By Jeff Andrews
It doesn’t take that much oil to oil a blade, most groomers over oil them. When you over oil, the oil will drain through the teeth and onto the coat. So they turn to other forms of lubrication like Spray Coolants, Rem Oil, or WD-40. Blade oil is the best form of lubrication. It stays on the blade to prevent friction, heat, and pet dander from sticking to the cutting surfaces. Coolants, WD-40, and Rem Oil evaporate off quickly, and cause friction, heat, and the destruction of the cutting edges in a short time. These products can also cause health issues if you don’t wear the recommended safety gear. The list of safety gear you need to wear while spraying these aerosols is listed on the back of the can. Most contain denatured alcohol which can be poisonous if inhaled. Oil is safe.
There are 4 points of the blade to oil, but you only have to do 3 of them once a day. Unless you wash the blade in blade wash between dogs, all 4 points will need to be re-oiled. Oiling will seem hard at first, but it will become natural to you the longer you keep oiling.
Fig.1)
First, push the cutter out to either side so that the spring is lined up with the notch in the cutter. Push it out so you can see the rear rail on both sides of the spring. This will give you access to oil the first 3 points.
Fig.2)
To start, put one tiny drop of oil on both rear rails. The first should go on the rear rail just outside the left spring, and the other tiny drop on the rear rail outside the right spring where sliding the cutter over has given you access.
Fig. 3)
The third tiny drop goes in the groove in the top of the cutter. If you don’t oil this groove at least once a day, your blade can have a screeching sound and not cut properly. Without oil, a dry blade guide will make the cutter hesitate. It may cause the blade to cornrow and other problems.
Fig. 4)
Now push your cutter back to the center of the blade. You can place the 4th drop on the cutter teeth while it’s on the table, or after you put it on the clipper. I oil the teeth while it’s on the clipper so I can start the clipper up right away and spread the oil across the cutting surfaces immediately. Oiling the teeth has to be done every time you put a blade on your clipper. Why? Because the dog hair you’re cutting will take the oil off the teeth of the blade, and it will end up on the floor in the hair you cut off. The first 3 points will not need any more oil for the day, unless you wash it off in blade wash.
Fig. 5)
While on the table, or preferably on the clipper, put one tiny drop of oil in the center of the blade on the cutting surface. DO NOT run a bead of oil across the teeth, it will seep down through the teeth and get on the coat. Start the clipper up, the oil will spread a thin coating across the blade. That’s all you need.
The drop should be very small. When it spreads across the blade, it will stay there for quite a while. This keeps heat down, saves your cutting edges for months, and will keep pet dander from melting and creating that orange buildup on your cutting surface. Every time you put a blade on your clipper, you put that tiny drop of oil in the middle of the teeth. ”
Jeff Andrews is a World Class Sharpener and owner of Northern Tails Sharpening, Inc. He is an author and pioneer of many equipment maintenance videos and how-to articles that are appreciated by groomers worldwide at no cost. Jeff is a Certified Groomer of 30+ years, and is a member of NDGAA, IPG, and NAPCG. Jeff still grooms at his shop in Mobile, AL. 251-232-5353 www.northerntails.com