Cattle clippers going blunt

[James]

Clip the back and tails of the cattle here. Biggest issue is the clippers stop cutting cleanly after not too many. Some would have dung on there backs and the tails are pretty dirty. I've never been shown properly how to set clippers and not had much luck with any guides I've seen. Does anyone have any tips they can share?
Tia.

 

[Fat Lamb]

Mud, dung, dirt of any sort will soon blunt your blades. Also who sharpens them? If they are not done properly they won't last long. If new blades again they won't last long.

 

[Scholsey]

R T Anthony Leominster | Clippers & Sheep Shearing Equipment

Best blade sharpener around.

 

[YELROM]

Keep plenty of oil on the blades, as soon as they sound like they are running slower put more oil on

 

[YELROM]

R T Anthony Leominster | Clippers & Sheep Shearing Equipment

Best blade sharpener around.

We use heiniger clippers to clip cattle, do you know what it costs roughly to get the blades sharpened

 

[Scholsey]

I don’t know I am sorry.

 

[James]

Mud, dung, dirt of any sort will soon blunt your blades. Also who sharpens them? If they are not done properly they won't last long. If new blades again they won't last long.

Local coop sends them away to get done. Would put plenty of oil on too. Can you put too much on?

 

[Fat Lamb]

Can't really put to much oil on. Clipping cattle is different to sheep in that the wool keeps the blades cool. With cattle your blades will probably heat up more because they will be running in thin air alot of the time. This again will lead to them losing their cutting edge and going blunt. The blunter they get the harder they are to sharpen properly.

 

[M-J-G]

Dung shouldn't make them particularly blunt.
Soil will dull them down in minutes!
I keep a small tub of oil to dip them in between cattle as well as oiling the head.

Are you using sheep cutters and combs?

I stopped using hair blades a long time ago because if them getting blunt so quick.

 

[Nithsdale]

Dung shouldn't make them particularly blunt.
Soil will dull them down in minutes!
I keep a small tub of oil to dip them in between cattle as well as oiling the head.

Are you using sheep cutters and combs?

I stopped using hair blades a long time ago because if them getting blunt so quick.

This is the important question.

Are you using clipper blades or shearing combs and cutters?

 

[Bury the Trash]

Dung shouldn't make them particularly blunt.
Soil will dull them down in minutes!
I keep a small tub of oil to dip them in between cattle as well as oiling the head.

Are you using sheep cutters and combs?

I stopped using hair blades a long time ago because if them getting blunt so quick.

Cheaper to sharpen as well.

 

[Bury the Trash]

We use heiniger clippers to clip cattle, do you know what it costs roughly to get the blades sharpened

Sheep / Wool cutters and combs are about a pound each to sharpen.

 

[Gulli]

Back the tension off and then tighten until you get a decent cut, too tight and they'll heat up and go blunt. Used to really struggle with our heiniger clippers, go blunt after about 40 animals
Some of the magic smoke escaped the other day though so bought some cordless ones off masterclip and they seem to be much better

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I use the sheep clippers. used too be a longhorn hung above the crush, now it’s a Horner razor. Get a plastic gallon (5litre) can and cut a hole in it so you can drop handpiece in, 3 inches of oil, rip tie it too the crush and you are sorted!!

 

[johnspeehs]

I use a Heiniger shattle comb, clips a lot of cattle before it needs sharpened.

 

[sheepwise]

Haven't used proper cattle blades for years for clipping cattle. Sheep head and blades are the only way. Those hair blades are only for show cattle and dairy cows.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Never back tension off a handpiece with it running. Always stop it before doing that .

Ok to tension with it running though, little bits a time .

 

[YELROM]

I use a Heiniger shattle comb, clips a lot of cattle before it needs sharpened.

Looking on google images i think we use Ovina comb and we seem to clip a lot of cattle before having to replace the blades

 

[Sharpy]

Never back tension off a handpiece with it running. Always stop it before doing that .

Ok to tension with it running though, little bits a time .

Why?

 

[Bury the Trash]

Why?

In a worse case scenario the cutter could drop loosely and cause the hand piece to lock up.
That happening in a lesser way could blunt gear I guess, was something that I was taught not to do, like a bad habit, whereas slightly applying tension whilst it's running is ok because its more safer , or rather , controlled in that respect , up to a point.
So only tiny amounts
at a time , experienced helps for knowing whats the right amount.