Found out my clipper blades go dull way faster than I ever thought

I was at a barber expo in Denver last month and a guy from a sharpening service pulled me aside. He told me most barbers swap blades way too late, like after 15-20 cuts when they should be doing it every 8-10. I looked at my own rotation and realized I was using the same set for three weeks straight (oops). Has anyone else tested their blade sharpness and been surprised by how quick they fade?

2 comments

2 Comments

ruby45025d agoMost Upvoted

A barber I know in Boston swears by the 8-10 cut rule too, but I've been running my Wahl blades for about 25 cuts before swapping and they still cut clean. I think a lot depends on the hair type you're cutting - thick coarse hair will dull a blade way faster than fine hair. Also, if you're not keeping them oiled and cleaned after every few cuts, that's probably why they fade so quick. The guy at the expo might be right for heavy use, but I'd say test your own blades instead of just following a number.

the_rose25d ago

Man oh man, I had the same wake up call a couple years back. I started running a test where I'd feel the blade against my thumbnail every two cuts, and by cut 7 or 8 on thick hair I could feel it grabbing instead of gliding. For fine hair I can push it to maybe 12 before I notice a difference, but yeah... you're right about hair type being the big factor. I also keep a spray bottle of 99% alcohol and brush the blades between every client, that alone helped me get an extra few cuts out of each set.