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For information
about clipper problems there are some helpful
procedures further down this screen so scroll on down. There are also articles in the "Articles I've written" tab to help you with other clipper problems and issues.You are
certainly welcome to email me (brucesharp1@yahoo.com) or call about your problem clipper (610 683-5175)
Bruce's
Sharpening can repair, fix or service Oster, Andis, Conair*, Laube and Whal clippers for the grooming, salon and barber shop
businesses. Parts for most common models are stocked here. Clippers (or buzzers as some call them) are cleaned, brushes
checked, hinge and latches are checked, lubrication is done, cords are checked for shorts, opens or frayed unsafe conditions.
Blade drives on Andis or lever & links on Osters are replaced. Armatures and electronic switch boards are checked.
Some parts for older clipper models are still available in limited quanity. I keep some here. Some vintage
armatures can be rewound for a high cost but if you have a sentimental attachment this might
be a choice for some. Note that there are limited parts available for some Wahl clippers.
Many parts that are commonly available for Andis/Oster clippers are not provided by Wahl to the service market. No parts except
the case and battery are available here for the Wahl Arco clipper for instance. I do carry the parts for the Wahl Switchblade clipper. Call or email me to go over your problem if I can't help you then you may have to send back to Wahl.
Laube
service and most parts are available here. I have common Laube parts in stock. Laube has a 5 year electrical motor parts warranty
so if you have a motor problem and under the warranty period send your clipper to Laube. A problem with
Laube cases cracking near the drive screw area is common. This is due in part to the use of Kool Lube spray
getting onto the housing. Note that Kool Lube or similar "cooling" products
should only be sprayed on the back (the part that touches the animal) part of the blade, not the
front or into the clipper or on the clipper body. These cracks can be severve enough that the entire front of
the clipper falls apart in little pieces. I have a photo of one that did that while sitting
on my work bench! Laube now only supplies Yellow replacement
cases. I have no parts for the Laube IVAC which has had a lot of problems for many groomers. Fortunately, it's under warranty
for 5 years for electrical issues so send it back to Laube. I pruchase parts directly
from Laube to repair their clippers here. Give me a call or email me to see if I can help with your Laube problem. When sending a clipper for repair please
put a note on it or in the box about what is wrong or what service is required. Let me know if is making
unusual noise, was dropped, won't hold a blade, is intermittent, or whatever the problem or service request is. If you tend
to stick your clippers on a shelf when they are no longer working correctly, take the time to write down what occurred and
wrap a note around the clipper. This will make my job much easier and get you the correct service. * Conair pet grooming clippers are made in China.
They are clones of Oster A5's and Andis AG/AGC style clippers. The Oster clones often have a problem with the gear and lever
steel shafts becoming loose. Once that happens the clipper will no longer run, or will run slow. The repair is to replace
the case, I replace with an Oster case as this is a much more reliable fix. If the shaft go bad during the warranty period
send it to your warranty service center. Keep your paperwork and get a replacement. Note that the only parts supplier that
I know of that carried Conair grooming clipper parts no longer carries Conair parts. In the future buy other brands
- sometimes you get what you pay for! The newer Oster's have had a problem with the hinge screws loosening.
The fix is to apply lock-tite thread sealant to the cleaned threads. This will keep them from loosening. The screw holes goes
through into the rear housing where there's a lot of lubricants. As the screw threads get oil/grease from the inside opening
they can loosen from the vibration of running. Tighten the screws firmly but don't over tighten. I can perform the service
here for you for a few dollars if you need.
