If you have any questions about your clippers please feel free to email me anytime at brucesharp1@yahoo.com.  

This section covers many questions about clipper problems. Many problems are common to any clipper model or brand and others are specific to one particular clipper. I service most all of the common grooming clippers brands and several of the barber industry clippers such as the Andis Master, Oster 76 and some of the trimmers.

 What is the best way to protect the cords of a clipper from not breaking when storing it? What causes intermittent running?

Don’t over bend the cord especially where it comes out of the clipper. The use of spiral cord wraps tends to break wires inside the cord at the clipper end if placed too close. Keep wrap at least 12 inches away so the weight of the wrap does not overly stress the power cord.

If your clipper starts to run intermittent this is usually a sign of a broken wire in the clipper power cord. The wires inside the cord may break due to the flexing of the power cord during use. This happens most frequently by the cord strain relief. This break may make contact with certain cord or clipper movements and the clipper will run until the cord position is changed. I carry replacement cords for most clippers and can repair or replace your cord.

How can you tell if the armature or the field is broken? How to find out whether armature is good or not? How to fix a short in clippers?

The normal check to determine if an armature or field is bad is by measuring the resistance of the wiring of the coil or armature with an ohm meter. On an armature the resistance from segment to segment should be within 5% of each other. An open segment will show infinite resistance, a shorted or partially shorted segment will have much lower value than the others. If you get outlier readings the armature needs to be replaced with a new one. A coil like the Oster A5 should have the same value on each side. On an Andis AG, AGC with a permanent field magnet you look for broken pieces or cracks. Either means the clipper won’t run correctly and needs to be replaced. You need to know the proper resistance values of the coil or armature. If you have a known good one measure that one first then compare.

What to do when clipper blades stop moving? The clipper needs a push to start.

Make sure the blade cutter moves by hand. Is the blade firmly pushed against the clipper? If not push it on better with the clipper running, some blades may need the latch pushed in while mounting the blade.  Remove the blade and check to see if the blade drive is moving normally while running.

Is the blade latch broken? If the Andis / Oster clipper needs a “push” to the blade drive to get started that usually means you have a bad spot on the armature and moving the drive moves to armature to a new position where it can start. Power will however be slightly lower with a bad armature segment. A replacement armature is needed. Send to Bruce’s Sharpening or a service center. If the clipper was dropped sometimes a brush spring hangs up that keeps the brush making contact with the armature and the motor won’t run until the brush makes contact again. A quick rap on the brush side with a screwdriver handle can sometimes restore operation to a brush hang up problem. On clippers with gear drives a stripped gear can cause non running and lots of noise.

Rattling Andis clippers (or Oster or Wahl etc.)

Rattling in an Andis is usually caused by having been dropped. A screw post may break off or the capacitor may break. A piece of the field magnet may break off. Someone my have left a part inside when servicing. Rattling in an Oster can be for similar reasons as above or by an armature fan becoming loose. 

Clipper won’t cut with blade up. Blade lock issues can make your clippers make noise. Clippers latch won’t open? Clipper hinge stuck. How often will a Oster hinge assembly wear out? Oster hinge assembly fails to hold blade to clipper. Tab won’t stay on tongue. Why won’t blade lay flat on clippers? Blade won’t stay on Andis clippers. How to tighten latch on Oster 76?

Check that the socket on the blade isn’t tilted If your clipper blade won’t stay attached. A tilted socket can prevent the latch from attaching and holding the blade in place. Use a plier to even the socket and try again.  A broken hook on a latch (Oster, Andis AGC, Conair, Laube, Wahl) will prevent the blade from staying attached properly to the clipper body. On a Oster 76 and Andis AG type hinge the metal tab may have broken off.  Replace the hinge. If your blade is rattling check to see if the blade latch is bad or the socket is tilted. Hinge springs can break or get weak and need to be replaced. The Andis AG series tend to get weak springs after a while. If you close the hinge and can left up the tongue with your fingers even a little bit easily it’s time to replace the hinge. On latch type hinges make sure the two spring ends are in the holes in the latch. If a spring end is broken or not in the holes of the latch the latch won’t work properly. Replace the hinge. Use a flat blade screwdriver to lift up the hinge tongue, if you cannot either the hinge is broken or you have the wrong hinge on the clipper. This happens with Conair Dynagroom clippers that use a different latch that clears the back of the hinge mounting area.

