Oiling your clippers is probably one of the most underrated things that many of us don’t even consider as a valid activity. But you’d be surprised to know that it’s one of the most necessary practices for your clipper blades to not only make them sustainable in the longer run, but also to provide you a finer shaving experience.
Some users have even reported that there have been accidental cuts because of not applying clipper oils and it led the blades to act in a robust manner. All things considered, many of the consumers have asked around on the internet: how to oil hair clippers? Our article is the perfect answer for this question.
We’ve not only explained in detail the way you can efficiently and effectively oil your hair clipper, but also why it’s necessary in the first place. Added to that, you’ll learn a great deal about alternate elements that you can use if you run short of clipper oil. So follow us along to gain a broader understanding of this issue and make your shaving memories more pleasant!
Contents
What’s Special About Clipper Oil?
Clipper oils are just like any other mineral oil based on petroleum solution. Usually, clipper oils are specially picked for lubricating blades based on their level of harm to the skin and the effective outcome it offers in the bigger picture. Some even ask if clipper oils are poisonous or harmful in any way – to answer that we must say it’s anything but.
Clipper oils are just as safe and sound as baby oil, so rubbing a clipper lubricated with them won’t cause you any trouble in any way. If anything, it would be helpful to your skin. And should you apply a sufficient amount of oil and don’t go over the top, there’s no risk of leaking so that will make your concern redundant as well.
Why Is Oiling Hair Clippers Necessary?
If you have a good understanding of engines, you’ll know that there’s a lot of friction that goes on between the pistons at a very high speed and engine oils lubricate them for preservation. Similar thing happens with your hair clippers as well. Clipper blades are usually a couple of blades that glide past each other very fast powered by a motor lying underneath.
These blades cause friction while performing and a prolonged run will generate heat which will eventually cause the blade materials to deteriorate. Applying clipper oil lubricates the space between the blades and makes the friction non-harmful for the blades. It keeps the blade sustainable for a long period of time and at the same time prevents any sort of accident during shaving.
Overall, oiling hair clippers is necessary to save your blades, your skin and spare you the pain of frequently changing them as they keep getting blunt without proper lubrication.
How To Oil Clippers: Best Method
In this section, we offer you a five step detailed guide which will ensure that your clipper blades are properly oiled and ready for action. Follow the steps precisely to reach the desired result in only under five minutes!
Step 1: Placement
Where you place yourself is quite important for this procedure, since over spilled hair oil can make the place sticky and demand an extensive clean up. On top of that, your placement should have a power outlet because it’s essential for you to run the clipper right after applying oil.
To start up, you need to keep your clipper, hair oil, hair brush and a few paper towels around. It’s wise to set up your operation over the sink as it’s convenient for cleaning and catching spilled oil, but you can do the cleaning and move to another location too if there’s no source of power nearby.
Step 2: Clean Up
Once you’re all settled and found a comfortable place to run all the steps, you have to clean up your clipper blades. Since blades deal with particles of hair and dust residue from scalp or skin in general, it can sometimes become quite a mess. Also, leaving the clipper lying around can also pick up dirt that can result in a sizable build up.
Remove the blades from your clipper and hold it under running water. Use your cleaning brush to get rid of the residue or dirt from the blade. You can use a toothbrush and toothpaste for this procedure as it generates a better result. After washing, mop the blades to a complete dry and plug them back into the clipper socket. With this, you’re ready for the next step!
Step 3: Oiling Process
This is the most vital part of our guide, the one you’ve been anticipating since the start. In this step, you must make sure that your clipper is turned completely off. If it’s coming to you as a shock, then absorb it because you can’t efficiently apply oil to clipper blades without making a mess and it won’t evenly spread the oil as well.
With your blades switched off, apply two to three drops of oil all across the blades lying horizontally. If you’re not sure how much oil it needs, we’d say that less is better than over-oiling your blades. Because that way, your blades will attract more dirt and create build-ups that’ll end up jamming your blades.
Once the oil application is done, you’re done with step 3 and are ready to make the blades work in the following step!
Step 4: Turn It On!
This step requires you to plug the clipper into a power outlet and turn it on! Switching on the blades makes the oil get evenly spread all over the blades and seep into the space between them. It confirms proper lubrication is applied to every corner and no blind spot is left behind.
How you should proceed is to turn on the clipper for a maximum of 20 seconds before turning it back off again. You shouldn’t run it more than that as it’ll just use up all the lubrication prematurely and make your efforts less efficient. If you have different levels of tapers in your clipper, follow the same 20 second running procedure for each setting.
Step 5: Cleaning
Once you’re done with all four steps of the oiling process, it’s time for you to clean everything up whether you’ve created a big mess or not. Initially, use your paper towels to mop any residue oil from the clipper blades. Leaving extra oil on the blades is not ideal as it can backfire by building dirt up and slowing down your blades as a consequence.
After that, clean up the surrounding area, be that your sink or some other place that you’ve picked for your place of operation. Remember, a clean pair of clipper blades will serve you for a long time to come and a properly lubricated pair will further stress that efficiency. So make sure to apply only the amount of oil that’s necessary and clean up the excess.
After following these five quick and easy steps, you’ll be left with properly oiled hair clippers that are again ready for new trimming and shaving activities!
Clipper Oil Alternatives
Many consumers ask us if there is any alternative to clipper oil or should they stick to purchasing the ones that are branded just for this purpose. Our answer is, you can opt for specialized clipper oil if you want to and if you are a professional who uses clippers on a regular basis.
For casual users who use it for themselves only, a great substitute for clipper oil can be baby oil as both of them contain the same properties and level of density. You can use it frequently if you’d want to as it won’t do any harm to your blades, but mark that using products that are particularly made for a specific purpose perform a degree better than alternatives.
FAQ
Our FAQ section answers some common questions regarding ‘how to oil hair clippers’ to give you further clarification on the subject.
Q: How frequently should I oil my clippers?
A: Frequency of oiling actually depends on your use. For casual users, you can apply oil after every two uses, and for the ones who use clippers professionally, it’s wise to apply clipper oil right before every clipping.
Q: Can I use olive oil for my hair clipper?
A: Yes, you can if it’s a one time thing since olive oils are much more dense than clipper oil. Regular usage may see residue build up so better not make it a common practice.
Final Thoughts
After scrolling through all the information we’ve provided above, we are certain that you’ve generated a thorough understanding about oiling your hair clippers and have the question ‘how to oil hair clippers?’ answered.
Our oiling method is certified by expert professionals and it’s the most convenient way to make your clipper blades survive the longest time. It’s also safe for your skin which is another big plus overall.
In the end, no matter what you do with your clipper, you must take the time out to oil it properly and make it a part of your regular shaving or trimming routine – yes, it’s that important!