How To Sharpen Clipper Blades

Most hair clippers have an auto-sharpening feature that keeps the blades sharp, but they may still wear out quickly if they are not regularly oiled and cleaned. Prevent ragged, uneven cuts and snagged hair by sharpening your blades each time you notice problems. Clean the blades first to remove hair and rust, or the blades might not sharpen correctly.

It is quite an investment to buy a good electric hair clipper and to maintain it to keep it running smoothly. Electric hair clippers are actually very feasible as they last for quite some time if they are properly taken care of and you can use them whenever you need and wherever you want.

However, the blades of the clipper can get dull over the course of time with constant use. No amount of care-taking and cleaning the blades can stop this from happening because they have a certain lifespan.

Many guides I’ve seen online teach you bad practices that ruin your blades. But don’t worry, you can’t ruin your blades with my guide.

Below, you’ll find out how to sharpen your clipper blades the easy way. Plus, I explain how to keep your blades sharp longer.

How To Sharpen Clipper Blades At Home Comprehensive Guide

Whether you are a professional barber or you are cutting your own hair at home, a good set of electric clippers is a necessity.

A good set of clippers will keep you groomed and looking your best at all times, which is necessary in today’s environment.

This is especially true if you are working in an office environment or meeting with clients that require certain appearances.

That being said, a good set of hair clippers is truly an amazing tool to have, but they are certainly not disposable.

You might be able to use them anytime you want and some models come with some nifty features. However, it doesn’t matter how much you clean or cares for your clippers there is going to come a time when the blades dull.

Of course, they will dull less often if you care for your clippers properly, but they will dull nonetheless. And, this is why it is important to know when the blades dull and how you can go about sharpening them.

When Do Hair Clipper Blades Need Sharpening?

Hair clippers (both electric and manual) are built for speed and convenience. Clippers cut hair with satisfying accuracy under a short period of time.

The core running device of the clipper is its motor. The motor positions many small-toothed blades that run horizontally all over and across the hair.

Beyond what makes it run are the clippers and blades. These basic parts of the tool ensure accurate and deep cutting of the hair.

These parts are positioned to complement each other during the function. Accordingly, one feeds the hair, and the other cuts it. Both mechanisms work on a balanced, complementary action. Meanwhile, the motor gives both lives. 

So, if you look closely into the tool, you’ll see that the main mechanisms are both the clipper and clipper blades.                                                 

Clipper blades need sharpening whenever they dull out.

Another good indication will be if the Clippers are actually pulling and tugging at the hair, rather than cutting it. This should be pretty easy to tell because it might be somewhat painful.

It is not only important to keep an eye out for the sharpness of the blades, but you want to keep an eye out of rust as well. If your blades have started to develop rust they will need a thorough cleaning immediately.

And, before the cleaning, it would probably be convenient and smart to just go ahead and give the blades a good sharpening.

Things You’ll Need Before Sharpening Your Blades

Your main purchase will be a whetstone. I highly recommend you buy one. Remember, taking your blades to a shop will cost about the price of one whetstone. A quality whetstone will last you years.

I know it seems like a lot of stuff. It really isn’t. Most of the supplies on the list are common kitchen items.

Screwdriver: Any old screwdriver will do. Just make sure it fits the clipper’s screws. You don’t want to strip them because it’ll cause a whole other series of problems.

White Vinegar: I use white vinegar instead of blade wash. Although I agree that blade wash works better, it’s linked to certain cancers. Avoid it.

Small Bowl with Warm Water: You’ll use this mixed with a splash of vinegar for the blade wash.

Paper Towel or Rag: Anything non-abrasive will do. A microfiber cloth is the best option, but I’m not picky. If using paper towel have plenty ready.

Tooth Brush: I use an old toothbrush to scrape off the gunk between the clipper blades. But a regular brush works fine, or a scoring pad.

Marker: Preferably permanent marker, either red or black. We’ll use the marker to tell  how much surface area your whetstone has removed.

Whetstone: Oil, Water, Diamond: There’s plenty of different sharpening stones. I can do a whole guide on sharpening stones alone. If you plan to only sharpen your clipper blades, then a 3,000 grit and 8,000 grit. You can also use the stone for your kitchen knives, so it’s well worth the price.

How to Sharpen the Clipper’s Blades

Remove The Blades

If you are going to own a set of hair clippers, you are going to need to invest in a Phillips head screwdriver. Good chances are that you probably already own one, but if not you will need to pick one up. In order to sharpen the blades, you will need to remove them.

Thankfully, the process requires nothing more than just removing the two screws located on the front of the blade. You might find that after removing the screws the blades don’t come off easily.

In the case, you can use a pair of tweezers to gently pry the blades from the base. Be gentle and careful at the same time.

Keep in mind that while you are performing this process you want to try to make a mental note of everything. Look at the position that everything is in. What components are assembled on top?

