How To Sharpen Hair Clipper Blades Properly

Learning how to sharpen hair clipper blades is like a “coming of age” moment for grown-ups. Now that you’ve grown chest hair and have a deeper voice, you get to master the blade.

Can I Sharpen My Own Clipper Blades?

You can and should sharpen your own clipper blades if they’re not self-sharpening. It’s an easy process to learn, and you’ll have a better understanding of how your clippers work once you’ve sharpened them yourself.

Besides that, it’s really a manly skill. Once you have the tools and the know-how to sharpen clippers, you can sharpen knives, scissors, razors, and any other blades you have lying around. 

Lots of guys enjoy the independence and the money they save by sharpening their own clipper blades at home.

(If you’re on the market for clippers, try the Wahl Balding Clippers from our list of favorite electric head shavers.)

How Do I Know If My Clipper Blades Are Dull?

Your clippers won’t feel as effective as they used to if the blades are dull. Guys who cut their own hair will notice how much longer it takes. 

The easiest test to see if the problem is dull clipper blades: take the blades off the clippers, and run your finger across the smaller top blade’s pointy tines. If the teeth feel rounded, your blade is dull.

The good news is that you probably don’t need to replace your clipper blade. Unless it’s rusty or worn down to a nub, you can sharpen your blade at home with a stone or sandpaper.

How To Sharpen Hair Clipper Blades With A Stone

Using a stone to sharpen hair clipper blades is one of the most common methods. Stones are long-lasting, and they provide a more stable surface for sharpening (as opposed to sandpaper sharpening).

Supplies:

• A screwdriver
• A small brush, q-tip, or toothbrush
• A sharpening stone (also called a whetstone. Experts recommend a diamond sharpening stone.)
• Blade oil
• Paper towel or microfiber cloth
• Optional: a strong magnet to use as a grip.
• Optional: a second sharpening stone with a finer, polishing grit

Directions:

1. Use the screwdriver to detach the blades from your clippers. Take note of how the two blades face each other – the flatter sides where the two blades touch are the sides that need to be sharpened.
   
2. Use the toothbrush or q-tip to remove any hair and grime that has built up between the blades. 

TIP: While you’re cleaning off the blades, test the pointy parts against your finger to see if they still feel sharp. If so, you probably don’t need to sharpen your blades. Just clean them off thoroughly, apply some blade oil, and put your clippers back together.

3. Optional: attach the magnet to the back of the blade so that you have something to grip while you sharpen it.
   
4. Take the first blade and press it flat against the sharpening stone. Use back and forth or circular motions to sharpen it.
   
5. Every few strokes, pick up the blade and see how shiny it looks. Once it shines, it’s sharp.
   
6. Repeat with the second blade.
   
7. Optional: if you have a second sharpening stone with a finer grit, you can repeat the process on that stone to polish your blades.
   
8. Once you’re done sharpening, brush off the grit shavings with the toothbrush. 
   
9. Apply several drops of blade oil, then wipe it off with your paper towel or microfiber cloth. (For more help with the oil: how to lubricate an electric razor.) 
   
10. Reassemble your clippers, let them run for a minute, then test them on your arm or leg hair to make sure that they’re sharp.

Mistakes to watch out for:

• When you take the clippers apart, notice how the blades fit together. Consider taking a picture. I remember the first time I carelessly cleaned clippers without a tutorial video, I spent a solid 5 minutes fumbling to figure out how to reattach the blades when I was done.

• If you can’t get the blade to press flat against the stone, and if it feels unsteady in your hand, you might be sharpening the wrong side.

• Don’t reattach the blades to the clipper until you’ve brushed off all the hair, grime, and any metal or grit shavings. If you leave any debris, the little particles will tear up your blade when you run your clippers.

If you follow all these steps carefully and your clippers still don’t feel sharp, you might need to replace the blades.

How To Sharpen Hair Clipper Blades Without A Stone

Don’t have a sharpening stone handy? You can use sandpaper to sharpen your hair clipper blades. It’s a similar process – the one big difference is that you’ll have to find a secure surface to tape down the sandpaper so that you can hold the blade flat and glide it across securely.

Supplies:

• A screwdriver
• A small brush, q-tip, or toothbrush
• 150 grit sandpaper
• 220 grit sandpaper
• Blade oil
• Paper towel or microfiber cloth
• Optional: a strong magnet to use as a grip.

Directions:

1. Use the screwdriver to detach the blades from your clippers. Take note of how the two blades face each other – the flatter sides where the two blades touch are the sides that need to be sharpened.
   
2. Use the toothbrush or q-tip to remove any hair and grime that has built up between the blades. 

TIP: While you’re cleaning off the blades, test the pointy parts against your finger to see if they still feel sharp. If so, you probably don’t need to sharpen your blades. Just clean them off thoroughly, apply some blade oil, and put your clippers back together.

3. Optional: attach the magnet to the back of the blade so that you have something to grip while you sharpen it against the sandpaper.
   
4. Take your two sheets of sandpaper and tape them down to a flat, steady surface. This will ensure that you sharpen your blades evenly.
   
5. Take the first blade and press it flat against the 150 grit sandpaper. Use a backward motion with some light pressure to sharpen it, dragging it away from the pointy tines, toward the flat edge. Lift and repeat, only dragging it backwards.
   
6. After 5 strokes, pick up the blade to see how shiny it is. If it doesn’t look nice and shiny, apply 5 more strokes. Usually 5-10 strokes is enough to sharpen a blade. Go until you can see it reflect some light.
   
7. Take your blade to the 220 grit sandpaper, and use double the strokes that you used on the 150 grit sandpaper. For example, if you ran it down the 150 grit 10 times, do 20 strokes on the 220 grit.
   
8. Repeat the process with the second blade.
   
9. Once you’re done sharpening, brush off the grit shavings with the toothbrush or q-tip. 
   
10. Apply several drops of blade oil, then wipe it off with your paper towel or microfiber cloth. (For more tips on the oil: how to lubricate an electric razor.) 
    
11. Reassemble your clippers, let them run for a minute, then test them on your arm or leg hair to make sure that they’re sharp.

For a video tutorial, I’m a fan of keepitsharp375, “Part 1.HOW TO SHARPEN ANY CLIPPER BLADE PROFESSIONALLY!!” on YouTube. He breaks down the process really well.

Mistakes To Avoid:

• You rarely need more than 5-10 strokes against the sandpaper to sharpen the blades. If you grind it down further, you’ll just waste time and metal.

• Unlike a sharpening stone, the sandpaper sharpening method works best when you stroke the blade in one direction, backwards, along the sandpaper. It mimics the way a knife sharpening wheel would grind your blade.

How Often Should Clipper Blades Be Sharpened?

Most guys need to sharpen their clipper blades every 6 months.

If you use your clippers more often (or if you share them with someone), plan to sharpen them closer to the 3-4 month mark. Guys who use their clippers less often can go for 1-2 years before they need a sharpening.

Blades that are rusty, damaged, or extremely dull might not bounce back after you sharpen them. If that’s the case for you, you probably need to replace the blades. 

Clipper maintenance might seem overwhelming at first, but it’s a skill you can learn quickly, and it’s worth your time if you love having creative control over your hair. And remember, if blade sharpening isn’t your thing, you can still take your clippers to a knife shop and pay to have them do the sharpening for you.