Irrespective of what is written on the clipper box, or what people say about the clipper, sharpen your clipper blades!The next question that you should be asking would be, “How can I?”. I am here to do justice to that, and to explain How To Sharpen Clipper Blades Without A Stone.
Ready?
While some people believe that the mechanism of self-sharpening is a gimmick, every clipper blade should be sharpened to maintain its edge.
You can save yourself the stress by taking it to a professional to help you out. But they tend to charge you more than you’d budget. That is why it is important to know the basic steps in sharpening your clipper blades right in your house using available resources.
I can teach you how to sharpen your clipper blades like a professional within a maximum of fifteen to twenty minutes using basic tools that are not hard to get. One reason why you should be interested in this is that it will save you time and money.
I’ve come across a lot of articles online that teach you how to sharpen clipper blades in the wrong way. But don’t worry, you can’t damage your blades with my guide. I’ll show you how to sharpen clipper blades without using stone.
Before we move on, haven’t you thought of it as not a big deal? Why must you sharpen your blades? After all, they are made to do what they do. But I’ll tell you why!
Why you need to sharpen your clipper blades
The main reason why you should see that your clipper blades are sharpened is that you want to give yourself adequate haircuts and beard trims at home without having to make regular trips to the barber. To actualize this, you can not neglect this crucial skill
If you have been using your own set of hair clippers for a while now, I’m pretty sure that ‘how to sharpen clipper blades at home’ will be the next thing that will pop into your mind.
So, how to sharpen hair clippers blades without using stone? Yes. The reason why I will not include stone is that, after the sharpening process, stone tends to stain your clipper blades with dust that may not be visible. That being the case, the effort to sharpen your clipper blades becomes futile eventually.
Also, not everyone is comfortable using stone to sharpen their blades. They feel they are ruining it. I’ve been there. And I’m here to show you multiple steps that go into the whole process which discourages a lot of people from even attempting it.
This DIY thing is really simple if you can carefully follow the steps below. Here’s what to do, I have divided them into step-by-step.
How to sharpen hair clippers without using stone
Now, let’s not get into the main deal. This is where the actual sharpening process starts.
Be careful handling the blades
This is actually the first step that most people ignore. After detaching the blades from the head of the clipper You can use a powerful flat magnet to help you hold the blades or just a piece of cloth.
Most importantly, be careful as to not cut yourself while exerting a fair bit of pressure on the blades while sharpening them.
Run the blades along with your preferred sharpening device
This is the point I will need to address extensively. Although, it’s not a big deal running the blades along with the sharpening device. The main point is what sharpening device is ideal for hair clippers? And that is why we have excluded using a stone.
There are myriads of tools you can use for this. This is what I suggest:
- Use coarse whetstone for standard steel blades
- Use a diamond sharpening stone for ceramic blades
- Use a ceramic sharpening stone, or, maybe, sandpaper or emery cloth.
The major reason why most people end up their sharpening process in a mess is simply that they choose a wrong sharpening device for a wrong type of blade. For example, mistaking a ceramic sharpening stone with one that is made to sharpen ceramic (diamond sharpening stones) as the two are usually not similar.
The process to sharpen your hair clipper using a whetstone is the same as the sandpaper. If you are still confused about this I recommend this post HERE which explains all you need to know about sharpening hair clippers with sandpaper.
If you opt for sandpaper or emery cloth, do not forget to lay it on an even surface. Ensure that it is also of extra fine grit.
Wipe the blade clean
It is not necessary to wash the blades again. All you need to do is use a piece of dried cloth to wipe thoroughly. This is the best way to remove all left-over pieces from the sharpening.
Reattach the blade again
Just as the way you have detached them in the beginning, ensure you put the hair clippers back together in their original state. And do not forget to screw them up very tightly so they don’t lose while in use.
Remember to oil the blades with a good hair clipper oil
This is the final step but also very important to successfully complete the process. Not only should you oil your clipper blades after sharpening but also after every use. It’s an essential task in maintaining a blade that will last long.
You don’t need to oil it too much. Several simple drops will do. This, again, will really help in reducing friction and wear down rate as well as avoiding overheating.
Run the clippers for two minutes
Now you’ve got a clipper with sharp, shiny blades and all you want to do now is to start cutting. But chill!
You should run the clippers for at most, two minutes before you use the clippers, leave them running for a while.
You are doing this to allow the oil to work effectively in the clipper. After this stage, your clipper is now ready to last for a long time.
Now you know that sharpening your hair clipper blades without the use of stone is a pretty simple process that you can do by yourself at home. All the tools you will need can be found at most hardware stores, and the whole process takes no time at all.
How Frequently Should I Sharpen my Clipper Blade?
It’s a very simple answer. Ignore those who say it is difficult to answer.
Look, once you notice that your blades are getting dull and are not cutting as perfectly as the way you bought them, then you need to sharpen. If sharpening doesn’t give you what you need, then you will be left with no option than to replace it.
The truth is that everyone uses their clippers differently. But is expected of you to sharpen them every six months
Especially professional barbers who use their clippers on a daily basis, for example, a dog grooming salon or barbershop, you should sharpen your blades more often.
Some highly patronized barber that I visit from time to time put their clippers through so much hair. These guys will need to sharpen more frequently.
As for me, I can always tell when my clipper needs sharpening. When they start pulling hair and nicking skin, that is a clear sign. Notwithstanding, I advise you to sharpen them before it gets to this stage. Most especially, salon owners.
So all in all, I believe the best thing is to sharpen them immediately when their performance drops enough for you to observe.
Important things to know about using a hair clipper
One of the secrets behind every professional haircut is the quality tools used in creating them. Speaking about tools, a hair clipper is an essential device barbers use in their salon. In fact, every man needs this equipment to keep and maintain good looking hair and beard.
