6 Best Clipper Maintenance Kits For Long Term Use That Barbers Swear By
Extend your clipper’s life with pro-approved care. Discover the top 6 maintenance kits barbers use to keep blades sharp, clean, and running smoothly.
You’ve just finished shearing your first few sheep, and the clippers that started out gliding through wool are now snagging and running hot. A good set of livestock clippers is a serious investment, just like any other piece of essential farm equipment. The difference between a tool that lasts two seasons and one that lasts twenty often comes down to simple, consistent maintenance.
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Why Daily Clipper Maintenance is Non-Negotiable
Forgetting to clean your clippers is like putting a dirty tool back in the shed to rust. Every time you use them, they get clogged with hair, dander, and natural oils. This buildup forces the motor to work harder, leading to overheating and premature wear. More importantly, it dulls your blades faster than anything else.
Dull, dirty blades don’t cut; they pull. This is incredibly stressful for the animal, whether it’s a sheep, goat, or dog. It can lead to skin irritation, nicks, and a negative association with shearing. Furthermore, dirty blades are a perfect vehicle for spreading skin conditions like ringworm or mites from one animal to the next. A simple cleaning routine is your first line of defense for herd health and animal welfare.
Wahl Blade Care Kit: The Industry Standard Set
Think of the Wahl kit as the trusty starter toolbox for your clippers. It’s not fancy, but it contains the absolute essentials in one convenient package. You typically get blade oil, a disinfectant spray, and a small, stiff brush. It’s a no-nonsense solution for someone who wants to get the right habits down from day one.
This set is perfect for the hobby farmer who might only use their clippers a few times a year for trimming up goats or doing basic shearing. The oil is crucial for reducing friction between the cutter and the comb, which is the primary cause of heat. The brush gets the wool and hair out from between the teeth, and the disinfectant gives you peace of mind. It’s a simple, effective system that covers all the basics without overcomplicating things.
Andis Cool Care Plus: Ultimate 5-in-1 Spray
When you’re in the middle of a job with a restless animal, you don’t have time to stop and use three different products. This is where a 5-in-1 spray like Andis Cool Care Plus really proves its worth. With one press of a button, it disinfects, lubricates, cools, cleans, and prevents rust. It’s the multi-tool of clipper care.
The cooling feature is especially critical during longer shearing sessions. Blades get hot, fast. A quick spray cools them on contact, making the experience more comfortable for the animal and preventing potential skin burns. For anyone shearing more than one or two animals at a time, this efficiency is a game-changer. It keeps you moving while ensuring your blades are protected and performing at their best.
Oster Blade Wash for Deep Cleaning Your Blades
A quick spray is great for daily use, but sometimes you need a deep clean. After shearing a particularly greasy fleece or clipping muddy legs, blade wash is the answer. It’s a solvent designed to flush out all the accumulated gunk, lanolin, and old oil that a brush and spray can’t reach.
Using blade wash is straightforward. You pour a shallow amount into a tray and run the clippers with just the tip of the blade submerged for a few seconds. You’ll see the grime instantly dissolve. This isn’t an every-time task, but doing it after a tough job or before long-term storage ensures your blades are spotless. Remember to always re-oil your blades thoroughly after using a wash, as the solvent strips away all lubrication.
Clippercide Spray: Disinfectant & Lubricant
While 5-in-1 sprays are excellent, sometimes you need to focus specifically on disinfection. Clippercide is a hospital-grade disinfectant that kills bacteria, viruses, and fungi. This is non-negotiable if you’re sharing equipment, helping a neighbor, or working with a new animal of unknown health history. It’s a core part of farm biosecurity.
Clippercide also provides a thin film of lubrication, but its primary job is sanitation. Think of it as your dedicated health and safety product. A quick spray between animals minimizes the risk of cross-contamination, protecting both your livestock and your investment in their health. It’s a small step that prevents big problems.
Clipp-Aid Sharpening Crystals for Blade Life
Sending blades away to be professionally sharpened is effective but involves downtime and cost. Clipp-Aid offers a way to extend the time between those professional sharpenings. These are not a replacement for a proper grinding, but they are fantastic for touching up a slightly dulling blade right there in the barn.
You run the clippers through the crystals, which act as a fine abrasive to clean and hone the cutting edges. It can bring a flagging blade back to life for another one or two animals, helping you finish a job without stopping. For a small farm, having this on hand is a practical way to save money and keep your equipment in service when you need it most. It’s about maintaining a sharp edge, not creating a new one.
Oster Kool Lube: For Cooling Hot Blades
During a full-body shear, especially on a hot day, blades can become too hot to touch. Oster Kool Lube is designed specifically to tackle this one problem, and it does it exceptionally well. It’s an aerosol coolant that instantly reduces the temperature of your blades, preventing overheating of both the tool and the animal’s skin.
Unlike some other sprays, its primary function is cooling, though it provides some lubrication as well. This is the product you grab mid-animal when you feel the clipper head getting warm. A quick spray allows you to continue working safely and efficiently without having to stop and swap out blades. For anyone doing high-volume or full-body clips, a dedicated coolant is an essential part of the kit.
Building Your Essential Clipper Care Routine
A reliable tool is one that’s reliably cared for. Your routine doesn’t need to be complicated, just consistent. After every single use, turn the clippers off, brush away all visible hair and wool, and give the blades a quick spray with a 5-in-1 like Andis Cool Care or a disinfectant like Clippercide.
Before putting them away, add a few drops of dedicated clipper oil to the blade’s key friction points. For long-term storage or after a particularly dirty job, perform a deep clean with a blade wash, then dry and oil them thoroughly. Keep sharpening crystals on hand for quick touch-ups. Treating your clippers with this simple, five-minute routine ensures they’ll be ready to go season after season, turning a costly purchase into a long-term investment.
Ultimately, the best maintenance kit is the one you’ll actually use. Start with the basics—a brush, oil, and a disinfectant spray—and build from there based on your specific needs. Consistent care is what separates a frustrating, tool-fighting experience from a smooth, efficient job.