For a well done history on the Andis Clipper company you can go here: http://jetsetbarbers.com/history-of-andis-clippers/
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| Assorted clippers serviced |
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Changing
an Andis AG / AG2 blade drive The pictures below tell a lot of the story but basically here's what you do. 1. Unplug the clipper. 2. You will need a #2 Phillips screwdriver to remove
the 4 screws that hold the lower housing to the upper housing. Note that the top screws
are longer than the bottom screws. Turn the clipper over and remove
the upper housing from the lower. The cord will usually stick to the upper housing so separate it. The hanger may become loose,
pay attention. Clean the area by the blade drive and then using a #1
Phillips screwdriver remove the two blade drive screws (turn to left to loosen). Use your finger nail or small flat
blade screwdriver to lift up the old blade drive. Clean the area where the blade drive was. Push the blade drive bearing to it's lowest position and install the new blade drive, the 2
small holes fit over the pins, the tabs fit in the slots and seat the drive fully. Re-install the 2 drive screws (turn screwdriver to right). Don't
over tighten but tighten firmly. While you have the housing open, check the black slide switch where you push
it. Hair can build up here and cause the clipper to stop and start intermittently, clean out any hair with a small
tool/tooth pick. If the commutator is black instead of copper shiny it may be time for service to clean the
armature. The cord strain relief has two notches in it that fit over the hanger (down), the top side has 1 notch. Re-install
the top housing. Hold the housings together with one hand and turn over and re-install the 4 screws - again tighten firmly
and the two housings should just come together without any gaps. Long screws in top,
short ones in cord end. Congratulations!
| Damaged blade drive |
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| Good and worn Andis blade drives |
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      How To Change an Andis AGC Blade Latch Note that before replacing the latch make sure the spring in the hinge hasn’t
lost its blade holding power. With the hinge closed place a screwdriver under the tongue and pry up. If the tongue initially lifts without much resistance the hinge is too weak to hold a blade on firmly.
Replace the hinge. More common in Andis AG style hinges but the AGC hinge can get weak also. Remove
the two screws that hold the hinge and latch to the clipper. Set aside the two screws. There’s a metal spacer that sits
under the hinge/latch on AGC ‘s. Note the orientation of the spacer before you remove it. Close the hinge tongue and
remove the broken latch. There are two
holes in the new latch that fit on the two spring ends on the hinge. (The AndisAGC latch has a hole at the top near the hook, an Oster latch is similar
but has no hole and won’t fit on an Andis)
The hinge should be Closed before installing the new latch – hook should be down toward the hinge. Once you have both spring ends in the latch holes slide the latch forward so the hook catches
on the front of the hinge, it will stay there by itself if the hinge is closed. Reinstall the metal spacer
that goes under the hinge/latch assembly. Round cutout goes towards the drive tongue. Place the hinge/latch assembly
on top of the spacer, line up the holes and insert the screws. Make sure the screws are nice and tight but don't over
tighten, the screws are into plastic, not metal. I mention this procedure because I've seen a lot of clippers where the latch wasn't installed properly and
the spring ends became bent over and the latch is loose and the bent spring may mean the hinge now has to be replaced too.
| Blade latch with broken hook and a new latch |
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Slow Running
Andis Clipper. Sometimes your clipper may be running
slow or not run at all. One issue might be a bad armature. The commutator in the picture below has 8 segments. Each
of these segments should measure in resistance within 5% of each other. Use
an ohm meter to check the resistance from one segment to the next.The most common cause of the failure is moisture (like blade
washes) getting inside the clipper. Keep that blade and clipper pointed downward, don't let liquid get inside!
A shorted armature will have little
or smaller resistance when measured from one segment to the next. Or you could have a burned out segment which will indicate
very high resistance from the bad segment to the adjacent segment. In these two cases the armature will have to be replaced.
Andis armatures are the most expensive part in the Andis AG/AGC clippers runing near $40. Often the switch board goes bad
when the armature fails or sometimes a bad switch board will take out the armature.
