citydog]

Is it necessary to oil the clipper blades every time you clean them with Blade Wash?

I just do it at the very beginning.

Blade Wash isnt meant to be used while clipping,

I disagree. Using Blade Wash (which also lubricates, says the manufacturer (http://www.osterpro.com/productCat.aspx?mpckey=groomer&pcid=1571&pid=1280)]) while clipping has been SOP in every barn I've been to. We'll just have to have a Clip Off! :winkgrin:

[the_other_mother]

Interesting. I've always found it to be oily and cause the blades to drag unless you pat dry and follow up with Kool Lube. Just "tellin' it like I lernt it at dawg groomin skewl" :lol:



I disagree. Using Blade Wash (which also lubricates, says the manufacturer (http://www.osterpro.com/productCat.aspx?mpckey=groomer&pcid=1571&pid=1280)]) while clipping has been SOP in every barn I've been to. We'll just have to have a Clip Off! :winkgrin:[/QUOTE]