| You need to
clean and oil your tools after each use, and clipper blades are
no exception. All blades become dull after extended use, but will
dull even faster under the following circumstances: clipping coarse
hair; clipping dirty hair; not cleaning the blades after
each use; not using proper blade cleaners and lubricants;
improperly adjusted blade; under-lubricated running rails; and
improperly lubricating and maintaining the clipper.
When you first
get new blades they need to be cleaned to remove the rust protective
coating they are shipped with. I actually use "real" Blade Wash
to do this.
You must oil your blades before you use them. You can use any
fine oil such as "real" clipper oil or sewing machine oil. During
clipping you should clean and lubricate your blades every five minutes
or so. Some people use kerosene, and I admit I use it on occasion. You
just fill a shallow pan with kerosene and dip your blades while the
clipper is still running into it. This will clean and lubricate the
blades. I find, though, that this can be messy because of the
oiliness of the kerosene, and if you want to save the hair you should
not use it. I really like Kool Lube because it not only lubricates but also cools the
blades. It comes in a spray can, and you just spray it on the
running blades. Use this if you don't want the hair, or goat
to get oily.
Your clippers
came with a little brush, and you should use it to clean out the hairs
that can get stuck between the teeth of the blade.
You do not want
your blades to rust, so when you're done with clipping, take the
blades apart and clean the blades with either Blade Wash or hot soapy
water. Dry the blades well and give them a spray of WD-40 (we
buy it by the gallon and put it in squeeze spray bottles). Spray
a paper towel with WD-40 and use it to wrap your blades, then place
them in a zip-lock bag and store (preferably in the same box as your
clipper).
When you're ready
to use your blades again, wash off the WD-40 with hot soapy water, dry
well and oil with proper clipping oil.
Happy clipping!
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