How to keep the armature cool.

Armatures in clipper motors are either cooled by a fan as in the Oster or by convection cooling in the Andis. If your armature is running hot then something is wrong. In an Oster it is usually bearing misalignment causing additional current draw making the clipper hot. In an Andis clipper usually a hot armature is caused by a bad segment in the armature or a cracked field magnet.

Fixing dropped clippers: 

When a clipper gets dropped internal or external damage can occur. Fixing depends on the problem. If it is just cosmetic, just use it. If you hear rattling inside don’t use it if you sense any running problems. On an Andis AG clippers a capacitor can break off. If a capacitor breaks either it won’t run or you lose the hi speed. A brush may get hung up keeping the clipper from running. On Osters with a rear switch dropping can break the switch. The Oster sleeve bearings on A5 and 76 models can become out of alignment and the clipper will run slow and hot. Replacement housings (case) are available for most clipper brands if the case or housing is damaged.

My clippers dropped and the case broke. What can I do?

  Replacement cases for Andis and Oster are readily available. Andis cases are easily replaced and are relatively inexpensive, Oster cases not so easily replaced and are more costly. Let your service guy do that. If your clipper still runs then the fix is not expensive. 

Dropped my clippers and now they make a loud noise and won’t cut right.

The noise might just be from the clipper blade. Sometimes the blade socket gets tilted from being dropped. Check that first and use a plier to even the socket so it is parallel to the body of the blade. Next check the blade drive. It may need to be replaced – especially on an Andis AG, AGC series, BG, etc. The switch inside may have a broken component or on a permanent magnet field the field magnet may have cracked or a piece broken off. The field magnet has to be replaced.

Clippers don t work with all blades

I've seen this most often on Laube clippers. Some brands of larger blade sizes don't fit on tightly. Andis and Oster’s should work with all A5 type blades unless the blade latch hook is broken off or the hinge springs have become weak and can't hold the blade tight to the clipper. 

Clipper motor runs slow:

Depends on the brand of clipper. Oster, bearings most likely out of alignment from the clipper being dropped. Andis, a short / open in armature. Both bad brushes. Oster, not greasing and oiling regularly. Blade tension too high can slow clipper down too much. Blades will get hot quickly in this case. 

When should brushes be replaced in Andis clipper? Also: When to replace Oster motor brushes

          Andis and Conair brushes wear very slowly compared to an Oster. When the clipper stops running or runs intermittently the brushes may have worn to a nub. If the brushes get wet (usually too much chemical spray or blade wash getting inside) then the brushes should be changed after drying the armature. Assuming you haven’t burned the armature out getting it wet! Note that all brushes have a curved face that curve must match the curve of the armature the brushes rub against inside the clipper. Make sure to mate the curve of the brush to the motor armature. Also do not forget to install the brush spring, it keeps the brush against the armature. If it’s missing the clipper either won’t run or run on/off. 

 How to tell if clipper motor brushes on a clipper are worn: 

Pull the brush. If it’s just a nub (1/8”) it needs to be replaced. If the brush is uneven, dirty, has liquid or broken, replace with new ones. Don’t just change one, do both. Make sure you place the curve of the brush to match the curve of the armature inside. Brushes on an Oster A5 and Andis AG can be from outside by unscrewing the brush cap. Note that there are springs inside which push the brush against the armature which can fly out. There are pictures on the clipper tab on this web site that show various brush assembly. Other clippers have their motor brushes inside the housing. Badly worn brushes can cause intermittent running or no running.

How do you tell when you want to replace the carbons (carbon brushes) on your Oster 76, A5? What happens when a clipper carbon brush has gone bad? When a carbon brush goes bad what will happen when the clipper is turned on?

If the motor starts to run erratic open the brush covers, spring and brush. It it’s a nub it time to replace. Clean out the brush hole with a Q-tip before putting in a new brush. Make sure the brush orientation it corrects (curve of brush should match curve on the armature inside). Put the new spring in the brush kit into the hole in the brush, then insert the brush. Put the brush spring keeper on with the plastic cover on the brass keeper in place. Put the brush cover on and do the other side.

