Want to learn how to sharpen hair clipper blades easily at home? Check out my article below.
We spend hours grooming your hair, but do we spend enough time maintaing the clippers we use for grooming?
It’s best to learn how to sharpen hair clipper blades so that you improve the efficiency and life of your hair clippers.
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A hair clipper is a device that helps in cutting and trimming your hair.
It makes it so much easier to groom, especially for men who need frequent cuts and trims.
You should definitely visit your barber or hairstylist routinely, but a hair clipper helps in reducing the number of these visits. A hair clipper is similar to a hair trimmer.
It helps in easily cutting your hair in the comfort of your home. But the benefit of hair clippers is that they are designed to trim long hairs.
A hair trimmer might pull your hair if it is too long but this doesn’t apply to the hair clipper.
Hair clippers offer various benefits for you. They help you in trimming all hair lengths easily, they come with various attachments like combs attachments that help you trim specific lengths of your hair.
Scissors are complicated to use when you are cutting your hair, hair clippers make it much easier to handle your hair while trimming.
How to Sharpen Hair Clipper Blades 2022
Maintaining a Hair Clipper
Hair clippers, like all electrical devices, need routine clean up and maintenance. The trimming ends of hair clippers are blades that are made up of metal.
It is subjected to wear and tear when you use it regularly, so it is important to sharpen it.
The device also lasts long when you maintain it like this. If you would like to know more about hair clipper maintenance and sharpening, follow the guide.
Here, we have listed the various methods of sharpening and cleaning your hair clipper blades to ensure high performance and longevity.
It is recommended to wash your hair clips every six months. But this obviously depends upon the quality of the blade and the thickness of your hair.
If you notice that your hair clipper is underperforming, it is a sign that it needs some maintenance and sharpening.
You might want to increase the frequency of cleaning and sharpening if you use it regularly.
Cleaning a Hair Clipper
The first step in maintaining a hair clip starts with cleaning. If the device is not clean, it is easy to get damaged and malfunction.
Since the hair clipper is an electronic device, you should take extreme care while trying to clean them.
Most of the hair clippers come with a user guide that tells you how to clean and maintain the device.
We have detailed the step by step process has to follow to clean your hair clippers effectively.
Take out the blade- There are a lot of hair clippers available that are waterproof. This is relatively easier to clean because you just have to put it under running water.
These clippers also automatically turn off when it is connected to an electric device to avoid any hazards.
For clippers that are not waterproof, you will have to detach the metallic attachment from the body of the device.
This will allow you to reach every nook and corner of the clipper to remove short pieces of hair or other debris.
You can easily remove the blades by removing the screws on the bottom sides of the blade. You can use a screwdriver and tweezers to easily get the job done.
Make sure to leave the screws in a safe area otherwise you might lose sight of them and lose them since they are so small.
Remove hair and debris– When you have been using a hair clipper regularly or for a long time, there will be a lot of debris and dirt stuck in it.
This might be present in hard to reach areas so you will have to use a small brush or earbuds to thoroughly clean the blade and body.
Since the blades are made up of metal, it is prone to rust. If you notice that your blades have rusted, use a blade cleaning product to remove them.
You should soak the blade in the solution for a few hours before brushing away or using a cotton ball to remove the rust.
Dry the blade– You can wipe the blade with a clean piece of cloth or tissue. If you still notice particles of dust, you can use the solution and repeat the process until it is gone.
Sometimes, the rust doesn’t come off at all. This means that it is time to change your blades.
Try the blades– Now that we have cleaned the blades, they are ready to be used again. Simply reassemble the parts using a screwdriver and get back to work.
You might have to leave it on for a minute or two before starting to use it on your hair.
But if you notice that your device is still underperforming after cleaning, it might need some extra polishing.
Most of the blades need routine sharpening and this might be an indicator of that.
Sharpening your Hair Clippers
Sharpening your hair clippers is necessary to maintain the longevity of the device. They also give you better performance when the blades are sharp.
Although this might seem like a tedious process, you can always switch to a self-sharpening hair clipper to get the best results.
What are self-sharpening hair clippers?
Self-sharpening blades are one of the latest developments in hair clipper technology. This is a much-needed feature that makes life so much easier for us.
These clippers use a simple technique to maintain the sharpness of the blades.
