Clipper Issue HELP PLEASE!

[ElliePippa]

I recently ordered some heiniger Xperience clippers on the basis they would be heavy duty enough for hogging and clipping a hairy cob. Now I am by no means experience in clipping, but I followed the instructions (I think) with regards to fitting blades and tensioning.

The first time I went to test a patch on my ISH, they clipped okayish but hair became really clogged between the two blades, and when I removed the blades there was hair all beneath in the clipper head. I cleaned it out, and assumed, according to the manual, the blades were not tensioned tightly enough.

Second time, that day I cleaned and re-fitted and tightened the blades and went to clip again. Almost straight away the blades and clipper became quite warm (air filter was clear and oil was being used), so I assumed I had over tightened the blades. I reduced the tension slightly, and within seconds the blades fell off! So they certainly weren't that over tensioned.

So basically I am wondering if, A) I cant tighten or fit the blades properly, and if the tension was correct they might get a little warm but certainly wouldn't fall of, or B) my clippers are faulty, as surely if the blades were so loose for them to come off, they and the clipper would not become warm so fast.

If anybody has any advice or insight it would be much appreciated, particularly now I'm feeling a bit rubbish in my own abilities and after spending about £300 on these!!

Thankyou!

 

[LadyRascasse]

'Most' clippers you do it until you can't tighten it any more then loosen it one and a half turns. My hauptner clippers you tighten until its just biting then one and a half down. What does you manual say about how to tighten them. You can't have done it properly if they have fallen off. If you brought them from a shop I would take them back and see if they will show you how to set them up or ask a friend who is experienced with clippers if they wouldn't mind having a look for you.

 

[ElliePippa]

Thanks for your reply

The manual says to tighten until you feel 'resistance'- whether that means until they are becoming harder to turn or when they are pushing back, and to then turn another quarter tighter. Sadly I bought them online from somewhere very far away, but I know I could definitely do with a bit of teaching.

 

[L&M]

I had a pair of heinigers and used to dread changing the blades as always found them very hard to tension, so it is not just you!

Don't worry that you bought them online - google any outlet near you that sells them and I am sure they would be able to help. I now have a pair of Wolseley harriers, and my local agricultural merchant where I buy the replacement blades, fit and tension them for me.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I have the Heiniger delta3 clippers.

There are two stages to re fitting and tensioning the blades. Firstly, you need to position the clean and lightly oiled top and bottom blades correctly, and using a screwdriver, tighten the two screws as much as you can by hand.

Secondly, tighten the tension screw a little, switch the clippers on and tighten the screw some more until you feel some increased resistance, and hear the motor noise deepen slightly. Tighten a little more.

If your blades fell off, I can only assume that you hadn't fitted the blades correctly prior to tensioning them. Stick with your Heinigers, they are great clippers. I have a HW maxicob and they make short work of his very coarse feathers.

Did you by any chance buy online from a shop based in Scotland? I did, and I found them to be very helpful at giving advice by phone.

 

[ElliePippa]

Thanks tiddlypom, yes it was from the Scotland online retailer, they gave me a ring with lots of advice. Will give your way a go and see if I can manage it

 

[Shear Ease]

Tiddlypom said:

"There are two stages to re fitting and tensioning the blades. Firstly, you need to position the clean and lightly oiled top and bottom blades correctly, and using a screwdriver, tighten the two screws as much as you can by hand.

Secondly, tighten the tension screw a little, switch the clippers on and tighten the screw some more until you feel some increased resistance, and hear the motor noise deepen slightly. Tighten a little more."

And you said:

"The manual says to tighten until you feel 'resistance'- whether that means until they are becoming harder to turn or when they are pushing back, and to then turn another quarter tighter."

They are both very good but maybe IMHO not quite perfect. Tension needs to be minimal in order to reduce friction, the resulting heat and preserve the sharp edge on the blade and is probably one of the biggest factors when considering blade life and I follow a simple rule.

