What to Look For

Clipper blade sharpening and repair should always begin with the user rather than the sharpener.

All too often we see blades come in for repair and re-sharpen only to see the condition of the blades goes well beyond what the manufacturer has recommended.

Having blades in good condition can go a long way to making your business run smoother, but what constitutes proper care?

Blades are made up of two key components the actual Comb blade which determines the length of the cut and the Cutter blade that actually does the cutting.

All blades will have screws which hold the comb and the cutters in place and these need to be secured correctly and tightly in order to ensure trouble free operation.

The socket is also an important aspect and one worth noting. Sockets that do not function properly or indeed are damaged through use may cause a blade to Clatter or vibrate uncontrollably. The only way to rectify this issue is to replace the socket.

Finally the tension is the single biggest issue amongst groomers. Incorrect tensioning of blades can result in poor performances and even worse pulling of the hair. The spring tension must always be adjusted correctly if it is too tight the clipper machine will end up running hotter than usual and may in fact shorten the life of the machine.

According the manufacturers recommendations clipper blades need to be always kept lubricated and stored wrapped away from the elements. Blades should never be dropped and where possible only clean animal coats should be clipped.

Sand is the single biggest killer of blades and in the event that a dog is found to be dirty a decision needs to be made on whether or not the coat is washed prior to clipping.

The use of lubricating oils is highly recommended prior, during and after the actual blade is used.

Good groomers always use products like Oster's blade wash in order to give their blades even more protection. Blade wash is a great product that when used according to the instructions will allow for any debris and fine dog hair collected under the blades to be flushed out and allow blade components to work at their pre-determined efficiency.

A poorly running blade can often be the direct result of improper care. If this issue is not rectified quickly this build up of debris can actually go part of the way to damaging your blade and ultimately making it worthless.

Rust on blades is another common complaint. By keeping your blades stored in a proper blade caddy with lots of good quality lubricant will stop this from happening.

If you look after your blades correctly you will end up extending the periods between sharpening and ultimately save a lot of money by not having to buy more replacement blades.

If your blades are indeed running rough and you think they may need sharpening simply contact any of the recommended sharpeners listed in order to discuss your needs further.

Ideally your business should be running on more than one set of blades and if this is the case simply swap them over in order to always have a freshly sharpened set at the ready.

Once you are ready to have them sharpened ensure you have individually wrapped them and have them ready for postage. Ideally wrapping them in gladwrap and placing them in bubble wrap will protect them.

Most of our clients will also add a pre-paid and pre-addressed express post satchel for easier return by the chosen sharpener.

Ideally you should make contact with the sharpener to ensure they are aware that your blades are about to be shipped and expected time of dispatch.

Be aware too that your clipper machine may be also due for a service. Poorly functioning machines can loose power and often when the job gets tough your blades may not have the power behind them to get through the coat.

When was the last time you serviced your clipper? Not an area most groomers consider however it is important to note that a clipper machine also needs regular maintenance and servicing and this alone could solve the issue of poorly cutting blades.

Enquire with us further to discuss this issue and check to see which of our contacts would be best suited to helping you out with your clipper machine servicing.

Other handy hints worth noting include:

Ensuring the strength of your clipper machine is suitable to run your blades - often older clipper machines are just not suited to taking on the newer more blades and consequently this can reduce the overall performance.
There is an enormous amount of friction built up on your blades and as such we would recommend the use of Kool Lube as this will help to keep the blades the at the right operating temperature.
Ideally you should only ever use a skip tooth blade as a first clip balde. This will allow you to get through the Matts and the rough part of the coat. You would then swap over to a full tooth blade to even out the lines and the rough appearance left by the skip tooth blade. Doing so will leave a much better end result.
A number 10 or 15 blade is ideal for faces, pads of feet, belly and groin areas in short the larger the blade number (example a 40) the closer to the skin you will cut.
Never ever clip a dirty dog. Sand is your number one enemy and ideally you should never clip a dog with flea powder in its coat as this will affect the blades.
Wet coats should never be clipped as these are harder to manage with your clipper but also could risk rust setting into your blades.
Store all blades in a clean containers or sealed plastic bags wrapped in paper towels and soaked with Kool Lube in order to maximise the life of the blade.

We hope this section has helped you in some way feel free to email your queries direct to us at info@perfectpaws.com.au