Changed my mind about clipper oil after visiting a shop in Portland

Stopped into a barbershop in Portland last week called The Barbershop PDX. Watched a guy spray his clippers with some cheap WD-40 type stuff instead of proper oil. I always thought oil was oil but he had to replace 3 blades in a month from the gunk buildup. Now I only run real clipper oil on my Andis Masters and the difference is night and day. Anyone else see barbers cutting corners on maintenance?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_stella25d ago

My buddy who cuts hair in Seattle told me about a guy at his shop who tried using 3-in-1 oil on his Wahl clippers and ended up with the motor running hot after like two weeks. The gunk from that cheap stuff really messes with the bearings. I read somewhere that clipper oil is specially made to not gum up at high speeds, while WD-40 type stuff has solvents that dry out and leave residue. The Barbershop PDX story checks out with what I've heard from other barbers on Instagram. Something about the viscosity being totally different too.

mila_brown1024d ago

Nah, I've used 3-in-1 on clippers for years with zero issues, sounds like user error to me.

seth_harris3625d ago

Honestly, that makes so much sense. I've heard the same thing from a few barbers on YouTube too, @the_stella. It's wild how using the wrong oil can cook the motor that fast.