Why won’t my blades cut, or why are my blades pulling hair?
We get asked “Why won’t my blades cut, or why are my blades pulling hair?” a lot, and sometimes it comes in the form of a statement, “My clipper/trimmer blades quit cutting/started pulling hair, so I threw them (“them” being the blades and sometimes the entire clipper/trimmer!) away.” We HATE hearing about people throwing their money away, because 9 out of 10 times we can help you get your blades cutting again for much less than a new blade and CERTAINLY much less than a new clipper/trimmer. The time that we can’t get your blades cutting again, the blade is trashed and does need to be RECYCLED. Don’t just toss your blades, please recycle them.
So, how does someone get a blade that is not cutting or is pulling hair to start cutting again? Just follow T.O.P. C.A.T.S.
T. = Teeth
O. = Oil
P. = Power
C. = Clean
A. = Alignment
T. = Tension
S. = Sharpen
T. = Teeth
The first check that you do is on the teeth of the blades. Are all the teeth still on the stationary blade? Are all the teeth still on the cutting blade? Are all the teeth straight? If you are missing teeth, then you should seriously consider replacing the blade. If you still have all the teeth, then move to the next step.
O. = Oil
Yep, this is the one that gets a lot of people. For some reason oiling the blades is something that people refuse to do when this one step will save you more money than anything else. It keeps your blades functioning properly and keeps them from wearing out as quickly. Go here to read about the correct way to oil your blades.
P. = Power
Your third check will be the power of the clipper/trimmer. Is there enough power to move the cutting blade fast enough to cut? Turn the tool on and pinch the cutting blade and the stationary blade together. If you can stop the cutting blade with very little pressure, then your power is too weak, and you will need to clean out your tool and/or adjust the power (upcoming article).
C. = Clean
If all the teeth are present and your power is good, then you will need to clean your blades. Carefully remove the blades from the clipper/trimmer. Thoroughly clean the blades using a cleaner specifically made to clean and care for your blades and a stiff nylon bristled brush. We use and highly recommend the cleaner and disinfectant H-42. Ensure that ALL hair and dirt has been removed from the blades and from between the teeth of the blades. Dry the blades with a towel and reassemble the blades. Also, inspect for rust BETWEEN the teeth. You do this after you have thoroughly cleaned the blades because you do not want to replace a blade that was simply dirty and not rusty. If there is rust damage between the teeth, then you will need to replace the blade. The rust dulls your blades and will continue to dull the blades even if they are sharpened.
A. = Alignment
After cleaning your blades, then you MUST align the blades or they will not cut properly no matter how clean and shiny they are. Ensure that the stationary blade and the cutting blade are parallel and gapped appropriately (Upcoming article). Each clipper/trimmer cuts better at different gappings because of how they are designed, but ALL clipper and trimmer blades MUST be parallel to cut correctly. Do not look through the teeth (Picture A). Turn the blade to the side so that they teeth lineup which makes it easier for you to gap (Picture B).
(Picture A – WRONG WAY!)
(Picture B – CORRECT WAY!)
T. = Tension
Tension is of the utmost importance when it comes to your blades functioning properly. ALL blades have some form of tension forcing the cutting blade against the stationary blade. If this tension is too much, then the cutting blade will not move or will move poorly. If your tension is too little, then the blades will rattle, will pull hair, or will clog up with hair stuck between the blades which will stop the cutting blade from moving/cutting. Either way your tool will not cut properly. (Upcoming article)
S.= Sharpen
Finally, if you have properly followed the above steps and your blades still do not cut or are pulling hair, then you need to look at having the blades sharpened by someone who knows what they are doing or completely replacing the blades. We suggest getting your blades sharpened as many times as possible before replacing them with new blades. This saves you money and saves on blades being thrown away (or preferably recycled). Blades that have been sharpened by a professional who knows what they are doing will cut as well as a new blade (sometimes better) and will hold that edge just as long as a new blade.
Now if you hear anyone ask, “Why won’t my blades cut, or why are my blades pulling hair?” you can tell them to follow T.O.P. C.A.T.S. and help them diagnose the problem.