What is the point of variable speed on clippers?

A variable speed clipper can give you more control over your cutting as well as minimize the noise for sensitive pets by running at a slower, quieter, speed. When you need more power and faster cutter then you dial up maximum speed.

Fixing Andis Oster, Wahl and other brand clippers if motor is slow: Clippers lose speed. Andis Oster clippers running weak. Fixing slow hair clippers. What causes slow running in a clipper

Slow running can be caused by several items. Dirty/bad brushes. Dirty armature. Short or open in armature, bad switch board, cracked field magnet. The fix is to find the problem. On Osters sleeve bearings out of alignment can cause slow and hot running. A clipper blade with too much blade tension can cause slow running. Battery operated clippers can have low battery charge or defective batteries which can’t charge fully. 

Many groomers maintain their own Oster clippers by blowing out the accumulated hair inside the clipper and doing gear shaft, gear and link/lever greasing, oiling of the lever felts (never put grease on the oil felts) and bearings, changing of levers, gears, and brushes.  This is wonderful if you can do this but not everyone is comfortable with this and there are other services that your clipper should have periodically besides the ones mentioned above to prevent failure.

 A good lever test is to take a cutter blade and place it on the lever. Tilt the clipper down. If the cutter falls off the lever is worn. Play in the lever means that your cutter blade won’t be driven side to side as far as it should be and the cutting will suffer the more wear that occurs. Replacement levers are very inexpensive. I carry all the Oster A5 parts here at Bruce’s Sharpening.

The Oster clippers use bronze sleeve bearings that the armature shaft (the motor part that rotates and turns the gear which pushes the link which moves the lever back and forth) rides in. These bronze bearings need oiling to keep the friction between the armature and bearing low and keep the speed of your clipper at maximum. Older Oster’s have a front bearing oiling port on the right side, which should be given a drop or two of oil every few weeks of constant use. The rear bearing however requires that the rear switch cap be removed and the field coil and armature be pulled in order to service this bearing. Not a do-it-yourself job. It doesn’t require oil nearly as often as the front bearing as it doesn’t carry the load like the front bearing does. Due to over-oiling by customers in the past (burns them out) Oster eliminated a rear external oil port some time ago and the newer Oster’s has eliminated the front oil port too. You can see the font bearing in the air slot on each side of the A5 clipper body and drop oil carefully onto the bearing. Otherwise In these the armature has to be pulled to oil.

The bronze sleeve bearings can get out of alignment, especially if you drop your Oster. If your clipper seems to be running slow after an drop.

It is probably because the bearings have become out of alignment. Tap your case with a screwdriver handle while the clipper is running over the bearing area. A tap in the right spot will speed up your clipper. Or the tap may slow it down more. You have to try the opposite side if that happens. One bearing is toward the front, the other toward the year just behind the brush holders. In the shop the bearings are aligned by measuring the current draw, but listening to speed up or slowing can get you going. If you have an amp meter work for 0.300 amps or lower. Turbo’s can be .330 at times.

The front thrust plate should be inspected routinely and rotated or replaced if a hole has been worn in it. The rear thrust plate will usually last for the life of the clipper. The armature should be inspected for shaft wear and the commutator cleaned and the segments measured for equal resistance with the meter probes touching opposite sides of the commutator. They should measure within 10% of each other. Oster A5 clippers and 76 clippers are AC motor clippers so brush wear is more rapid than a DC motor like in Andis, Laube and Wahl clippers. Replace when they get down to 3/16" of an inch or less. Turbo models with their higher speeds will wear brushes more rapidly and also need more frequent oiling and gear greasing.

 How to fix (install) an Oster a5 power cord:

Replacement is the best option. Wrap electrical tape around the damaged area if the damage is only superficial otherwise replace the power cord. To replace:    Remove the switch end cap (2 Philips head screws down inside two holes) . Make sure the clipper is unplugged first! Remove the switch nut. Remove the 3 screws inside. Note the position of the switch first and the wires. Push out the switch. Remove the cord by twisting the cord to align the skinny end with the hole then slide to wider center hole and pull out. Install new cord reverse of removing. You have to reinstall the switch in the correct orientation. Then push the switch down and put on the switch nut firmly. Reinstall the screws/washers and terminals as in original configuration. Best to use a screw holding screwdriver for installing the screws. Make sure the terminals will make contact and clipper will run before reinstalling the switch cap screws. You may have to loosen and move the terminals a bit so the switch endcap will fit on the clipper. Note that there is a notch in the back of the clipper that a tab on the switch endcap fits into. Photos of switch in clipper repair section of this website. 

