Oiling your hair clipper is very important to keep the blades running smoothly without causing any harsh cutting actions.
Also, regular oiling keeps the blades from rusting, reduces friction between blade teeth and enhances the overall durability of your clipper device.
Many may not know this yet, but applying oil on your clipper is essential for both barbers and home-based consumers, even if the usage is highly frequent or very limited.
So today, I’m going to break down the clipper oiling process for you so that you can easily take care of your device at minimum cost!
Contents
Tools You’ll Need to Oil Hair Clipper
There are some basic tools you’re going to need to properly oil your hair clipper. In general, oiling clipper refers to the lubrication of the blade system.
Some clippers like Oster 76 require you to lubricate the motor as well, but that’s not very common in most electric clippers these days.
The required tools for hair clipper oiling are as follows:
- Hair Clipper: Of course, you’re going to need the hair clipper that needs to be maintained.
- Cloth Rag: A cloth rag should help you clean out the blades, particularly to get rid of any sort of moisture.
- Brush: A cleaning brush will allow you to remove any residue or dirt from the clipper blades.
- Bowl (Optional): To collect the excess oil from your application, although a frugal amount is definitely recommended and in that case, the bowl wouldn’t be necessary.
With these tools, you’ll be all set to oil out your hair clipper and increase its cutting efficiency!
How To Oil Hair Clipper: Step-by-Step Guide
Here, I’ll break down the oiling procedure in comprehensive steps and you can follow along this guideline to complete the job efficiently!
Step 1: Prepare the Clipper
In terms of preparation, you must remove the power cord from the outlet because keeping it in increases the risk of accidentally turning it on.
Otherwise, for a cordless hair clipper, make sure it’s turned off and you have sufficient clearance from the power knob.
From my experience, it’s better to situate yourself on a table with a towel laid down so that there’s no mess to clean out afterward.
Step 2: Clean the Blades
Firstly, use the cleaning brush to swipe over your clipper blades and thoroughly clean all the nooks and crannies to remove any stray hair.
Then, use the piece of fiber or cloth rag to properly mop up the blade. It ensures that the oil you’re going to apply goes directly to the blade teeth and not absorbed by alien entities.
Barbers tend to use additional disinfectants that are meant to be used on clipper blades. These kill any sort of germs and offer a thorough cleansing as well.
Step 3: Apply the Oil
Once the cleaning is done, lay the hair clipper flat (face side up) on a surface and apply a couple drops of clipper oil on the blades.
It’s important to keep the device horizontal because if held vertically, the oil may seep down to the motor and this eventually builds up residue inside.
One drop of oil in the middle of the blade, one drop toward the right and another to the left should do the trick.
After applying, turn the clipper on for around 10-15 seconds so that the oil is spreaded across nicely.
Step 4 (Optional): Lubricate the Motor
As I mentioned earlier, some of the hair clippers, especially the heavy-duty ones used by professionals, demand lubrication for the motor unit.
These clippers generally give you access to the motor by unscrewing a cap and applying motor grease there tends to work like a charm.
It’s a thorough process to be honest. And the hair clippers that need to be dismantled to apply motor grease isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, so make sure you have the right expertise for that!
Step 5: Remove Excess Oil
Once all is set and done, mop up the excess oil from the blade and the handle of the clipper using the cloth rag.
This is important because letting it be will allow dirt to sit on the device and keep it slippery. You don’t want a hefty hair clipper slipping out of your hand in the middle of a grooming session because it can most certainly cause injuries!
And with these 5 easy steps, you’ll progress toward taking better care of your clipper device without seeking anyone’s help!
When to Oil Your Hair Clipper
If you’re wondering when exactly you should oil your hair clipper, I have the answer for you. Also, let me tell you a few signs that are burning reminders for lubricating your clipper blades.
Frequency: Generally, it’s preferable if you oil your hair clipper after every use. Professionals don’t always get the luxury of doing so, therefore they can repeat it after every 3-4 haircuts.
Home groomers however should definitely oil their clipper right after using it or before storage.
Signs Your Clipper Needs Oiling: If your hair clipper is making more noise than usual while running, blades aren’t cutting properly or get too hot while clipping, there are frequent tugs or pulls with each glide – then your hair clipper is definitely begging for some oil.
Tips for Oiling Hair Clippers
Let’s discuss a few tips you can follow during the oil application of your hair clipper and some insight related to this procedure.
- Use the Right Oil: Picking the right oil is of utmost importance for your hair clipper because the wrong oil can actually damage the integrity of your blade system. Check the user-manual for details on which type of oil can be used on your specific clipper.
- Store Properly: After oiling the clipper, you must store it in a safe and dry container. This prevents any residue build up by coming in contact with dirt and moisture.
- Regular Maintenance: You must frequently perform the upkeep duties of your hair clipper. This will increase the longevity of your clipper device.
- Blade Alignment: If you’re one for zero-gapping your hair clipper manually, it must be regularly checked, oiled and maintained. Otherwise, buy one that’s zero-overlapped by default.
Common Clipper Oiling Mistakes to Avoid
There are a few mistakes consumers tend to make regarding oiling their hair clipper. These mistakes aren’t something extraordinary, rather basic ones I feel obligated to point out.
First of all, do not over-oil your hair clipper. I’ve already gone through the threats of overdoing it. Let’s just say it may even cause your clipper to catch fire after a longer runtime, so make sure to keep the oil quantity down.
Secondly, don’t skip these oiling procedures. This will overheat your clipper, lead to loud noises and eventually, cause your hair clipper to wear out sooner than expected.
Lastly, if you MUST use water to clean your hair clipper, you have to mop and dry out everything before considering an oiling procedure.
Final Thoughts
We’re going to draw conclusions from our today’s discussion concerning how to oil hair clippers at home in 5 quick and easy steps.
If you’re new to such operations, just take your time and slowly follow the broken down steps I’ve laid out for you in this article.
Also, without any prior knowledge of fixing or repairing hair clippers, don’t rush into difficult solutions that are out of your bounds.
Seeking help from professionals or at least receiving consultation is nothing to be ashamed of. If you feel that oiling your hair clipper isn’t solving your problem, definitely consider reaching out to an expert!