Andis 5-speed clipper help

[Small_Change]

I have clipped a lot of horses with Andis 5-speed clippers for as long as this version has been available (and the 2-speeds before that!), but am having trouble with my current pair… I’d love help from anyone who is familiar with the clippers and uses them professionally.

I am not at all new to clipping, and know to oil my blades regularly, replace the blade drive regularly, use fresh blades, etc etc. My clippers, when new, went through any coat like a hot knife through butter. Today, I was clipping a pony for a client and had nothing but trouble. Pony was clean-ish - thick coat about 1/2 inch long, and the normal dust and old sweat at the skin. (The owner had done her best with a curry and lots of Show Sheen, but hadn’t bathed.) Normally, I would be able to clip this no problem. There would be lines, and I might go through blades a bit faster, but I’d still get the pony done in about 1 1/2 hrs. Today about killed me… The clippers cut, but not completely. The blades would cut lines into the coat, with strips of full length hair between. It was like the teeth weren’t crossing over completely? Did this on all speed settings, and no matter how slowly I went.

It wasn’t just the pony’s coat - I just about cried when the owner gave me her Lister body clippers to try and they powered right through, no issue at all.

Please help. If it’s not the blades, and not the blade drive, are the clippers just worn out?

(And as an aside, are the Lister Stars always loud? These things weren’t quite as bad as the old Clipmasters, but certainly weren’t quiet. Is that typical?)

[luvmyhackney]

My andis clippers don’t cut well on my ponies thick winter coat unless he is pristine or I clip wet.

They just don’t have the umph.

Have you opened them all the way up and cleaned any hair in the body area?

[Paint_Party]

Look closely at your blades. If one or two of the tiny teeth are missing that will leave tracks of unclipped hair. Or they could have hair or grit stuck between the blades. It’s a hassle to break them down and apart and then put back together but it might solve the issue.

[Small_Change]

@Paint_Party

Look closely at your blades. If one or two of the tiny teeth are missing that will leave tracks of unclipped hair. Or they could have hair or grit stuck between the blades. It’s a hassle to break them down and apart and then put back together but it might solve the issue.

Even a brand new set of blades left the tracks. I know exactly what you mean though, and have seen it when I clip something really grungy and the grime builds up between the teeth.

[Small_Change]

@luvmyhackney

My andis clippers don’t cut well on my ponies thick winter coat unless he is pristine or I clip wet.

They just don’t have the umph.

Have you opened them all the way up and cleaned any hair in the body area?

I would have thought it was too much for them if I hadn’t clipped horses so much worse and left them looking show ring ready afterwards! I’ve opened up everything, blown them out with an air compressor, replaced all the usual parts that wear out… I’m stumped

[Displaced_Yankee]

Are these with the T-84 blades (one piece) or the wide two piece blades?

I’m not familiar with this model but my Andis AGC 2 speeds use the T-84s. Even with a clean horse and freshly sharpened blades, they weren’t cutting quite right this weekend. The culprit was that the screws holding the whole thing together kept slipping and the blades would get loose from each other. I would just have to tighten them ever so often (almost like adjusting the tension on big body clippers with two blades).

I have also found that there is only so much material available to keep blades sharp. I will only resharpen a set 3 times before I buy new (but I get several clips per sharpening)

[NaturallyHappy]

I’ve had this happen, too.

[AwiUsdi]

I had a similar problem and in my case, it was the blade drive assembly. My Andis clippers came with a spare bda and the instructions advised that it needed to be replaced every so often. It wasn’t hard and afterward I was back in business.

Replacing a Blade Drive Assembly on a Detachable Blade Clipper

[lintesia]

I can’t speak for the Andis 5-speed clippers, only for the Lister Stars. They are loud but it should be tolerable. If not, it could be that the tension is not spot on. I check the tension on my Listers every time I start a clip and at least once during the process of clipping.

[TheJenners]

Where do you get yours sharpened? I have nothing local anymore…

[Displaced_Yankee]

My feed store does them. I don’t know if they do them via mail but I can PM you their name and number if you want to reach out?

[TheJenners]

Sure if you trust them and they do good work!

[Small_Change]

@AwiUsdi

I had a similar problem and in my case, it was the blade drive assembly. My Andis clippers came with a spare bda and the instructions advised that it needed to be replaced every so often. It wasn’t hard and afterward I was back in business.

I’m super comfortable replacing the blade drive, and do it regularly as I clip A LOT of horses. This doesn’t seem to make a difference, and the problem has me stumped!

[Small_Change]

As a follow up to my post in case it can help anyone else, I ended up getting a GREAT tech at one of the clipper repair places I use, and he talked me through trouble shooting a few more parts.

Turns out that the hinge assembly that holds the blade in place was just loose enough to allow the clipper blades to lift away from the drive, which caused them to not clip properly. The hinge assembly should be very tight when it is closed without a blade on it, to the point where it takes a flat head screw driver to pop it back up. If there is any play, or it can be lifted up with a thumb nail, it needs to be replaced. There’s also a hook on the blade lock that can get worn and allow too much play. Replacing the blade lock and hinge assembly (and blade drive assembly for good measure) has brought my clippers back to life!