How to replace Oster clipper two speed switch? Oster A5 rear switch problem. why does my Oster clippers run in off position? 

Unplug the clipper from power. There’s a photo under clippers that show the switch wiring on this website or take your own picture. Remove the two screws in the switch housing. Note that there should be small washers on the screws. Don’t lose them. On the inside of the switch housing are two brass terminals and one screw connection point without a terminal. Note the orientation of the switch. Remove the screw from the two wires that the center switch wire and one lead from the power cord are connected to. Remove the one brass terminal with the two end switch wires are attached to. Remove the switch nut from the other side and push out the bad switch. Place the new switch in the same orientation as the old one. Put the nut on that switch and tighten. The wire with the black bump should be on the left with the center wire connection point away from you. Reconnect the center switch wire and power cord wire. The left and right switch wires go to the brass terminal you removed earlier. Note that the procedure is the same for the One (1) speed switch except there is only one end wire which goes to the brass terminal.

Oster A5, 76 hinge screws loose or keep coming out.

Buy some Loctite or similar screw thread locking product. Clean the threads of the screws to remove any oil. Clean the holes that the threads screw into with alcohol or degreaser to remove the oil from the holes. Apply the thread locker to the threads and screw the hinge back in. Sometimes you need to add a small bell washer under the screw head to help hold the screw in place. Make sure the brass inserts, if the clipper model uses them, are not pulling out of the case. This is caused by the hinge screws being over tightened. If they are, you have a problem. A new case may be needed to fix. If the inserts can be pulled all the way out, clean and crazy glue them back in being careful not to get glue inside the screw holes or you won’t be able to put the hinge screws back in.

What does the A mean when it comes to Oster clippers?

Over the years Oster named their blades A + a number. Currently the # is A5 and the clippers are A5 clippers. The newer Oster is an A6. Before the A5 it was A2. Grooming blades for animals use the A5 for the professional grooming of animals. Oster, Andis and most all the detachable grooming blade brands fit all the different brands.  Barber blades of equivalent sizes to pet grooming blades use numbers and some a letter after the number such as 1a to 00000 (equivalent to a #50 blade in pet grooming).

Oster pet clippers slow when hot. Why do armatures run hot? Why do clipper get hot? Can you repair a shorted armature?

Has the clipper ben lubricated recently? Bearings may be out of alignment if this is a Golden A5 model. Armature or coil may be bad. A hot running armature can be from bearing misalignment or frozen bearing, a segment on the armature may be open or shorted, a coil may be going bad or field magnet cracked or broken. Service is required, a defective armature cannot normally be repaired.

What causes Oster 76 (A5) motor to bog down? Oster A5 slowly speeds up after starting.

Are the blades sharp and oiled?  Has the clipper been oiled (felts and bearings) and greased (gear post)? The bearings likely need to be realigned. Rap the side of the clipper near the oil holes (upper bearing location) and down by the brushes. If it slows down rap the opposite side. Keep doing this until it runs the best. The better way to do this is with an ammeter in line with the power supply but that’s not something most people would have or know how to use. Send for service.

How to replace Oster A5 clipper housing? Oster a5 replacing housing?

Not a recommended home project. You need some special tools and knowledge of the internal parts. Email me if you really want to tackle this.

Pictures on how to put new switch on Oster

Pictures on my website. Be aware of small screws, small washers and location of wires. To replace the switch, you need to remove the nut that holds the switch in place, Remove the screw and wires from the switch and power cord. Remove the screw that holds the wires from the switch and brass terminal. The other brass terminal with the other power cord wire can remain in place. Push out the switch and put in the new switch. Replace the wires and terminal as in the original setup. I suggest making a drawing first of which wires are where before attempting this. 

How do u know when to change your clippers grease?

