[Moleskins]

I'm clipping my eleven sheep myself, did two last year without too much trouble, being honest I'm not up to world record speed of 46 secs. but they get done.
This year I'm clipping Ryelands for the first time and I'm finding the clippers are getting very clogged up, so much so that you can't work. If I wire brush off the Lanolin / Wool mixture which is quite hard away we go again so I don't think they need sharpening, apart from that the comb and cutter set have only done 5 or 6 sheep.
Has anyone any experience of this type of problem and any suggestions?
The instructions for the Heiniger clippers say set them so there is 1.5 to 2mm comb protruding in front of the cutter. To be honest I've got them set with more than that in an attempt to provide a bit more safety margin and not catch the skin.
Could this be it?

[Fergie]

Use plenty of oil on your clippers - it keeps the lanolin from jamming the clippers

[Moleskins]

I thought I was using enough oil, the build up is between the 'prongs' of the comb and completely blocks them, preventing them from pushing into the wool.
The clippers action is fine they don't jam.

[Adam Pitts]

Sheep this year in general sheep have not shorn that well, i think it is because of the poor cold spring.

So in your case you maybe trying shear them before they are quite ready espcially a tight fleeced sheep as the Ryeland.

If i was shearing all day i would change a cutter every 15 mins and a comb every hour and i would never have enough tension so that the comb and cutter would not get very hot, if i needed to much tension then that would mean my comb or cutter would be blunt.

I would not recomend a wire brush as yon may damage the comb.

[SingingShearer]

I personally would say that you need to set the cutter further forward on the comb as then the wool gets cut before it has chance to clog, although it increases the chance of cutting the sheep so be more careful and stretch the skin well.

I would change the comb every hour/2 of work or when blunt (you will be able to tell) and the cutter every half hour to hour or when blunt, I have had combs last for over sixty sheep and still not be totally blunt, I have also had them last all day.

Keep using the wire brush, I am a Professional shearer,  I use a wire brush and don't have any trouble
Philip

[Moleskins]

Thank you for that Adam and Philip possibly I am a bit early, trying to balance clipping when it's ready and copping for flystrike is a difficult one.
I'm not very experienced but I am aware that you should wait for the wool to 'lift'.
Once the clogging is removed, which is quite hard, it won't just push off, hence the wire brush, the clippers work fine.
I've got one more Ryeland to go so I may leave her until a bit later to see if there is any difference.
Also I'll pluck up courage and move the cutter forward, it just seems so flaming easy to catch them, do they do a comb which give you a bit more of a safety margin, the wool quality is less important to me than not cutting the sheep.

[SingingShearer]

Have a look here:http://www.hornershearing.com/acatalog/Special_Combs.html I would reccommend trying the Beiyuan 13 tooth Winter combs or the mohair goat combs, both will give you a bit more safety.

Hope this helps.

[Hellybee]

Our neighbour tells us that with the fleece you have to wait til the "sap has risen" , that the oils are coming away from the skin surface and up into the fleece.   Otherwise the shearer cant get the clippers through properly and they will catch and may be nick. 

[Moleskins]

Once again, many thanks for the replies SingingShearer and Hellybee. Around here they tell you to look for the 'lift' which I expect is the same as waiting for the 'sap to rise'. I've had a look at the Winter combs and they seem a good idea for the likes of me. The Ryelands are harder to clip in my vast experience as a total novice. I'm not even going to mention that so far no serious cuts as I don't want to tempt fate. I just hope I can at least get a rug and a jumper out of all this.