Clipper Blades Moving but Not Cutting

Clipper Blades Moving but Not Cutting

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It’s observed sometimes that you have bought an expensive cleaner. The regrets start when you follow the clipper blades moving but not cutting any hair. Rest assured, you don’t need to be worried about this factor. This can’t only be your clipper’s fault, but your clipper blade might remain the culprit too. For example, clippers often stop working when a lot of hair is clogged in it, the oiling of the dog clipper blade might be irregular, there might be an imbalance in the tension force, or the socket might have loosened. That’s why you should figure out the cause of the bluntness of Clipper Blades and Not Cutting before getting its solution.

Why Are My Clipper Blades Moving But Not Cutting?

There may be reasons why your clipper might not work. Always you can’t blame your clipper. Some of these problems are as follows:

  • The socket might be faulty. Say, for example, you have connected your corded clipper to the power slot nicely, but it is still not moving or cutting. In such circumstances, the power supply or the socket might be faulty.
  • The blades might have become dirty or clogged. If too much dog hair gets clogged in the clipper blade, then the blade might get dull and clogged. And thus, the working efficiency of the clipper will reduce gradually.
  • The lack of oiling of the blades makes the clipper blades rough. Thus the clipper blades turn hot within a short time and cause difficulties during the trimming. Lack of oiling also causes rust formation on the clipper blade and it also degrades the blade’s working principle. Lack of sharpening will also cause the blades to turn dull.
  • Again, the clipper blade’s misalignment also causes trimming irregularities. An expected elegant hairstyle is not possible without the proper alignment of the blade. You need to align the clipper blade following the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • The balance of the applicable tension force on the clipper blade also needs to be suitable. The moving blade applies some amount of tension force on the stationary blade. But if somehow this applied tension force becomes high, the clipper starts moving very slowly, and expected results will not be obtained.
  • And lastly comes the clipper’s engine defect. The super high price or super-cheap price of a clipper doesn’t matter. Even a medium-priced dog clipper might also have a highly efficient engine. It is to mention that the dying or extra weak motors can’t cut through the hair significantly and can’t also reach expectations.

How to Fix Clipper Blades?

The shortest formula for fixing clipper blades is “TOPCATS”. If you weren’t conscious of this particular clipper theory previously, then it might undoubtedly be beneficial for you.

T = Refers to the clipper blade’s metallic teeth. The teeth of both the stationary blade and cutting blade should be straight, sharp, and without rust. If the teeth are not strong enough or if it has turned dull or rusted, you surely need to replace the clipper blade with a new one.

O = Refers to the oiling of the blades of your dog clipper. Sometimes home groomers hesitate to make the decision of how often should the dog clipper blade be oiled. Well, it’s better to apply one or two drops of clipper blade oil on your blade after every use and before storing it up again. This oiling will reduce internal friction during cutting, reduces the clipper’s sound, keeps the blade safe from rusting and also keeps it cool for the long run.

P = Refers to the clipper’s Power and ensures the proper electrical power supply. You need to ensure that your purchased clipper is of highly efficient Power. Moreover, some clippers specially designed for USA and Canadian use won’t work efficiently in other countries.

C = Refers to the Cleanliness of the clipper. Dog hairs often get clogged within the dog clipper blades easily. If these hairs aren’t removed within regular intervals, they might cause obstacles during grooming. Either you can clean the blades manually or use the best ultrasonic cleaning solution with the best ultrasonic cleaner or premium quality.

A = Refers to the alignment of the clipper before using it. Alignment of the clipper blade is indeed necessary for proper trimming according to expectations. So, it is mandatory to confirm that the cutting blade and the fixed blade are parallel.

T = Refers to the applied tension force inside the clipper. For example, the cutting blade of the clipper always needs to be parallel to the stationary blade. And the cutting blade should apply a constant amount of tension force on the stationary blade. If any inequality takes the blade, dog hair might get clogged and obstruct smooth cutting.

S = Refers to sharping of the blades at regular intervals. Sharpening is the last but not the least condition for fixing your clipper blades. Usually, clipper blades run on their own for an extended span without honing. But at one stage, after a long time, the clipper blade might become blunt due to frequent uses and require re-sharpening.

How to Align Clipper Blades?

You need to follow a few steps before using the clipper on your dog. Here are a few steps that will help you to align the clipper blades before using it so that it doesn’t cause obstacles during clipping:

  • Ensure that the clipper blades are clean and do not contain any hair clogging, dirt or debris.
  • Assure that the clipper blades aren’t loosely connected to the clipper. If found so, you need to tighten it as soon as possible.
  • If there are any gaps in the clipper that you have noticed, you should minimize the gap and make sure that they are touching each other.
  • If the teeth of the blade are inappropriate in condition, you must correctly line up the teeth of the clipper blade.
  • Oiling at regular intervals with lubricants is necessary to keep the smooth functioning of the clippers. Besides, if you notice that your blade has turned dull or blunt, you need to sharpen it for better performance.

How Often Do You Sharpen Dog Clipper Blades?

The frequency of sharpening clipper blades depends on the frequency of use. Clipper blades don’t get dull very frequently. But it still depends on the circumstances. In cases of light uses, like if you use any significant clipper blade on your dog once each month, you can sharpen it once or twice a year. In case of medium use, like if you prefer grooming dogs once a week, your clipper blade needs to be sharpened once every 6 to 12 months. And for heavy use, in dogs having dense and thick coats, you are required to sharpen your clipper blade once every 4 to 6 months.

But if you notice dullness or poor performance instead of this mentioned span, you can sharpen your clipper after having a discussion with your professional groomer.

When to Replace Clipper Blades?

When you notice that your dog clipper blades are getting dull, they need to be changed. In similar circumstances, you must also re-sharpen it. But some owners also prefer buying a new clipper blade for better performance over a long time.

Wrapping It Up

Defect either in the dog clipper or the clipper blade will cause an obstacle to the smooth grooming of your dog. Dullness, clogging of hair in the blade, wrong alignment, and lack of oiling and sharpening are the major problems of the clipper blades, and thus you’ll find that the Clipper Blades are Moving but Not Cutting. In case of the clipper’s defect, if you don’t ensure the power supply, the same problem is encountered. That’s why proportional and regular maintenance of both the clipper and its blades is mandatory.