On Oster A5, 76’s. By opening the drive cover and taking out the lever, link and gear. You should see visible grease. If not, you are overdue for greasing. Squeeze grease into gear post and add some more around that area. Oil the two felts by the blade drive and oil the bearing in the front. Put some grease on the top of the bearing and on the two holes in the drive. Replace the drive if it looks worn. On Wahls you have to open the case and look at the drive gear. Grease the gear and drive pin.

How much grease should be in my Oster gear box on my clippers?

 Enough grease that it is visible; the fiber gear that spins on the post should not be running dry (the post the gear runs on as well as the top of the gear where the link runs and the bottom of the gear which rides on the gear washer), nor the other pivot points on the link and lever. The gear box should not be over filled with grease either. 

 Clipper service and problems trouble shooting questions and more:

 For the clipper most of the crud will be in the yoke and drive area. Clean as much as you can with a stick or screwdriver then brush clean or blow out. Oil the drive block, check the yoke for broken leaves. On the other end there is usually a screen. Carefully remove the screen and spring – don’t lose the spring! Then brush the screen clean. If you have access to compressed air blow out the interior of the clipper as best you can. Or you can use a vacuum cleaner to try to clean the accumulated hair inside – more difficult but cleaning is good. The gear box may need grease if the clipper hasn’t been serviced in a while.

Andis clippers lose speed. Andis clippers running weak. Fixing slow hair clippers. What causes slow running in a clipper? What causes intermittent running?

The clipper needs to be serviced inside it may need a new armature. Switch contact wire may not be firmly in place. Switch board may be going bad. A motor clip may be broken (Andis). Oster bearings may be out of alignment. On Andis a cracked field magnet. A break in the cord wire can cause an intermittent New cord needed. Worn brushes can cause intermittent running or missing brush spring.

Andis clippers won’t turn on? Andis model AGC quit working. Clipper blade clippers won’t turn on.

Is the clipper plugged in and the outlet is live? If you can push on the blade drive and the clipper runs see comments in above previous paragraph. If you pull and push the power cord by the end of the clipper does it run? Need new cord if it does. If this is an AG model then check the brushes. There should be a spring inside the black screw cover. Be careful when removing. The spring wants to pop out if you are not prepared. The spring has to be there, if not, that’s your problem. Give the clipper a wrap with the handle of a screwdriver. Sometimes that will get a clipper going.

Andis, Oster, Conair, Laube, etc. trimmer smell? How often do you change the blade on the Andis trimmer?

Never a good sign when a trimmer or clipper burn smell occurs. For a trimmer it’s probably time to replace it. Trimmers are seldom worth trying to repair. You replace the blade when it no longer cuts effectively.

Oster Clipmaster won’t turn on. Jammed Oster clipper

Remove the blade and try the clipper again. If the clipper now works the blade is the problem. The blade may be rusted together, there may be too much tension or the blade may need oil. Give the clipper a rap with a screwdriver handle. If it now runs great. Was the clipper dropped? If so, internal damage may have occurred and you should send it out for service.

How to grease Clipmaster gear box?

Remove the two screws from the front of the clipper by the tension knob. These are long screws. Pull the blade drive assembly off from the motor. Inside the blade drive you can see the gear. Put grease in this area, don’t fill it up – just enough to lubricate. Replace the drive and the two screws. Note there are two studs and they fit in the two holes, can only go one way.

How to replace blades on Oster Clipmaster?

Loosen the two screws holding the blades on. You do not have to remove the screws. Also loosen the tension know (turn left) to ease the blade tension. Slide out the bottom blade then lift off the top cutter blade. Note that the yoke the cutter blade sits on has two cone shaped pins. Oil the two blades then place the new cutter blade on the two pins with the back side down. Now slide in the large bottom blade on top and push into the set screws. Check the alignment of the two blades to each other, adjust until they are even (parallel) and tighten down the two screws firmly. Run the clipper and adjust the tension if it is too light to cut properly. Don’t put more tension on than necessary to get good cutting. Too much tension will overheat the blades and motor.

Oster Clipmaster nut replacement. 

The nut doesn’t usually need replacing unless it’s lost. Do you need another nut? 

Oster Clipmaster how do i put it back together?

Before you take any piece of equipment apart that you are not familiar with you should be prepared to either photograph or draw the parts. Having the parts laid out as they go on the equipment also helps in reinstalling parts. But of course, you did all this, right?