Recent hair clippers have been designed for not just professional hairstylists, but for anyone and everyone who wants to take good care of their hair.
But there is Something to take more seriously. Not all hair clippers are worth your money. It may be difficult to find the best hair clipper that will remain durable and effective for a long time of use. There are features, qualities and prices to consider when buying a clipper.
These are important things to consider when using hair clippers. There are some clippers that can save you the effort, stress, time and money of sharpening or replacing dull clipper blades. In this connection, we shall look at things to consider when choosing a hair clipper.
What to look out for in a good hair clipper
Like I have mentioned earlier, hair clippers vary as well as how they function. To get the best hair clippers, you will need to know the basic features that are required in them.
To get the best value of your money, you shouldn’t just click on the first option that any guides offer. Take a look at these features below and compare with your choice to see if it will last and work perfectly well for a longer period of time.
Motor
When you talk about durable hair clippers, you should not leave out the effectiveness of the motor. If you are looking for a hair clipper that can work for a longer period of time on coarse and rough hairs, then you should pay more attention to the motors.
A device with a powerful motor is an added advantage for hairstylists or anyone who wants to use a hair clipper at home. Motors in hair clippers can be divided into two parts. The flimsy ones will not give you the perfect styling capabilities that you need when using in a salon. Below are the categories of hair clipper motors.
There is a type of motor in hair clippers that features low blade speed but high power. It is called the pivot motor. It is best used on wet and thick hairs.
The other type is Rotary motors. It features an even amount of power and blade speed thus making the hair clipper more versatile.
Lastly is the universal motor or you can call the magnetic motors. They are often lightweight and simple in shape. They can wear out if you use them daily. While they work on AC and DC, they can be so noisy.
Length settings
Any hairstylist should be able to tell the importance of length setting in a hair clipper. This is exactly what allows you to achieve the result you want.
The best is to go for hair clippers that offer multiple variations of length and comb size.
You will find it easy as a hairstylist to give your customer the desired style when there are more options made available.
I’m not leaving out those who will use hair clipper at home. You will need to put it into consideration because the more length option included in a hair clipper, the more hairstyle results you will easily get.
Blades
In addition to a very powerful motor, any good hair clipper should have sharp and durable blades that will not dull anytime soon. There is no joy in seeing your customers’ hair tugged and pulled by dull blades.
A dull blade will make you achieve your desired style in a very hard way.
This is why you should look out for sharp blades when buying a hair clipper. An ideal blade of a hair clipper is made from carbon or stainless steel.
But I’d personally go for ones with a self-sharpening blade feature. In this case, you do not need to worry about ways to sharpen hair clipper blades because they will sharpen themselves.
While the price of a stainless steel blade may be affordable, clippers with titanium blades are among ones that cost more.
Other types of blades include ceramic and the rest. Ceramic blades can be fragile and will not heat up after hours of the clipper running. The best thing is to go for whichever that will meet your needs.
Guide combs
A hair clipper is actually useless without guide combs. This is because you will not be able to get the hairstyle you want without this particular feature.
While there are some that supersede the others, most guide comb will come in plastic forms. So whenever you want to buy a hair clipper, look out for the guide combs.
A very good guide comb should stay very steady when in use.
Most manufacturers will provide a brief description of their hair clippers and its features. Go over it and look out for the guide combs. A weak guide comb will not allow you to get the most out of the device. Go through verified customer reviews as they are a reliable source of information as well.
The Price and Manufacturer
Lastly is the price as well as the brand. In my opinion, I’d advise you to buy hair clippers made by notable brands. This is where most people make their mistake when buying hair clippers in the market.
Getting a hair clipper for a well-known brand does not mean you are picking a popular one. You must have done a bit of research on the product you want to buy.
Wahl and Braun have so far been able to beat all odds when it comes to product durable hair clippers. This, we can ascertain from the daily reviews laid by verified users all over the globe.
Do not compare the reputation of a particular brand with its popularity. It is smart to go for hair clippers made by manufacturers that customers can trust and rely on.
Another important thing I must address is the price. Most quality hair clippers will not come so cheap. The more expensive it is, the more it is likely to work perfectly well.
You can always get a very good hair clipper within your budget if you take a look at the features and how well it will work for you.
When you decide on the amount you are willing to spend to buy a new hair clipper, you will notice that some choices that you’ve had on your mind are not worth it.
Common Clipper Maintenance Tips for barbers
Finally, it is time to point out some significant tips barber needs to be aware of if they are not ready to waste money on buying new clippers every three months!
There is magic in maintaining a hair clipper for a long time. All you need to do is to incorporate these points I’m about to mention.
- Sharpening your blades is the toughest part of that maintenance. And I hope this article has helped you
- The two major ingredients in maintaining a clipper are oiling and cleaning.
- Always oil your clipper after each use and never oil it too excessively
- However annoying it may seem, always clean your clippers
- A preferred tool is the usage of clipper brush that usually comes with the box
- Clean your clipper before and after you run it.
- Once you lose a tooth of your blade, that is the end! Always protect the teeth with the included guard.
- Finally, your blade is reliable when it is sharp. A maintained edge will last you years.
So guys! Do you now know how to sharpen your hair clipper without using stone? I’m sure you do!
Always keep your clippers clean. Very key!
Your first set of clippers can last ten years without a single invitation of a repairer for service.
The most interesting part of maintaining your clipper is that you get to learn different ways and tools of cleaning and sharpening blades. A sharp blade will cut every time you want it to.
Be a reliable barber by keeping your edge sharp always with these steps I have provided.
Cheers!