This will help you ensure that you put everything back exactly at it was. Once the blades are removed you should be looking at two different blades. A big one and a small one.

Proceed with sharpening the blades

The blades are designed to complement with the stone’s flat surface, regardless of grade. This also applies to both lapping and grinding wheels.

Most users fail in sharpening the blades because they tend to miss meet both flat surfaces during friction. Most of the time, they tend to put too much pressure on the blade.

Here are simple easy-to-remember tips:

High-grit oil stone quality

Secure a high-grit oil stone quality for guaranteed effect. A 1,000-grit stone will do.

Flat on flat

Make sure the flat portion of the blade touches the flat top of the stone.

Some blades may appear with irregular surfaces. Such designs require to be hand-held and placed flat on the surface. Use the thumb and the index fingers in doing so. Once, you have firmly placed the fingers on top side of the blade, let the blade slide. 

To avoid cuts, put any thimble-like protection on the fingers. 

Magnet handles for shaky hands

We may not recommend this, but it sure guarantees accurate results.

The magnet handles make sure the fingers don’t move across the blade’s shiny surface. 

Easy pressure

For crying out loud—don’t be too harsh on the blade. Note that most blade products easily chip and crack.

A light, sensitive pressure will do. But, if you aren’t really sure on the right pressure to exert, resort to magnet handles..

Dry The Blades

Now, take a look at the blades. Some blades may have a buildup of rust. You will need to clean the rust to bring the blades back to their optimal condition. In order to remove the rust, you will need a cleaning solution or isopropyl alcohol toned down with water. Then, wipe the blades dry with a rag or soft cloth.

Test The Blades Again

Test the blades again to find out whether they need a mere cleaning or sharpening up. If you feel like your blades need only cleaning, assemble the clipper and try it out. If it works, good for you, but if it does not, go ahead and disassemble the clipper again before you follow the remaining steps.

Sharpen the Comb Blade

Lubricate the whetstone with a splash of water so the blade sweeps smoothly across the surface. Sharpen the comb blade first.

You want to set the blade down so it’s perpendicular to the stone. The teeth sharpen sideways along the stone, not with the length of the stone.

With back-and-forth motions, glide the blade across the surface of the stone. You don’t need a lot of pressure, just enough to maintain control of the blade.

Evenly rub away at the stone, use its entire surface area. This adds longevity to your whetstone.

Remember to place the entire blade on the sharpening stone, not just the teeth. Many videos and How-To guides tell you to only sharpen the teeth. That’s wrong.

The rail on the bottom blade must match the top blade perfectly. Solely sharpening the teeth creates uneven wear. You may not notice it the first time. But after three or four sharpens, they’ll pull hair and nick your skin.

After 15 passes rotate the blade so it points in the opposite direction. Then do another 15 passes. The marks you made with the marker should have worn away. If they haven’t, make a few more passes.

Clean And Oil The Blades

 At this point, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to go ahead and clean the aging of the blade, dry them off, and apply a little oil. After this, you will want to reassemble the clippers and give them a try.

Reconstruct the clippers.

Once assembled, reconstruct all the pieces together to their original clipper structure.

BONUS TIPS! WAYS ON HOW YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF YOUR CLIPPERS

1. KEEP THE BLADES CLEAN AT ALL TIMES

If you are frequently using your clippers, you really have to make sure that they are in good working order; properly taking care of it will help you keep your clippers performing at their best.

Before you begin using your hair clippers, you have to make sure that the blade area is clean and make sure that you remove any hair and debris. These tiny deposits will act like sand or grit if they get between the blades as well as the blade teeth.

Fortunately, most of the clippers being sold in the market come with their own small clipper brush as well as cleaning kit; most of these brushes I find to be too small and fragile. This is why I prefer to be using an old hard toothbrush so I could really get in among every corner of the clipper; a hair tint brush or a cheap fingernail brush can also be a good alternative, as long as they are sturdy enough.

2. OIL THE BLADE EVERY TIME YOU ARE CUTTING IT.

This is paramount to taking care and maintaining your clipper’s blade. Having your clipper well-oiled will last you several years. In fact, the main cause of the breakage of the good quality clipper is mainly because of lack of oil.

The rule is quite simple, every time you decide to use your clipper, you should be applying some oil to it. It would even be best if you develop this as a habit before you start turning the equipment on; in this way, you will never be able to forget it.

Apply at least one drop of oil to every corner of the moving blade, add few drops too in the middle, into the blade teeth. Then turn on the clipper and allow it to run for few moments so the oil could evenly spread. Don’t forget to dab any excess oil, then you’re good to go.

But you have to be careful not to apply too much oil or else it will only attract a whole heap of dirt, dust and of course, hair clippings which will eventually clog up the blade.