What causes Andis dog clippers to heat (overheat)?

Blade tension may be too high, lack of oil on the blade, or an internal problem. Broken motor clip, cracked field magnet, bad segment on armature, bad bearing on armature.

Can i replace a burned-out motor on my Andis clippers?

Not a recommended do-it-yourself project but replacement armatures, field magnets and other parts are readily available. Send out for service.

How to change switch in Andis clippers? How to put new cord on AG2 clippers?

First, unplug the clipper. In Andis pet grooming clippers remove the 4 body screws and separate the case. In an AG model lift off the switch actuator. In AG pull off the two power wire terminals from the switch board. AG remove the black and red wires from the brush holder. Remove the left switch holding screw. Lift out the bad switch board and replace with a new one. Put the screw back on. Push the red and black wires back into the brush holder. Black left, red right. If they are too loose slightly bend the end of the tab. Reattached the two power cord terminals. Place the power cord with the two groves down. Replace the switch actuator. Put the upper case back on. Put the 4 screws back in. The shorter screws go in the back of the case, the two longer screws go in the front. On AGC switches. Remove the two brush wires from the switch. Remove the white and black wires of the power cord from the terminal block. Remove the two screws holding the switch in place. Put the new switch on, the two power wires and the two brush wires back on. White wire to right.  Make sure the switch is in the off (back) position and that the switch actuator on the upper case is pushed back and place the upper case on. The wire hanger stayed in place, right? Often falls off. Put back the 4 screws, the 2 shorter ones in the rear, the two longer ones in the front. Plug it in and give it a whirl.

Replace brushes Andis AGC. How to change the carbon brushes on an Andis AGC

Brushes seldom need to be replaced in an Andis AGC; they wear very little over time. To replace the brushes the clipper motor has to be removed. Remove the 4 screws in the body of the clipper. Remove the two screws that hold the switch in place, remove the two screws that hold the hinge in place (close it first). Lift out the motor. Carefully remove one of the shiny brush clips. Underneath that clip is a spring which can “spring” out on you so remove the clip slowly so you can catch the small spring. Pull out the brush by the wire. If you have a Q-tip clean out the recess the brush fits in. Replace the old brush with the new one. Note that the wire should be up and slide the new brush in. Put the spring in and reattach the motor clip. Do the other side. Put the motor back in and switch. Put the two screws in that hold the switch and attach the two brush wires to the switch board terminals. Put the hinge keeper in and the hinge and the two hinge screws and tighten. Put the upper case back on and put the 4 body screws back in. The long ones to the front, the two short ones in the rear.

Problems with Andis clippers cord.

This is a common issue with the Andis clippers. If when you change position of the clipper and it hesitates or stops the cord has a broken wire inside. When you move it in a certain position the wire separates and you lose power. Replace the cord is the only fix. This most often happens just past the strain relief.

 Removing blades Andis ag.

The hinge system on an Andis AG clipper holds the blade by friction unlike the Andis AGC which uses a latch. Just push the tip of the blade firmly and pull off the tongue of the hinge.

Andis 5 speed clipper won’t turn on, why?

Make sure the transformer is plugged in. Try giving the clipper a bang on the side. I’ve had several bad switches on the Andis 5 speed although it’s usually 1 or 2 of the speeds that stop working. If the transformer is bad – the part that plugs into the wall giving it a rap can sometimes help get that model clipper going but if you have to do that at some point that won’t work any longer and the cord will have to be replaced. 

How to test the armature on Andis clippers.

Use an ohm meter to measure the resistance segment to segment. An open segment will measure infinite resistance and a short or partial short will measure a much lower resistance than the others. All should measure within 5% of each other. 

How do i know if the blade drive is going bad on my clippers?

If a known sharp blade isn’t cutting right then you should suspect a worn blade drive. If you have a new blade try that. Examine the drive for wear. I have some pictures on this web site that may show you what wear or new looks like. 

Fix broken capacitor leads. 

I’m guessing you are referring to an Andis switch board. Mostly we just replace the board, it’s easier and quicker than trying to fix the broken leads. If you are skilled with a soldering iron then unsolder the broken capacitor leads and install a new capacitor if you can find one. 

