How long should new clipper blades go before needing a sharpen?

[pootleperkin]

As above - I have Heiniger (sp?) clippers that are pretty heavy duty and robust. I splashed out on some new blades this morning and have clipped Pie Face (who, incidentally was very very good for her first clip and even let me do her face!!). Towards the end of the clip (hunter) the blades did seem to be far more 'dull' and the clippers were getting hot.

I stop every 5 - 10 mins to oil and every other time I take the blades off and clean the inside of the clipper head of hair. Her coat wasn't that thick. I just feel like if I use those blades the next time, I am already starting with blunt blades..... or not? The clippers were certainly working harder towards the end - perhaps they need a service?

 

[Joyous70]

Clipper blades cant go blunt at the drop of a hat, it only takes a bit of dirt in your horses coat or an extra greasy bit to dull them. You say you were stopping every 5-10 minutes to oil and clean the blades, where they tensioned correctly? this can lead to blades being blunted and clippers running hot, you may also want to get them serviced? how old are they and when when did they last have a service?

 

[pootleperkin]

Tension wise, I tighten them as directed, a quarter of a turn more than when you feel the first 'bite', but I have to admit, by the end of the clip I had to tighten them a little more. I guess I have had the clippers for about 4 years and they have been used about 8 times? They haven't been serviced since I bought them as the use was so low and I look after them pretty well - I'm diligent on cleaning etc. Sounds as if I should send them for a service and send the blades too - she did have a couple of grubby coat patches....

 

[Fourlegsgood]

Clippers should not need servicing after 8 clips. Are your new blades heiniger branded ones or are they unbranded? I bought some look a like ones for my heinigers and they blunted very quickly. I stick to heiniger branded ones now.

 

[pootleperkin]

Yeah, they are branded ones - not cheap - £30 ish. They seem very good quality.

As for the clipper use, I say 8 clips, it really can't be much more than that - only G has been clipped in the past, at most twice a year and he had one winter off........

On thinking about it more, I think I maybe have to tension them more than I *think* I should soon after I start clipping. But maybe I just lack experience and that is how it is?

 

[Fourlegsgood]

I have the Heiniger Handy clippers and I tension them until they go quiet.

One thing I have had is that if you start clipping with too little tension you can end up with hair trapped between the blades and that stops the cutting edges from working. Just take the blades off and clean on the meeting faces.

 

[measles]

I am interested in this post as I have old Heinigers - they are about 16 years old and well maintained - and I get a clip and a half from the Heinigers blades before they start to blunt. My OH and I regularly disagree about whether this is normal or not, so much so that I have just bought a new set of clippers. I did get about 14 years of use before the problem started so probably shouldn't be too disappointed!

 

[meardsall_millie]

I am interested in this post as I have old Heinigers - they are about 16 years old and well maintained - and I get a clip and a half from the Heinigers blades before they start to blunt. My OH and I regularly disagree about whether this is normal or not, so much so that I have just bought a new set of clippers. I did get about 14 years of use before the problem started so probably shouldn't be too disappointed!

I find it depends entirely on each horse - thickness of coat, how coarse the hair is, how dirty, etc, etc. However having said that, a clip and a half doesn't seem a lot, I've just done 4 hunter clips plus a few heels/trims with one set of Lister blades. I did send them off for sharpening to be on the safe side (didn't want to start the next clip and not be able to finish it) but they still seemed to be fine.

 

[xloopylozzax]

When we clip we do 2-3 long strokes then clean the blades- run them in a shallow dish of white spirit/turps
It cleans them and cools them down. Then oil and clip again.

Long strokes will give you a better clip with less lines.

 

[whizzer]

We bought some heiniger clippers this time last year. Last year I did at least 1 Irish clip & then 2-3 full clips. This year I've done an Irish clip then today took the whole lot off. Horse is TB but does grow quite a thick coat,he was quite greasy today but I've not had the blades sharpened at all yet & I think they'll do me another few full clips then I will send them off in the spring to be sharpened.