Sometimes it’s the field magnet that has gone bad due to
being dropped. If a magnet section gets broken or cracked the clipper can overhead
or run slow, even a small piece cracked can cause problems. Inspect the inside of the field. If
you see a crack or broken pieces, it’s junk and replace with a new field. This is not an expensive item.
| Andis permanent magnet field |
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| Andis Replacement Switches |
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| Oster Parts + Andis Hinge |
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| Worn and New Oster Brushes |
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Oster
clipper not running. There
are several issues that can cause an Oster to stop running or run intermittently. The most common cause
is a break of a wire inside the cord. As the cord flexes in use a wire can break. This usually shows up as a intermittent
that happens when the clipper is in certain positions. The fix is to have the cord replaced. Other times it can be that the switch nut has broken off or became
missing. This allows the switch to move inward and flexes the switch wires until one or more
switch wires breaks. If this happens on a 1 speed, the clipper will no longer run when switched on. Check for a missing switch nut. On a 2sp Oster, it may mean it will only run in 1
of the 2 speeds. The fix is to have the switch replaced and a new switch nut
installed. Check your switch nuts weekly and tighten the nut if it is
becoming loose. Dropping the clipper can break off the switch but this will be obvious as there won't be a toggle
to toggle! Note that on the 2 speed switch the outer two wires go together to the brass terminal. The center
switch wire goes to the 110 V power cord wire. The other power cord wire goes to the other brass terminal. See diagrams below.
Occasionally the rear swich terminals on an Oster clipper fail to make good contact and
the clipper stops running or runs intermittently. If neither of the 2 problems above apply this
may be the cause. Remove the 2 screws (#1 Phillips) and remove the switch cap. Check the 2 brass terminals inside the
clipper. They may need to be bent upward to make good contact with the two terminals inside the switch cap. See photo's below.
Note that there is a notch in the body of the clipper that matches a tab in the switch cap. When replacing the switch cap
do not over tighten the two screws. Adjusting these two screws in or out may make the clipper
run faster or slower. You want it to run at its highest speed. The reason this may affect the speed is that the Oster A5 uses sleeve
bronze bearings which need to be aligned front to back to run at maximum speed. In the shop these bearings are adjusted
by measuring the current draw when the clipper is running. For the clipper user, your ears will be your best asset. Internally a bad coil or shorted
/ open armature can cause the Oster A5 to stop running. This is a problem that needs to be sent to a repair
shop to diagnose and repair.You can click on the photo's below for a larger image.
| Oster A5 rear |
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| Oster A5 1 speed switch wiring |
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| one and two speed switches |
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| Wiring of Oster 2 speed switch |
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| Switch nut |
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| Oster A5 rear |
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Adjusting loose blade
or blade rattle due to a spread socket. The tabs on the socket can
become spread for several reasons. Sometimes the metal becomes cracked
and the tab can’t hold position. If the metal is cracked the socket has to be
replaced. Sometimes the blades are removed with a sideways twist which can spread the socket. If spread, the socket needs to be closed with pliers as shown in the photo below. A delicate touch
is needed. Squeeze a little and try fitting the blade on the clipper and try to twist side to side. If the twist is gone,
stop. If still loose, tighten a bit more. If too tight try using the palm of your hand to press the blade on. If that doesn’t
work carefully spread the taps outward with the pliers until the blade fits snug.
| Adjusting Socket Spread |
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Blade rocks front to back, corn rowing, vibration, rattling. If the
rear of the socket becomes raised and the blade can be moved up and down when mounted on a clipper the rear of the socket has become raised. Use pliers to press the rear of the socket down as shown in
the picture below. Keep the pliers only on the left and right sides not in the middle—you don’t want to create a belly in the metal socket. Keep
checking until the hinge tongue fits snugly without play. If the socket is bent too far down the hinge tongue won’t
fit into the blade. Use a flat blade screwdriver to pry the socket back up until the clipper
hinge tongue fits snugly without resistance. A raised socket usually comes from a groomer trying to remove a blade from a
clipper with a hinge with a blade latch when they also use the Andis AG clippers that don’t have a blade latch and the
blade just presses off.
| Adjusting Socket for up & down rock |
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Is your Andis clipper running
slow or malfunctioning? Sometimes this is caused by a bad switch electronic board.
