Clipper question

[drprophet]

Hey y’all! So I’m really close to graduating my non-credit grooming course, and once I complete it, I get to keep my equipment (the relevant part is the corded Andis 5 speed). Every now and then we’ll borrow a Wahl 5-in-1 from our instructor, and it seems like it never gets hot (at least for the amount of time we use it vs the Andis). I asked about it, and she said it’s because the cordless doesn’t have a blade drive. I tried googling for more info, but it seems like there are cordless clippers that do have blade drives (so I assume she was just talking about the 5-in-1??). Is it just the multi blade lengths that don’t have drives? If not, do they make a difference? I’m thinking about looking into buying a cordless since it seems nice, but the place I would go to is closed on weekends and figured I’d ask here in the meantime.

 

[thegiant]

@drprophet 5 in 1s and regular clippers operate very differently.

5 in 1 blades have a completely different design, including a lot of air space, plastic on them, and the guard portion is pretty big compared to the cutter. The blades also often are a slightly different metal or have a coating on them. And while they cut at much higher speeds (like let's say 6k spm vs 3k spm for regular clippers), they're a lot weaker. The fact they are a lot weaker is mainly why they don't get as hot. And the way we use them also has an effect. We typically don't use 5 in 1s for anything heavy duty or for long periods of time.

It is technically true that Wahl clippers don't have a blade drive. They have a blade lever, which is virtually the same thing lol. All clippers have some little piece on them that actually makes the blade move and it eventually gets worn out and has to be replaced as part of regular maintenance.

 

[drprophet]

@thegiant Ooh, okay! Thanks

 

[slappy1402]

@drprophet Just a heads up in case you don't know.
The 5 in 1 aren't for regular full body grooming. Typically for touchup areas, eyes, feet, sani (because they don't really get hot).

I use mine for puppy first haircuts sometimes because they're quiet and it won't take me very long, but the 5 in one blades are disposable so once they're dull you buy a new one. Don't use them on dirty hair, as the dirt and grit will dull the blade quickly.

They're also not powerful/durable enough to plow through tough coat.

 

[drprophet]

@slappy1402 I figured they shouldn’t be used for full body regularly, I was just using it as an example as far as I noticed it doesn’t get hot – I was wondering if it’s just the 5-in-1s (or other disposables) that don’t have blade drives, or if not, what the difference is when one has a blade drive vs ones that don’t

 

[okami]

@drprophet A regular cordless clipper will still heat up the blades, it's not the same as a 5-in-1 clipper. I can't imagine going back to corded once I tried cordless, though. If you're having issues with blades heating up, try using lower speeds if the coat doesn't need the extra. It might seem obvious, but I've heard of quite a few people always using the top speed and wondering why their blades get hot so fast.

As for the 5-in-1s, you can use them for full haircuts when it's a guard comb clip (using the Wahl metal combs made to fit). As long as the coat is properly prepped (clean, dry, fully brushed out), it works just fine. You may have to go a little slower than you're used to with a full clipper if it's a thicker coat. And of course they're great for sanitary trims, pads, clean feet and faces, spot shaving arm pits, etc.

Make sure you use a toothbrush or blade brush on the teeth along with whatever blade cleaner you prefer between grooms, they will seem like they're dull very quickly if build up is left between the teeth. The blades can be successfully sharpened or refurbished (the cutting blade replaced) by sharpeners that know what they're doing and have the proper equipment. Or you can send them to Wahl directly, and from what I've heard, they often just send new blades back.

 

[drprophet]

@okami Yeah, cordless seems nice – the instructor for the other class swears by them and wanted us to have cordless, but then they’d have to skimp on other stuff, so they went with corded (which my instructor says she prefers since they’re lighter apparently). I didn’t know about speed effecting how fast it gets hot, but that makes sense! Honestly there’s stuff that we sometimes don’t think to ask, or stuff that seems arbitrary (like when to use straights vs curves – obv curves are nice for rounding stuff, but sometimes she just uses straights instead. Personal preference??)

I do have a clipper brush! There’s actually a sharpener that my instructor has gone to for years, and they came in to talk to us about maintenance and stuff, and once we graduate we’ll get 10% off for life

 

[okami]

@drprophet Some things just vary between people. I used one of the lightest corded clippers out there, but struggled with carpal tunnel. When I got my significantly heavier cordless, after a short adjustment period, my wrists improved a lot. I assume it has to do with the balance, but I don't know.

Straight vs curve is a lot of personal preference. Some people even do full grooms with only one or the other. You just kind of have to learn what works best for you.