Why is my blade chewing or grabbing, not cutting?

Few things are more frustrating than blades that just won’t cut properly. Whether they’re chewing, grabbing, or simply gliding over the fur without cutting, it’s important to identify the root cause to fix the issue effectively. Below, we’ll walk through common problems and solutions to help you get your equipment back up and running. 

1: Your blade is Dry/Dirty

First and foremost, make sure your blades are properly oiled. Regular oiling reduces friction and prevents heat buildup, which can cause blades to perform poorly. Applying a couple of drops of clipper oil along the teeth of the blade and running the clipper briefly will distribute the oil evenly. Wipe away any excess oil to prevent mess and ensure smooth operation. This simple maintenance step should be done before each use and every 10 to 15 minutes during use to keep your blades in top condition.

[product=andis-clipper-blade-oil-118ml]
Grooming essential for all clipper and trimmer blades. For use on all brands of blades, and grooming scissors. Always oil before you clip, after applying coolant, and after cleaning. Only store an oiled blade. Lubricates, reduces blade and clipper wear and tear, protects from rust. 
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Cleaning your blades regularly is another essential step in maintaining performance. Hair, dirt, and oil can build up on the blades, causing them to clog. After every grooming session, remove the blade from the clipper, brush away trapped fur, and run it through a blade wash solution to dissolve grime. Dry the blade thoroughly before reattaching it to avoid rust or corrosion.

[product=andis-blade-care-coolant-cleaner-dip-tub-473ml]
The new dip tub version of the best selling Andis Blade Care. Cools, cleans, lubricates and helps prevent rust, all in one handy quick-dip jar that effortlessly rinses away hair and product build-up in seconds. 
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If you are unsure how to clean and oil your blades, click here to read our blade maintenance guide. 

2: Your blade is clogged

If your blade or comb attachment gets clogged with fur as you clip, it won’t be able to cut properly, even if the blade is sharp and the clipper motor has enough power to handle the dog’s coat type. 

Before you clip it’s important to remove stuck, dead coat. If this isn’t removed it can clog your equipment and stop it from working properly, making it grab or chew or not cut at all. Trying to clip through that dead coat will also dull or blunt your blade sooner than usual. This step is important for non-shed coat types also, where dead coat does not drop out, and gets stuck in the coat instead.

To check if your dog has stuck undercoat, run a grooming comb through your dogs coat. If your comb cannot smoothly pass through the coat, there will either be knots or stuck undercoat in the coat. You will either need to remove this prior to clipping, or use a shorter blade to go underneath it.

[product=andis-steel-grooming-comb-10-250mm-poodle-comb]
This is the larger of the two best selling steel grooming combs by Andis with long 4cm teeth and a longer 25cm / 10" comb length to get down through longer coats. Ideal for wool coats like Poodle, Bichon, 'Oodles and any longer, thicker, denser coats like Collies.
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You can brush out dead, stuck coat out using a slicker brush. You can use a deshed shampoo and conditioner (like ProGroom Furex 3 step system), to help loosen stuck coat in the bath so it washes out. A proper dog dryer will also blow out stuck, dead coat after bathing. And a tool like a deshedding rake can be used before or after the bath, before you clip. A deshedder can also be used at any time to thin thick non-shed coats, to remove undercoat, and for shedding coat types to reduce shedding by up to 90%.

[product=bamboo-groom-slicker-brush-medium]
The Bamboo Groom Slicker Brush with Stainless Steel Pins - Medium is hand crafted from one of the world's most sustainable materials...bamboo! It's both light weight and durable. Featuring an ergonomic handle with rubber thumb support for a secure hold. Designed for all coat types. Angled pins reach into the undercoat to gently remove loose hair.
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[product=andis-original-deshedding-rake]
Removes undercoat, loose & trapped dead fur, for both shedding & non-shedding coats. Reduces shedding by up to 90%. Provides relief from hot, dense undercoats for non-shedding coats in summer. Thins knot-prone areas. Removes stuck, dead coat before clipping. Helps return double coats to correct texture. Maintains top coat.
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3: You’re clipping before the bath

You CAN clip before a bath, or clip without bathing, but doing so will cause a number of avoidable issues so is not recommended if you can avoid it. If you freshly wash and fully dry the coat right before you clip, the resulting clip will look better and will be easier to do. Your blade will stay sharper much longer.

Clipping a coat that has not been freshly washed is one of the fastest ways to blunt a blade. Clipping a squeaky-clean coat also means the blade’s less likely to clog, chew or grab. Your clipper motor will also not have to work as hard so you’ll reduce wear and tear on all your tools by always bathing before you clip.

If clipping a dirty coat is unavoidable, we recommend keeping a spare blade on hand in case one goes blunt mid-clip. 

[product=andis-ultraedge-size-10-blade-1-5mm]
The Andis UltraEdge Standard Size 10 blade leaves the coat 1.5 mm. This A5 blade fits all brands of A5 model clippers.
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4: Your clipper isn’t rated for the coat type

Clipper power plays a significant role in blade performance. Not all clippers are designed to handle every type of coat. Even a brand new, sharp blade can’t make up for a clipper that’s not rated for the dog’s coat type. Clippers do vary but generally come in 4 levels. Light Use, Medium Duty, Heavy Duty, and Super Duty.

If you have a light use clipper for example, but you’re trying to clip through a thick, double, non-shed or knotted coat, the clipper needs to be upgraded to match the coat type. These higher-powered clippers are built to handle tough jobs and can prevent unnecessary strain on your equipment.

If you’re looking for clippers rated for all coat types, even badly matted and difficult coats, look for ones rated Super Duty. Here are the 4 levels of clippers and models available at each level

5: Your blade is misaligned

If you've been using the same clipper with the same blades for a while, you might notice problems when you try to swap old blades for new ones.  Over time, the blade drive—the component responsible for moving the blade back and forth—can weaken or loosen due to wear and tear. A weakened blade drive often goes unnoticed because old blades with loosened tension continue to cut well. However, when you switch to new blades with tighter factory tension, the clipper may struggle.

If your clipper isn’t cutting well despite using sharp, new blades, it might be time to replace the blade drive. This part is inexpensive and should be replaced periodically as part of regular clipper maintenance.

If you are unsure how to check your blade drive for signs of wear, view our Blade Drive guide here.

7: Your blade is dull / blunt

Lastly, it may just be time to have your blade professionally sharpened. Blades are a wear and tear component, it is expected for the blade to go blunt with time. However, even a brand new, sharp dog blade can become dull or blunt much faster than you might think, especially if they’re being used on dirty or matted coats. Here are the 9 reasons why blades becomes dull sooner than expected and how to fix them.

[product=service-clipper-blade-sharpening]
Blade sharpening service for all brands of professional A5 detachable blades including Andis, Wahl, Heiniger, Oster, Laube, SmartCoat and more. We are also able to sharpen Wahl and Andis adjustable blades, Wahl and Heiniger trimmer blades, and Heiniger Xplorer horse/livestock blades.
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If your blade has become blunt, a sharpening service will get your blade working like new again. Though the blades do come pre-sharpened by the manufactures, we typically expect blades to stay sharper for longer after their first professional sharpening service. It's also a good idea to keep an extra blade on hand to ensure that you can keep grooming without interruptions.

When troubleshooting clipper blade issues, it’s important to address all these factors systematically. Regular maintenance, proper coat preparation, and using the right tools for the job can significantly improve performance. If problems persist despite following these steps, please get in touch so we can help.