Just this one bit of regular maintenance will extend the life of your clipper, trimmer or foil-shaver - and ensure it’s ready when you really need it.
Ideally after each use, spray your machine with a lubricant and run it (with the blades pointing downward) to displace any moisture, dislodge whiskers and sanitise. Then gently wipe to remove excess product.
This one task, done regularly will keep rust and wear at bay.
You can use clipper oil from a bottle just for lubrication, or the dedicated spray-on product which also contains isopropyl-alcohol to sanitise, cool and lubricate.
If you share your machine with anyone else then sanitising is essential, but it’s also a good practise every time you put it away.
Fun fact: Did you know that human hair is stronger than copper wire of the same diameter? Now that might make you reconsider the workload of your humble clipper friend.
If your older hair trimmer has been running rough or tugging hairs, the first remedy to try is lubrication and a clean. It’s surprising how often this will improve the performance and postpone the need for a new one.
A note on foil-shavers.
The MOST delicate part of a single or double foil-shaver is the actual foil. The perforated metal part which covers the clipping mechanism is very thin. And needfully so. If the foil were to be thicker, the cutters wouldn't get close enough to the skin for a decent shave.
Unfortunately this is also the first part to need repair on this kind of shaver. Pressing too firmly, subjecting it to rough surfaces, or cleaning too vigorously can tear though the metal, and you do not want to be shaving with it if that's happened.
Often you can purchase a replacement cover as a spare part, but it pays to be extra careful with your foil cover.
