Do I Need To Oil My Wahl Clippers?
Wahl is one of the most popular hair clipper brands, and many folks choose the brand due to its quality and durability.
You need to oil your Wahl clippers after each use to maintain their performance and longevity and reduce wear and tear…. Oiling your clippers also prevents rust and friction, keeps the motor running quietly, the blades sharp, and makes haircuts more comfortable.
Your Wahl clippers will run better and last longer if you oil them occasionally…. When you oil your clippers, you reduce the friction caused by moving parts, which helps extend the life of your clippers’ motor and blades.
You should oil your clippers every time you use them, but if you don’t use them often, you can also oil them more frequently…. The more often you oil your clippers, the less effort they’ll require to cut hair.
Wahl recommends that you lubricate your Wahl clippers with a drop of sewing machine or 3-in-1 oil after each use…. If you’ve never oiled any kind of power tool before, it’s best to practice on an old pair of clippers or scissors before working on a pair that’s new or in good shape.
This article will discuss why you need to oil your Wahl clippers, how often, where to put the oil, and alternatives you can use…. I’ll also look at which lubricants to avoid.
Where Do I Put the Oil in My Wahl Clippers?
You should put a few tiny drops of oil on the top corners and at the foot of the blade of your Wahl clippers…. Once done, turn the clippers on so that the oil can work its way through all the parts…. If your clippers are dirty or clogged, you should clean them before applying the oil.
After allowing the oil to run through the clippers for about ten seconds, wipe off any excess oil on the blades to prevent stickiness when you cut hair.
Keeping your Wahl clippers well-oiled is an easy task that can be done in just a few minutes…. A little bit of oil goes a long way and you only need to do it once every month or so…. If your hair clippers are not well-oiled, they will run poorly and burn out quickly.
It’s also important to clean your hair clippers regularly in order to prevent any build-up of moisture or foreign substances (like hair) which could damage the motor of the clippers.
How Often Should You Oil Your Wahl Clippers?
You should oil your Wahl clippers after every use to ensure they function optimally and last for as long as possible…. Fortunately, you only need to use a few tiny drops of oil for each oiling session, making it a cost-effective maintenance exercise.
After using your Wahl clippers and before oiling them, you should remove the clipper attachment and brush off any excess hair with an old toothbrush or soft cloth…. This helps prevent blade dulling and safeguards the internal parts as microscopic particles can cause friction and damage.
You may also consider using a cooling and disinfecting product like Andis Cool Care Plus (available on Amazon.com) after brushing the hair off your clippers…. Such products gently clean the clippers and cool them down after use.
Andis Cool Care Plus’s disinfecting property is useful if you use your Wahl clippers for more than one person.
To prevent rust, you should store your clippers in a dry place.
What Kind of Oil Can I Use To Lubricate Hair Clippers?
The best kind of oil to use to lubricate your clippers is the product recommended by Wahl, namely Wahl Clipper Oil or Wahl Lubricating Oil for Clippers…. There are several other options if you’re on a budget or would like to use an alternative product that you already have in your home.
Below are some excellent alternatives to Wahl Clipper Oil or Wahl Lubricating Oil for Clippers (both available on Amazon.com):
- Baby oil. With its low viscosity and price, baby oil makes an excellent alternative, but you may not like the sickly, sweet baby smell on your clippers.
- Kerosene. Some folks keep kerosene in their garage or workshop, and this substance lubricates clippers well…. A drawback to kerosene is its diesel-like smell that can transfer onto your skin when using your clippers.
- Mineral oil. Like baby oil, mineral oil has a low viscosity, and you may prefer it as it has no odor.
- Sewing machine oil. If you have a sewing machine, you may have some sewing machine oil lying around…. Designed to lubricate a sewing machine’s tiny parts, it’s perfect for clippers, too.
- Essential oils. Essential oils are thin enough to use with clippers, benefit from smelling great, and offer medicinal properties.
- Other brand clipper oils. Although Wahl recommends using their branded clipper oil to lubricate your Wahl clippers, using another brand of clipper oil, such as PlanetSafe or Oster, is fine.
Can You Use Olive Oil on Wahl Clippers?
You should avoid using olive oil on Wahl clippers because it’s too thick and will cause the motor and blades to become clogged, resulting in your clippers working sluggishly and your blades becoming dull…. Olive oil has a one to two-year shelf life and will eventually turn rancid and smell.
Olive oil is also acidic and can wear down your clipper components.
Can I Use Wd40 on Wahl Clippers?
You shouldn’t use Wd40 on Wahl clippers as it contains silicone, a thick and sticky substance that can clog up your clippers and prevent them from working correctly…. Wd40 isn’t a lubricant but a rust preventer and water displacer, and it won’t help maintain your Wahl clippers….
However, you can use a little Wd40 to clean the outside of your clippers and keep the blade rust-free.
Can I Use Andis Oil on Wahl Clippers?
You can use Andis Clipper Oil on Wahl clippers as this product has been formulated to work with any brand of clippers…. It’s inexpensive and works in the same way as Wahl Clipper Oil or Wahl Lubricating Oil for Clippers…. It’ll help extend your clippers’ lifespan.
Advantages of using Andis Oil are that it can also be used with dog clippers or electric shavers, and it’s odorless.