Tighten the tension as little as possible. Just tighten them enough to get the blades to clip and then half a turn. Just a quick note - this isn't the standard advise that all the clipper brands give out but versus the instruction manual way of doing it, this way will reduce blade wear, keep blades cooler and put less stress on the machine. Just get that in there before somebody contradicts me quoting their clipper manual!

Some blades need more tension than others to work. A fresh brand new set should need very little tension but you cannot guarantee that just because they are new, they are perfectly sharp. We get a few brand new blades across a season that come back to us because they do not clip optimally - it CAN happen.

Tighten the blades a bit more and see if they clip better. Don't worry too much about 'warm' blades, that is fine, some get 'warmer' than others depending on blade condition, oil and tension. Warm is OK, hot is not. If either the blades do get hot, the motor slows or the machine itself gets hot, forget it, tnesion is not the issue.

Have the blades re-sharpened for a start (and I would push for them to be done free where you bought them from). If that does not solve it then there is a fault with your clipper and it will need looking at under warranty. If you get this far you (huh hum... 'may') be fobbed off with 'too much tension, not enough oil, user misuse' etc by whoever covers the warranty - my experience tells me that... (in the interests of diplomacy, i'll say that 'some' clipper brands) have outrageous 'reasons' why the warranty does not cover your problem. (You would be surprise who has good service/warranty and who has poor)

 

[ElliePippa]

Thank you shear ease I appreciate the advice.

If I have correctly placed and screwed the blades onto the clipper (which I assume I may have not done), and then follow your advice regarding the tension being relatively loose, but enough to clip, there should be no risk of the blades coming off again?

The retailer has asked me to send the blades back for resharpening, which I will do and try and get that done for free.

I am meeting a horsey friend who I hope will give me a little bit more help with tensioning and will be able to spot where I am making any mistakes

 

[Meems]

You're probably not an idiot like me, but quite often I used to find my clippers wouldn't clip. It turned out they weren't screwed onto the clipper firm enough and had slipped slightly. They need to be all the way down to the bottom (if that makes sense which I don't think it does)!

I do find my clippers struggle with some parts of my horse and glide like a knife through butter on other parts.

Just take a deep breath and try not to get stressed about it, although it is stressful when they don't work properly!

 

[_HP_]

Also give your horse a wash.....a dirty horse is a real clipper clogger upper

 

[Kezzabell2]

I usually go by the sound of the clippers but with mine I do it up as tight as possible and then 2.5 turns back again and they are normally at the right resistance I have livermann clippers though but sounds like you could do with them being tighter!

 

[thatsmygirl]

Oh don't even talk about clipping, its a job I hate with a passion and that time is coming very soon

 

[TheEngineer]

The Experience has in my opinion proved to be a superb machine. Tension on Heinigars is a little tricky, but I recommend putting the cutter (small blade) onto the two small pointed pins, applying some oil then putting the large comb blade into position. Do this with the machine "on its back" and tighten the two screws which hold the large blade. Then gentle turn the tension nut until you have just reached a point where you feel resistance. Turn the clipper over and turn it on, then apply approx half a turn. Listen to the blades and you will hear a change in note at the point the blades are correctly tensioned. Then carry on clipping. Ensure you have the correct blades fitted, as the finer blades can clog on very hairy horses or ones with cushings.

 

[Shear Ease]

Thank you shear ease I appreciate the advice.

If I have correctly placed and screwed the blades onto the clipper (which I assume I may have not done), and then follow your advice regarding the tension being relatively loose, but enough to clip, there should be no risk of the blades coming off again?

The blades CAN come undone again, sometimes the screws (the two flat heads that hold the larger blades) come undone because the vibration works them loose. No more likely my way though but it is worth checking them periodically.

 

[ElliePippa]

Thankyou everyone for your advice, used them again today with no issues... Love them again! Went through my cobs hairy bits like they weren't there

 

[ester]

Nice to read a problem solved am another who goes by the tone of the motor to tension - you should be able to hear it change .