Clipper Blades?

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wingnut

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I sent off my blades (for Oster A5 clippers) for sharpening. All the blades are either Oster or Andis. I rec'd a call today saying they would be ready for pickup today. He did add that the "blade with the blue dot" would not be able to sharpen again as they are worn down again.

None of these blades are more than 2 years old as I just purchased the clippers in 2010. If this is one of my original blades from 2010, this would have been the 3rd time I've had them sharpened, otherwise only the 2nd. I only have 6 horses and do not clip all of them every year. The first year I did clip dirty but now know that a clean horse is the best way to clip, so I start with bathing.

Do these blades, at $30 a pop, really only last this long? What has been your experience? What could I do to extend the life of my blades?
 
I've had blades as long as 10 years. I have them sharpened every year the whole bunch. We clip a lot. I've only had a few that the sharpener has said "last time to sharpen" but then they get mixed in and probably get sent in again LOL. Check the lenth of that pair against your others. IMO they should last longer than what you said.
 
In my experience it depends on the blade, I've been clipping minis since 2005 and I've gone through several blades in that time, mine usually will get about 5-6 sharpens out of them, except when I got them done by someone new and they sharpened htem poorly so that when I got them resharpened by an expert he had to take off more than normal to compensate for the uneven job done by the other guy. So maybe your blades got poorly sharpened a few times. They should be good for more than 2 or 3 sharpens for sure though. Also I find blowing the dirt out of the hair or vacumming it prior to clipping is even better as a preclipping method than a bath. Bathing just seems to make a muddy dirt in the roots of the hair rather than the dry dust, but vacuuming it out first removes the dirt that dulls clipper blades. That being said, it is a good day when I get one whole horse clipped with one blade, it usually takes me 2 blades for one horse. So I make sure I have 5 or more sharpened to make sure I dont end up with half a horse clipped before a show.
 
I have blades that have been sharpened a dozen times. I've had them for 9 years. Sounds like your sharpener is taking off way more than he needs to. A bad sharp job can cost you tons of $$ in equipment. I've had 1/2" sharpened off of a pair of shears before!!! Clipping a clean horse is easier on your blades. They won't dull as fast and you'll get a nicer cut. Just make sure your horse is 100% dry before clipping.

To lengthen the life of your blades make sure you clean them with a dry toothbrush to get any hair out then with a blade wash (Oster or Andis) after every use. You can put them on your clippers and run them while you dip the cutting edge into the blade wash. Then you should also oil them before putting them away. Andis and Oster sell clipper oil. After cleaning wipe them off with a paper towel then put them back on the clipper and turn it on. Drop a couple of drops of oil along the cutting edge and one on each side of the slide (where the cutting part runs on the blade about 1/2 way down). This will keep them running smooth with less friction and help keep them from rusting. Both will help them stay sharp longer. DO NOT store them in plastic, it doesn't breath and can cause them to rust. If they do get rust spots the sharpener will have to take more off the blade to get under the rust. I know it sounds like a lot of work but like you said. At $30 a pop it's worth taking the time.

Also if you clip clean horses you should not have to have them sharpened every year if you are only doing a few clips a year. I clip my minis, big horses, and prob 100 dogs before I have to have mine sharpened. But the key is clipping clean hair and taking good care of the equipment. Happy clipping!
 
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Thanks for the input everyone! I was hoping to hear this information.

MajorClementine: I do everything you recommend except the oiling of the blades. I think I just didn't know what it mean to oil the blades. Your explanation helps me understand better what to do. Avoiding plastic bags is another piece of information I hadn't heard before but makes perfect sense.

Like you, weerunner, I usually need two blades to get through a horse. That's why I'm up to 7 blades now!
 
Just discovered that the best way to clean clipper blades throughout and after a clip job is with an air compressor!

Just blast a couple shots of air on the blades to remove all the hair/dirt, then run them in a bit of blade wash, wipe clean and ad a bit of lubricant (clipper oil or I've heard that automotive silicone spray works well too).

I rotate through 2 or 3 blades during a clip. Just bought a new And is blade that is extra wide so it cuts twice as much hair which majority reduced our time for a full body clip. Although it's a little too wide to use on legs & face.

Hope that helps!
 
I have some blades that are 20 yrs old and clip fine with a good sharpeinig as needed. I probably have around 50 blades though...but then normally do somethinig over 100 cclippings per year..(not this year. pardon typing, broke hand)

your sharpener is everything. he must be good or a waste of money.

I order blades over internet. pay around $15-18.

oh, forgot..don't run your blades hot! warps them. ruined & horses will hate clipping
 
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I have some blades that are 20 yrs old and clip fine with a good sharpeinig as needed. I probably have around 50 blades though...but then normally do somethinig over 100 cclippings per year..(not this year. pardon typing, broke hand)

your sharpener is everything. he must be good or a waste of money.

I order blades over internet. pay around $15-18.

oh, forgot..don't run your blades hot! warps them. ruined & horses will hate clipping
Ok Charlotte... I would love to know who sharpens YOUR blades!!!!! Pretty Pretty PLEASE!
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Oh Thank You so much! I have several blades that need to be sharpened and never can tell who to trust to do a good job. Thank You again!
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