Other Products Not To Use With Your Wahl Clippers
Now that we’ve discussed the best products to use with your Wahl clippers (and a few to avoid) we can look at additional products to avoid as a clipper oil replacement:
- Motor oil
- Vaseline
- Silicone oil
- 3-in-1 oil
- Coconut oil
Although these products are lubricants, they are too dense for hair clippers and will clog up the internal parts…. Since these products can also dull the clipper blade, you could accidentally cut yourself when cutting your hair as you’d need to use more force for it to work correctly.
What happens if you don’t oil your clippers?
The blades will eventually get dull and not work as well as they should…. The reason for this is that oil prevents the blade from rusting and keeps it lubricated so that it cuts smoothly through hair without pulling or snagging.
If you don’t oil your clippers, then they won’t cut hair as well as they should and might even start pulling at the ends of each strand of hair instead of cutting through them cleanly.
This can happen with any type of hair cutting tool that uses moving parts, such as scissors or even electric razors…. If these types of tools aren’t lubricated properly, then they won’t work as well as they should either.
How long do Wahl clipper blades last?
The lifespan of your blades will vary depending on how often they are used and what type of hair you are cutting.
On average a pair of Wahl Clipper Blades will last up to 6 months with daily use, but can last up to 1 year with infrequent use.
If you have thick or coarse hair you may need to replace your blades more often than someone who has thinner hair types such as fine or thinning hair.
Can you use clippers after oiling?
Yes, you can use your clippers immediately after oiling…. Just make sure you wipe off any excess oil from the outside of the clipper blades with a clean cloth before using them.
Just run the clippers for a few seconds first and see if any more oil comes out…. It usually only have to do this once and wipe the oil away…. But if you see a lot of oil just give them another run for a few seconds.
Why do my clippers get hot?
If your clippers get hot, this means that they’re not getting enough air flow through them…. The blades will also get duller faster if they’re not getting enough airflow.
Make sure there’s nothing blocking the vents, like hair or oil residue on the blades…. If there’s still a problem after cleaning them off, then it might be time for a new set of blades altogether!
The motor inside of the Wahl Clippers gets hot when it is working hard…. This happens when cutting thick or wet hair and/or when using low power settings…. If this happens, let your clippers cool down for 10 minutes before continuing to use them.
Why are my Wahl Clippers not cutting?
There are many reasons why your Wahl Clippers may not be cutting well: The blades may be dull, or there could be buildup of hair on them which is preventing them from making a good cut.
It could also be that the blade tension is too loose (too much play between blade and comb) or too tight (not enough play).
If you have cleaned off all the hair from around the blade and checked that there is no debris in the pivot area, then check that the blade tension is correct.
Why does my Wahl Clippers pull hair?
Wahl clippers can pull at times because they are not sharp enough…. If your clipper pulls too much when cutting through your hair then it could be time for a new set of blades.
Are Wahl Clippers self sharpening?
The Wahl clippers are designed to be self-sharpening, but they will need to be sharpened at some point…. They can be sharpened with a flat file or a small handheld sharpener.
If you notice that your hair clippers pull on your hair or that they don’t cut at all, it’s possible that the blades are dull.
You should try cleaning them first by removing all of the hair from the blades and running warm water over them…. You can also use alcohol or WD-40 to clean them if needed.
How often should you change blades on Wahl Clippers?
It depends on how often you use your clippers and how long your hair is…. If you’re going through a lot of hair, then it’s best to change your blades more often.
If your hair is thick and grows quickly, then changing them every three months or so should be fine…. However, if it’s finer or grows slower than usual then changing them every six months would be better for your clipper blades.
How do you know when to change your clipper blades?
You can tell when a clipper needs new blades by using the finger test…. Simply run your fingers along the edge of the blade and if they snag on any rough areas, it is time to replace them.
How often should I clean my hair clippers?
Your clipper should be cleaned after every use…. This prevents any build up of hair, skin and oil from occurring on the blade and causing it to dull faster than normal…. You can use a blade cleaning brush or simply wipe down with an alcohol pad (this will kill any germs).
Is it better to use clippers on wet or dry hair?
Clippers work better on dry hair because the blades can easily slice through strands that are thicker and drier than when hair is wet.
When your hair is wet, it becomes much thinner and more flexible due to the water content in the strands of hair…. This makes it harder for the clipper blade to cut through without getting stuck in one place for a long time.
Final Thoughts
To keep your Wahl clippers working optimally for many years, you should oil them after every use.
Wahl recommends oiling your Wahl clippers using Wahl Clipper Oil or Wahl Lubricating Oil for Clippers…. Still, you can also use baby oil, mineral oil, kerosene, sewing machine oil, or clipper oil from another brand.
To lubricate your Wahl clippers, you should not use Wd40, olive oil, Vaseline, silicone oil, 3-in-1 oil, motor oil, or coconut oil.
Sources
- Wise Barber: Learning How to Clean and Oil Clippers the Right Way
- Meso Men: Hair Clipper Oil Alternatives
- Swanky Man: Hair Clipper Oil: 22 Things You Should Know
- Princeton: What Is Viscosity?
- Wikipedia: 3-in-One Oil
You may also be interested in… Why Your Wahl Clippers So Loud?