Finally, T.O.P. C.A.T.S. is not just for old blades that are not cutting. You should apply the same steps after you get back your sharpened blades or after getting a new blade. The companies that produce blades do make mistakes sometimes, as do professional sharpeners, and at a minimum, you will need to align the blades properly before using them.
Bogojevic says:
Dear Sirs,
I have baught the hair cutter Moser 1400 for dog grooming, and I have been cutting my maltese dog’s hair, but it has stopped. It only works on human hair, dog’s hair it does not cut any more… What can be the problem?
Josh says:
Your blade probably just needs sharpening.
Linda says:
Awesome!!! Thanks so much Josh and thanks for the very quick reply! I’ll let you know! If I need to I will send them to you.
Linda Irby says:
Hello. Brand new Oster A5’s won’t cut my dogs hair. Bichon/Yorkie mix. Not thick. Hair pulls. I’ve bought 3 more blades of different sizes without luck. Help Please!!!!
PS…Hey Buford!!! I used to live on Hog Mtn before there was anything!!! We had Hig Mtn BBQ and a gas station. Lol. I now live in Louisville GA south of Augusta.
Josh says:
Hello!
Hog Mountain (well, the whole area) has grown to be a lot more than Hog Mountain BBQ and a gas station, lol.
First, have you oiled the blades? If not, give that a shot. Lubricating the blades will loosen them up and allow them to run smoother and faster. Just use the oil (not the grease) that came with your clippers.
If that doesn’t work, then I would have to get my hands on all the blades and the clipper to give you an informed diagnostic. Unfortunately, there have been a rash of blades from all manufacturers that are not cutting coming out of the packages. It could also be a clipper problem.
Let me know if oiling the blades works or if you need to get the tools to us.
Josh
karen wilson says:
hi there,
I have a wähl Clipper self cut kit. I’ve only been using it a few weeks, so it’s not gummed up with hair or anything. The blade moves, but the clipper doesn’t cut my hair. What would you suggest?
Thanks
Josh says:
Karen,
Can you call us at (678) 288-9768?
Jim Myers says:
Hi, this is Jim. Recently bought an Oster Turbo A5 to trim my Golden Doodle. The original blades cut too short so I purchased new a #3 blade from them. When changing blades around they stopped cutting so I followed your advice on “alignment” and that seems to work. Thanks! When putting your information into my notebook for future sharpening use I noticed that your phone address on you website is different that that on your sharpening invoice. Is that procedure done by another company? I liked your response to Karen asking her to call you. A personal touch. Jim
Josh says:
Jim,
Glad that you got your blade working properly! Our shop’s address is 14 West Main Street, Suite E, Buford GA, 30518, but our mailing address is P.O. Box 912, Buford GA 30515. If you want to mail us something, then please use the P.O. Box, but if you want to come visit, then use the shop’s address. Hope this clears things up!
Josh
Amy says:
Just got oster a6 pro care clippers in today, started on my standard poodle worked about 30 minutes and then started pulling. The reason I bought these clippers is because my a5 did the same thing, that set of clippers was about 2 yrs old so I thought maybe they were worn out. So I thought I was upgrading to an a6 that would do better. But now it’s done the same thing. I put two brand new blades on it that’s were the cyrogen x 10 and they did the same thing. So now I think something fishy is going on with the oster products. I oiled my blades and everything and still pulling. I’ve never had this much trouble. Please help!!!
Josh says:
Amy,
Hello!
Would you be able to call me at the shop? Our number is (678) 288-9768. We will be there from 9 AM to 5 PM (EST) Monday through Friday. I think I can help, but it will be better if we can actually talk.
Josh
Jill nazzaro says:
Thanks Josh!!!
You looked at my clippers via phone pics and let me know they won’t work on a standard poodle even though they are sold as such (Wahl dog clippers).
I have spent many hours watching you tube videos on how to fix my clippers with zero change. I’m disappointed in Wahl that I’ve wasted so much time and money on a product that is labeled to work but doesn’t at all.