Oster a5 stop working. 

Are the brushes worn? Is the cord plugged in? Does the cord have a broken wire inside (try wiggling the cord near the switch end). Was the clipper dropped? 

Clipper armature inspection 

 the commutator should be clean and shiny, measure resistance segment to segment, resistance readings should be within 5% 

Oster clipper doesn’t t have an oil wick 

The newer Oster cases no longer have the oil wick, you have to oil by taking it apart. The rear oiler was eliminated years ago due to over oiling shorting the clipper

Oster clippers running slow 

Most common problem is the clipper was dropped and the bearings are out of alignment, another issue is failure to lube and grease the gears, oil felts and oil wick and pivot post of the link and lever, thirdly worn brushes, very dirty armature

 Changing brushes in clippers. 

Osters, remove the screw plug, pull out the plastic covered brass brush keeper, remove the brush. Insert the new brush making sure curve of brush matches the curve of the armature inside the hole. Put spring in brush and push the brush retainer down over the brush spring then replace the screw cover. 

Andis AG/AG2. Similar to Oster above. Careful, under the Andis screw cap is a spring which can jump out if you are not expecting it. Brushes sometimes stick, try rapping the other side of the housing with the handle of a screwdriver to knock the brush loose. If the brush won't come out, then the clipper should be taken apart, not a do-it-your-self project. It means there is a buildup of carbon or liquid has coated the brush, not a good thing. 

 Andis AGC brushes, the motor has to be removed, two screws that hold the hinge on and the two screws that hold the switch board and rear of motor to housing have to be removed.  Then the wires from the brushes need to be removed from the switch board. Once the motor is out the metal clip has to be carefully removed. There is a spring under the clip which can pop out.

How to fix a loose cord on an Oster clipper 

Not sure what this one is about, cord at clipper end should not be loose, if it is replace. If the plug won't stay in bend prongs out but if that doesn't work, replace cord. 

The purpose of the brush springs is to keep the brush tight against the armature, without the spring the clipper won't run at all or be very intermittent. Don't lose the spring! Note how the AGC brush is oriented, the metal wire is at the top and the replacement brush has to go in the same way. Replace the spring and replace the metal clip. AGC brushes don't need to be replaced very often and your regular service provider is probably a better choice than trying to replace them yourself. Reinstall the motor, switchboard, put the two brush wire terminals back onto the switchboard and reinstall the hinge keeper and hinge. 

Dropping clippers replacing the broken armature in Andis 

Replacing an armature in an Andis is not a do-it-yourself project for most people. You need more than the replacement armature and likely won't have all the parts needed. The Andis armature is the most expensive part of an Andis clipper unlike an Oster armature. If the Armature is truly bad and it's not the switch board then the field magnet could also be bad if the magnetic material has become cracked from a drop. Sometimes a bad switch will burn out an armature, sometimes a bad armature will burn out the switch. You need to be able to diagnose the true problem or burn out more parts. Not recommended unless you have all the parts needed and know what you are doing. 

Oster body clippers put back together 

Well, if you took them apart, I assume you took notes, pictures or the like. If not, good luck to you. 

Why is my ivac buzzer running hot 

Did you oil your blades? Is the spring tension of your blades correct? Can you move the cutter by hand, if not the tension is too high, These are the two externally caused problems that can cause any clipper to overheat. Internal problems need to be checked by Laube service.

How to change carbon brushes that broke in Oster 

Broken brushes if they can't be jarred out by rapping the case on the opposite side will have to be removed by pulling the coil and armature which may be more difficult depending on how much bush is sticking into the case. Coil and armature removal require special tools. Sent to your service place. 

Oster 76 hinge falls out 

The hinge screws in an Oster can become loose, clean the screws and screw hole thoroughly with a solvent to remove any oil. Then Loctite the screws and reinstall. A very thin lock washer under the screw head can also help but it has to be thin or the blade won't sit down far enough. 

How to put the power switch together for Andis clipper?

This question is a little unclear. The power switch comes on a circuit board. The two wires from the power cord attach to the switch board and depending on the Andis model the board connects to the brushes either by the red and black wires goings to the brushes on the AG/AG2, on the AGC the brush wires connect to two terminals on the switch board. 