Self-sharpening clipper blades contain a blade and a piece of metal that rub against each other and cause friction.
This helps in sharpening the blades every time you switch the power button on so you never have to worry about manually sharpening your blades.
How to Sharpen Hair Clipper Blades
Now that you are looking forward to sharpening your hair clipper blades, you will need to keep a few things ready.
- A screwdriver
- A whetstone (3000 and 8000 combos)
- Paper towels or rag cloth
- Lubricant oil
Prepare the whetstone
This is the first and foremost step in sharpening a hair clipper.
A whetstone, also known as a sharpening stone is a fine-grained stone that helps in sharpening your metallic tools and accessories.
They are made of natural as well as artificial materials. You can easily find these at hardware stores.
Whetstones are available in various shapes and sizes but you can use a small whetstone for this since the blade is only a few centimetres long.
Rub the blade against the whetstone
You have to place the blade at a 30-25° angle and rub it against the whetstone. The key is to create friction between the whetstone and the blade.
Make sure to only do forward movements and do this about five to ten times until you feel that the blade is sharp enough. Turn the blade and repeat the process on the other edge.
You will notice that the blade looks shinier than ever. Remove any residue or ground-off metal powder using tissue or a wet cloth.
If your hair clipper blade is made up of ceramic, you will have to use a diamond sharpening stone for best results.
You can also finish off with a fine honing stone. This will make the blade look sharper and even.
Reassemble the device
Now that your blades are all sharp and shiny, You can attach them back to the body of the hair clipper.
Simply use a screwdriver to screw the blades back. Just be careful to make sure that you are screwing it in the right direction and have spaced it according to the original distance.
Apply lubricant oil
Equipment like hair clippers that are used regularly need regular polishing. This will ensure the smooth functioning of your hair clipper.
This is why you should use a lubricant like oil on your devices. For a hair clipper, it is recommended to use an oil after two to three times of using the device.
Simply add a few drops of oil to your blades. This will help in reducing friction and preventing overheating.
Make sure to use light oils that do not clog the blades. You could also ask your barber or hairstylist for a recommendation.
Run the clipper
After cleaning, oiling and sharpening your blades, it is now time to use them on your hair.
But you should run the clipper for a few minutes so that the blades can run together. This helps in further sharpening the blades.
This will further increase the quality of the blades and make it easier for you to trim your hair.
Now that we have looked at the various ways to maintain and sharpen your hair blades, let us take a look at some of the best hair clippers available in the market.
This will help you make better decisions while purchasing a hair clipper for yourself.
FAQS about How To Sharpen Hair Clipper Blades At Home
Can you sharpen a clipper blade?
While it is possible to sharpen a clipper blade, this task is not as easy as you might think. In fact, the best way to do this would be at a professional barber or hair salon. A skilled technician will use special tools and machines to get the job done properly and efficiently. While there are online resources that offer tips on how to sharpen a clipper blade yourself, these methods are often unreliable and can cause more damage than good. Instead of risking your precious blades, stick with professionals!
What is the best way to sharpen hair clipper blades?
While there are many different ways to sharpen a clipper blade, it is often best to use a honing rod. This type of tool helps to remove burrs and other metal particles from the edge of your clipper blade, which will result in a sharper blade. Different types of rods have different angles and lengths, so it is important to find one that fits your needs. Once you’ve sharpened your blade, make sure to clean it intermittently using water and soap.
Why should I sharpen my hair clipper blades?
When it comes to clipper blades, the sharper you know, the better. Dull clipper blades can cause more damage and frustration than anything else. By using a sharpener regularly, you can keep your clippers running smoothly and avoid headaches or other complications down the line.
There are a number of different ways to sharpen your blade, but the most effective method is probably through grinding. You need to place your blade on an angle grinder that has been adjusted for fine to medium grinds (0-3/8 inch). Start with the coarsest setting and work your way up as needed until your blade is evenly sharpened across its entire surface.
If you’re using hair clippers at home make sure you maintain it well to ensure it lasts for a long time.
Learning how to sharpen hair clipper blades can help you a lot in saving time and money.
You can reuse hair clippers for months together if you sharpen them at regular intervals.
A sharp blade also ensures you get a smooth shave without any nicks, tugging, or ingrown hair.
Also Read:
Haircut Numbers And Hair Clipper Sizes | A Simplified Guide
To Summarize