I’ll replace with clippers that are for dog hair/fur therefore have the blades that pop off and not that lever on the side which is more for human hair—
Thanks again Josh!!
Josh says:
Jill,
It was a pleasure speaking to you. Both Wahl and the place where you purchased those clippers know that they are not designed for dogs. I just wish we could have done more for you.
Stephen Peepels says:
I have a Wahl Bravura clipper for my Goldendoodle. I use a long attachment – 23mm or 25mm – about 1 inch. When I am running the attachment through his fur, the whole metal blades section separates from the main clipper body and lands on the floor. This happens constantly – no matter how gentle or careful I try to be. The attachment will get stuck, and as soon as I try to work it through – again, gently, not using force, the metal blades piece pops away from the clipper main body. To add insult to injury, the 25mm attachment broke when it hit the floor. This is really upsetting as I just bought a new attachment set with the metal blades, and this was the first time I used them. How cheap they must be made to break when being dropped from a height of about 18 inches. Would really like to get some advice. Thanks!
Josh says:
The blade has three pieces that fit into the clipper to hold the blade in place. Two of the pieces are parallel and look like hooks about halfway down the back of the blade. The third piece is a small tab at the bottom of the blade. If any of these has broken off, the blade will not stay attached to the clipper when it comes in contact with resistance. These pieces can be replaced during a sharpening. If these pieces are not missing, then it could be one, or both, of the metal retaining tabs inside of the clipper are missing or simply stretched out. If you would like call me at (678) 288-9768, then we can talk more.
Lynn Coleman says:
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Bought an Oster A5 to shave our very old, very skin compromised Newfie.
Read all the literature accompanying it, went on Youtube (my children swore by it) to watch countless videos, could not get clipper to trim his coat with the 10 blade. Kept snagging, dragging, not cutting. Oiled blades, aligned them, then ordered a 10 wide blade, reoiled clipper, still wouldn’t clip his coat!
Found your article, read your article, followed all your steps, (I think the most important was adjusting the tension on the blade) and Voila! it works!
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise, just saved me hours of frustration and my Newfie loves you as well!
Josh says:
Lynn,
Outstanding! Thank you for letting us know that the article was helpful to you, and tell your Newfie hi for us!
Hanna says:
The article is very much helpful, specially TOPCATS formula. I applied the formula to my Andis Clipper and now its working. May I know What is the best clipper oil I can use?
Josh says:
Hanna,
There is no best clipper oil. As long as it is formulated for clippers, you are good to go. We sell and use the Andis Clipper Oil in the 4oz bottle, but that is only because that is what our supplier sells.
Josh
Kristian says:
Hi i have wahl clippers and they dont cut. They are moving normaly not any weird noises but when I try to cut hair it doesnt it just drags the hair and does a lot of noise . Can someone help me . I ve seen so many videos and articles and still havent found a solution
Josh says:
Kristian,
I would have to get my hands on them to give you a definitive answer, but sounds to me like your blade is dull. You can either get it sharpened or purchase a new one.
Josh
Nancy Rowlands says:
I have 2 wahl clippers one corded km10 and the others cordless -my blades do go dull with use /i have 9 standard poodles. I prep for final clip of the yer i bought 4 #10 wahl ultimate blades. The first 3 pulled and actually nicked my girl and this required surgical repair. (1 stitch) this has never happened before – the 4th blade was like going thru butter and was able to complete the job- these were new blades – i have 8 dogs to do and 1 blade will not do – i need at least 3 more but am afraid new blades will hurt my crew – i am an avid oiler – question is can too much oil harm blades. Not the case for these new ones they were duller then dull and i have written to the seller and to wahl – my past blades went dull eventually but I do use a lot of oil. …
Umair Khalid Khan says:
Hi! I have a philips aquatouch S5070/04. The click on precision trimmer is causing me these problems. I cleaned it using the instructions and added sewing machine oil, all of this did help and little but still no where near optimum condition. Can anyone tell me how to open the trimmer head only so that I could assess and clean it further? Don’t wanna spend money and get a new trimmer head which would cost as much as a whole new trimmer. Thanks
Josh says:
Hello!
