The Wahl Magic Clip Cordless Black is a 5-Star cord/cordless clipper made for blending and fading. It runs at 6500 RPM for up to 100 min on a charge, and its Stagger-Tooth™ blade cuts from 0.5 mm to 1.2 mm without a guide.

In the box

• The clipper
• Eight cutting guides: 1/16 inch (1.5 mm), 1/8 inch (3.0 mm), 3/16 inch (4.5 mm), 1/4 inch (6.0 mm), 3/8 inch (10.0 mm), 1/2 inch (13.0 mm), 3/4 inch (19.0 mm), 1 inch (25.0 mm)
• WAHL's product sheet also lists a styling comb, oil, a cleaning brush and a blade guard

Why this clipper

A cut in the chair runs in a fixed order: the clipper takes the length and builds the blend, the trimmer sets the outline, and the foil shaver finishes. This is the clipper in that order, the tool for the whole cut from the bulk to the blend. WAHL designs it for “Seamless blending and fading”, “Bulk hair removal” and “Shaping and free form cutting”.

Key features

• Stagger-Tooth™ blade, adjustable across its range: the blend is built on the blade itself, between passes
• Titanium and DLC coatings, which WAHL calls “ultra-strong, rust resistant”: hard-wearing, and oiled like any steel blade
• Cord or cordless: work on the Li-ion battery, or with the cord connected
• Smart LED charge indicator, to check the charge before the next client
• Motor: WAHL names it the “Upgraded Powerful High-Speed Motor”; its speed is given above
• “Lightweight and Balanced”, in WAHL's words; the weight is given above
• Eight cutting guides for the bulk, before the bare blade takes over

Who it is not for

• Outlines, line-ups and beard detail - that is a trimmer's job: the Wahl Beret Stealth Trimmer Black
• A skin-smooth head shave - that is a foil shaver's job: the Wahl Vanish Shaver

Professional tip

Build the blend in small steps. Move the lever a little between passes rather than in one jump, and flick out at the end of each upward stroke. Work down through the guides before you go to the bare blade.

How to use

1. Keep the blade oiled: WAHL's own instruction is “KEEP BLADES OILED”. Before the first client, brush the blade clean and oil it as described under Care and maintenance.
2. Switch it on with the on/off switch. Fully charged, it works without the cord. If the battery runs low, attach the power cord directly to the clipper and carry on corded; if the battery is completely run down, let it charge for 1 minute, switched off, before you use it corded.
3. Take the bulk with a guide, from the longer sizes down, against the growth.
4. Blend with the lever: in its uppermost position the blade gives the closest cut, and pushing it down gradually increases the cutting length.
5. Switch off after use and brush the hair out of the blade. To charge, plug the cord into the clipper first, then into the outlet, and keep the clipper switched off as it charges.

Care and maintenance

After each client, switch off and brush the loose hair from the housing and the blade. Oil the blade with Wahl clipper oil: one drop in the centre of the moving top blade and one on each end, then switch it on to spread the oil and wipe off the excess. Do it at the end of the day, and whenever the blade starts to drag. Wipe the housing only with a soft, slightly damp cloth, never with solvents, scouring agents, bleach, benzene or thinner. Keep Wahl Special Blade Oil 200ml at the station for the daily oiling, and Wahl Oil Tube 10ml in the case for work away from it.

Frequently asked questions