# Why do I have the Touch Of Death to hair clippers?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-have-the-touch-of-death-to-hair-clippers/122853>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 7, 2002, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-have-the-touch-of-death-to-hair-clippers/122853 "2002-08-07T22:08:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-have-the-touch-of-death-to-hair-clippers/122853/1 "2002-08-07T22:08:47Z")

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I’ve owned god-knows how many electric hair clippers. There are several brands, and a whole range of prices. All are almost new. Each has only been used once or twice. None are working.

I buy it. Use it. Use the little brush to clean all the hair out. Put a drop or two of oil on it. Put it away.

Next time I go to use it, it makes a godawful loud BZZZZZZZZZZZ that is not the normal sound, shakes in my hand, and doesn’t cut hair.

WTF?

The last one I actually completely disassembled, cleaned thouroughly, oiled the hell out of, and put it back together. No change.

So what gives? What am I doing wrong?

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**Author:** ![No\_Dragons\_Here](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@No\_Dragons\_Here](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Dragons_Here)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-have-the-touch-of-death-to-hair-clippers/122853/2 "2002-08-07T22:15:52Z")

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If it is a plug in model then you have adjust it with the screw on the side. I have a Wahl, and I only adjusted it once and it’s fine. If the voltage changes a little bit, like it does in a lot of places seasonally, then you might need to tweek it a bit. They had pretty simple instructions, but basically you back it way off all the way, then gradually increase it until it buzzes bad, and the back it a little til it doesn’t.

If its a rechargable model then I have no idea.

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**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-have-the-touch-of-death-to-hair-clippers/122853/3 "2002-08-07T22:49:39Z")

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I’ve tried the screw on the top… not sure if there are other screws? I’ll have to check!

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**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-have-the-touch-of-death-to-hair-clippers/122853/4 "2002-08-07T23:25:15Z")

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The oil is getting old and gumming. Spray some WD-40 on it before you put it away. The one you disassembed and cleaned was probably put back together a bit too tightly.