Why can't I get the screws loose in my Andis switch board?

  Most likely the plastic posts the screws go into have broken off because of a fall. When you try to unscrew these screws the broken post just spins around with the screw. Before doing anything, you did unplug your clipper first, right? Easiest way to get these screws free now is to remove the hinge, lift out the motor and use a pliers to hold the plastic screw post while you unscrew the screw. While sometimes you can crazy glue a broken screw post back into position, more often you have to replace the lower housing with another one.  

How do you know if a blade hinge is bad Andis? 

 The blade will not stay against the clipper. If the hinge tongue can be lifted when it is closed with a screwdriver and you don't have to really pry it up, replace the hinge. If it moves easily at first with a screwdriver change it.  The internal spring has become weak. Happens more often on AG hinges than AGC hinges. 

How to install Andis clipper cords:

 There are two basic types of cords used in Andis grooming clippers. The AG/AG2 cord and the AGC / Ultraedge style cords. Unplug the clipper first! Remove the 4 clipper housing Phillips screws from the bottom, note longer ones go to front. Flip the clipper over and lift off the top housing. The AG/AG2 cord has push on connectors so you only have to pull them off. The AGC cord connects to a screw terminal block. Remove the old cord by loosening the two small screws and pulling out the black and white wires slowly. Insert the black and white wires

What does the Andis Master armature adjustment screw do?

The screw on the side of the Andis Master adjusts the shunt arm gap. This gap determines how quiet the clipper can run and also to some extent the position of the cutter blade on the comb. The Andis Master has a coil that magnetizes the metal arm it is wrapped around. The shunt arm is pulled toward this coil arm and released by the 60 cycle AC current. If the shunt arm is too far away the clipper can’t vibrate and move the cutter blade. If the shunt arm is too close the coil arm   it can strike the coil arm and makes a lot of noise due to the metal to metal contact. Or if it is too close the shunt arm can’t vibrate at all and there is no blade movement. The best way to check the shunt arm gap is to remove the cover and set the gap around 1/8” and go from there. If you can’t get the clipper to run quiet the spring that goes from the adjuster screw to the shunt arm may be weak or broken. There is also a vertical adjustment of the adjuster screw/spring that can need to be adjusted.

Why is my blade uneven on my Andis masters? Andis master blades supposed to be uneven? Andis master blades won’t align. If you are adjusting your Andis master clippers & your blade stops moving how do you get it to move again?

There are two reasons why a Andis Master blade might become uneven. Most often it is the screws that hold the blade on have become loose or the blade was dropped. Internally there is an adjustment that also can become loose and needs to be realigned and tightened. This adjustment controls the cutter position relative to the larger comb blade. If you are trying to adjust the blade position simply by turning the side screw because the blade is off center you can open or close the gap on the shunt arm so much the clipper won’t run the blade. It is one of the other two adjustments discussed that need to be done and the shunt adjusting screw returned to its normal position.

My Conair clippers won’t cut my hair.

 Most likely the blade has become dull and needs to be sharpened. If the sound the clipper is making doesn’t sound normal then the clipper it may need service.

When do you replace a drive tip on Wahl clippers? 

Compare your tip with a replacement tip. If you see wear replace it. If in doubt, replace it.

Wahl switchblade clipper rattles? 

Check the hinge latch. If the hook that holds the blade tight to the clipper is broken off then you need a new latch. If the hinge spring is weak that can cause a similar problem. Other problems may be internal if the clipper was dropped.

How to fix noisy Wahl 

Since the model of Wahl is not mentioned here I will deal with the KM1, KM2 which can become noisy. The noise may be coming from the gear/motor area or drive. The pad on the top of the motor can be worn out and needs to be replaced.  Like many of the problems above the problem has to be diagnosed. 

Wahl clipper motor noisy. Wahl clippers are running slow. Wahl clippers slowing down. Wahl clippers will not come on

 Barber style clipper, oil the blade, make sure the screws that hold the blade are tight. Adjust the side screw to quiet the motor. If this doesn’t do it service is required. On Wahl animal clippers remove the blade and see if it still is noisy. If it is then service is required. Gear may be stripped or motor bearing going bad. If the clipper won’t start send out to have serviced as for most of the other issues.