Sometimes dropping
the clipper can result in a broken capacitor lead (wire), or both leads
breaking and the capacitor becomes loose - hear a rattle inside your
clipper? It could be your switch or a broken screw post. A bad switch board can sometimes cause an armature
to go bad or vice versa, a bad armature can cause a switch board to also fail. Most all of the problems described here and
to the left are the result of impact to the clipper. Don't drop them! Moisture
getting inside can blow your armature, it may stop running, run erratic or run hot. Keep liquids from getting inside!
Switchboard photo below.
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The Oster A5. The picture
below is a new Oster case. The arrow points to several features. The gear post gets grease squeezed down it until grease comes out of both
the upper and lower holes. Make sure there is a gear washer at the bottom of the post before greasing
if the gear is removed. The drive lever fits over the lever post. In Conair clippers that
mimic the Oster A5 these two posts often become loose and the clipper won’t
clip. The case has to be replaced in this case. The thrust plate can get a hole worn in it. Inspect and rotate
the square thrust plate or reverse it. If a hole is all the way through this part should be replaced. The end of the armature
pushes into this thrust plate. Two felt pieces fit on each side of the lever and these get oiled only, no grease. The lever and link pieces get their holes greased before assembly.
If you can move the lever by hand back and forth the lever and link should be replaced.
Pictures of these parts below the case picture.
| Oster A5 hinge and latch |
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| Greasing and oiling the Oster gear box area |
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Clipper brushes
are made of carbon which conducts electricity. The
end of the carbon brush is curved to fit tightly against the motor armature. When replacing brushes
you must make sure the curve of the brush is orientated to match the curve of the armature
inside. Double check. A spring keeps the brush tightly contacting the armature. A cap (Oster and Andis
AG) keeps the spring in place. In the AGC an internal spring clip keeps the spring in place. Brushes become worn as the motor turns. The Oster brushes are softer and wear more quickly than Andis brushes.
Turbo brushes will wear faster due to the higher RPM so expect to replace them more often. As brushes wear carbon builds up
on the armature commutator. After a while the armature needs to be cleaned to achive maximum speed in a clipper.
Non-conducting cleaning materials should be used only. To check or replace AGC brushes requires that the motor be removed. Remove the four screws
from the bottom of the case. Two short ones and two longs ones. Short in back, long in front. Make sure the clipper
is unplugged. Lift off the upper housing and note the position of the cord, hanger, switch, motor and so on. Pay attention because it all has to go back together. Pull off the two copper wires and that plug onto the switch
board then remove the two screws that hold the switch on. Next close the hinge first and remove the two screws that hold the
hinge and latch on and the keeper plate. Take note of the orientation of the parts before you remove
them. Lift out the motor and carefully unclip one of the two brush/spring covers. There is a small spring under the cover so go slow and be ready to catch the spring. remove the brush noting that the
copper wire attached to the brush is at the top. If the brush is ok reinstall the brush with the curve of the brush matching
the curve of the armature and the copper wire at the top so it fits in the slot. Use the wire to pull the brush all the way
in. Note that If you see any moisture on the brush you have a problem and the armature may be gone.
Moisture inside is not your friend. Carefully put the brush spring in next
and fit the brush/spring holder back on. You did note which direction the spring holders were facing right when you took them
off? If the brushes were worn out then put in new brushes instead of the old ones. Fit the motor back in the lower case, and
reinstall the parts and screws. Keeper first, then the hinge and latch. Put the switch board back in and then insert the two
screws that hold the switch and back of the motor to the lower housing. There should be a switch insulator on the switch.
It tends to fall off easily so look for it. Plug
in and test before closing up. Oh yes, the AGC hanger tends to fall out easily too. Make sure that's in place before putting
the upper housing on. Make sure the switch is in the off position and the switch position in the upper housing is also off
(back) before fitting the upper housing on. Hold the upper and lower housing tight (hanger
still in place?, cord fitting in right?) then put the two shorter screws in the back and the two longer screws in the
front and tighten but don't over tighten. Congratulations.
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| Oster Clipmaster Large Animal |
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| Andis 5 speed SMC |
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| Stewart (Oster) Showmaster large animal clipper |
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 Showmaster large animal clipper)