Unfortunately, we do not work on Phillips tools. I have no idea how to open the trimmer head or if it is even possible to open them.
Best of Luck!
Josh
Heather N Bean says:
I have an Oster A5 that I use to give my ragdoll cat a lion cut a few times a year. It’s always worked great…until last time. I had the cat about half trimmed and the clipper was working fine and then…it just stopped cutting. Nothing happened, nothing changed, just one second it was cutting perfectly and the next moment it was yanking the hair and cutting horribly. I tried oiling the blade, cleaning the trimmer, adjusting the alignment… I even tried a different blade with the same result. I have no idea what happened, but the neighbors must be very impressed with my half-shaved cat. 😀 Any thoughts on what could cause such a rapid shift from working to not working would be very welcome. I’m usually good at fixing almost anything and this doesn’t look that complicated, yet I don’t see anything wrong and it’s still clearly not working.
Josh says:
Hello!
When we get a clipper that is cutting horribly with all the blades we check the blade drive first. A worn down blade drive will cause exactly what you are describing. The second thing to check will be the blades themselves. Blades do go dull and need to be sharpened every so often.
I would put in a new blade drive as the cheapest and most likely fix.
Josh
Heather N Bean says:
Hi Josh,
Thanks so much for the fast reply! I did try an (almost) brand new blade on my clipper when it stopped cutting, and the result was the same as with the older blade that was cutting fine one second and not the next. I’ve taken the drive lever out, but there’s nothing with obviously bad wear, movement, or slop. Can the drive lever be bad without looking or feeling particularly bad? There’s also no indication that the housing is cracked or the drive lever mounting posts are loose. Thanks again for your help, it’s much appreciated!
Josh says:
Heather,
Can you call me at (678) 288-9768?
Josh
Sandra Gericke says:
I have exactly tge samee problem with my Wahl KM10. If it wasnt so expensive i would through it in the trash!
Sandra Gericke says:
I have a Wahl KM10 that is only 2 years old. I have 3 blades that i change. It was working fine and then just stop clipping and pulling the hair.
Nothing is broken its looks fine. What can be the problem?
Josh says:
Sandra,
Good morning!
There are two possibilities for are the likely issue(s). Your blades might need sharpening, and/or you need a new drive lever for the clipper.
Josh
Sandra Gericke says:
Hi Josh
Thanks for the reply. I dont think the blade needs sharpening, i havent used them a lot in the 2 years, due to the same problem.. Can i buy a drive lever seperate? The supplier where i bought the clipper is about 150km from me.
I am in RSA and there are not a lot of Wahl suppliers here. To be honest i have had Wahl clippers for about 15 years, with no issues. After buying the KM10 this is the 3rd time this problem arises.
Previously I was so upset, i just stopped using it. Then a couple of weeks later it worked again. Will not recommend it to anybody!
Sandra Gericke says:
Hi Josh
Thanks for the reply. I dont think the blade needs sharpening, i havent used them a lot in the 2 years, due to the same problem.. Can i buy a drive lever seperate? The supplier where i bought the clipper is about 150km from me.
I am in RSA and there are not a lot of Wahl suppliers here. To be honest i have had Wahl clippers for about 15 years, with no issues. After buying the KM10 this is the 3rd time this problem arises.
Previously I was so upset, i just stopped using it. Then a couple of weeks later it worked again. Will not recommend it to anybody!
Josh says:
Sandra,
Yes, you can buy the drive lever separately. We sell them for $1.50 plus tax. If you would like to purchase one from us, then send us an email at josh@clipperpros.com with your address in it.
The KM10s are very hit and miss. Some people have never had a single problem with theirs and others have nothing but problems. I completely understand your frustration.
Josh
Sandra Gericke says:
Hi Josh. I am in South Africa. ..Wahl service assistance not good here. I will see if i can find the part here, otherwise i have to ship it here.
Regards
Stacy Weinbrenner says:
Me too. awful recieved on Tuesday called to return on Thursday. These DO NOT CUT STANDARD POODLES HAIR… Two blades down less than 2 days and returned the items.