Barbers & Stylists: Become an MVP with this Andis Clipper

A Review of the Andis MVP Clipper

For years, I have been a big fan of the Oster 76 Detachable Blade Clipper — it’s an authentic workhorse in the barbering business. Until now, I have not found a clipper that would make me want to put my Oster 76 in a drawer. My brand-new favorite is the Andis MVP Detachable Blade Clipper (model number SMC-2).

The folks at Andis have really outdone themselves this time. The new MVP features a 2-speed powerful rotary motor that makes an easy task of cutting wet or dry hair.

In addition to the MVP’s exceptional cutting ability, I love the ergonomic grip. The clipper is very easy to hold (unlike the 76 which can be a bit unwieldy at times). Also, unlike the 76, the Andis MVP is whisper quiet and has no cooling fans which blow the hair around (which is not a problem while cutting in wet hair but can be if you’re doing clipper-over-comb work in dry hair).

At around $140, the Andis MVP Detachable Blade Clipper clipper is a bit pricey, but for a clipper of this quality, the price is justified. I always recommend investing in the best tools possible — for barbers and stylists, they are your livelihood. My only real complaint about the clipper is that it does tend to run a bit hot after a long period of continuous use, so I have switched to using the cooler-running CeramicEdge blades. Having shaved literally hundreds of heads during a recent St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraiser with this clipper equipped with ceramic blades, I can say it does hold up well and run cool.

Included in the box are 2 Andis UltraEdge blades (sizes #1 and #000) and a new two-year warranty.

If you already have made a significant investment in blades, the MVP also works with Oster 76 blades (as well as the Andis detachable blades, of course). With the #000 blade, you can also use this clipper with any number of universal comb attachments to give you greater flexibility in cutting lengths.

I highly recommend this clipper for any barber or stylist who performs a great deal of free-hand clipper work. This clipper would also be a good investment for the home user who wants a lightweight quality clipper that will last for years. I combine this clipper with the excellent Andis Improved Master and Andis T-Outliner Trimmer for the best performing haircutting kit available.

Pros

• Powerful 2-speed motor.
• Easy to hold.
• Lightweight.
• Very quiet.

Cons

• Can run hot.

Description

• Powerful two-speed detachable blade clipper.
• Clipper cuts wet or dry hair.
• Ergonomic, lightweight, and easy to handle.
• Includes two UltraEdge blades (#000 and #1) and two-year warranty.

The Bottom Line

The Andis MVP Detachable Blade Clipper is a powerful, lightweight, detachable blade clipper that is one of the best I’ve ever tested. It is now one of the “must-haves” in my haircutting toolkit. This clipper is powerful, ergonomically designed, lightweight, and quiet and it can move through a lot of hair quickly (as a Guinness World Record holder, I know something about speed) without sacrificing quality. Investing in great tools can improve your efficiency and help you produce better men’s haircuts.

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Clipper Blades and Guards Sizes and Lengths – Cutting Hair by Numbers

Amongst professional products, there are three major clipper brands — Oster, Andis, and Wahl. Each clipper uses either detachable blades or guides combs, and it’s quite common for a client to ask for a haircut length using a clipper guard number (e.g., “Give me a number two on the sides.”). But wait. Each company’s clipper blade or guard number isn’t always the same length as another company’s number. To make things easier, we’ve created a list of common hair clipper blade and guard sizes.

1. Oster Clipper Blade Sizes

Following are commonly used blades on the Oster 76 (and similar) detachable blade clippers:

Blade – Length:
00000 – 1/125″
0000 – 1/100″
000 – 1/50″
0A – 3/64″
1 – 3/32″
1A – 1/8″
1.5 – 5/32″
2 – 1/4″
3.5 – 3/8″
3.75 – 1/2″

2. Andis Clipper Blade Sizes

Following are commonly used blades on the Andis BGR (and similar) detachable blade clippers:

Blade – Length:
00000 – 1/125″
0000 – 1/100″
0000A – 1/75″
000 – 1/50″
0A – 3/64″
OA FD 3/34″
1 – 3/32″
1A – 1/8″
1 1/2 – 5/32″
2 – 1/4″
3 1/2 – 3/8″
3 3/4 – 1/2″

3. Wahl Clipper Guard Sizes

Following are commonly used guides on Wahl home and professional hair clippers:

Guide – Length:
1/2 – 1/16″
1 – 1/8″
1 – 1/2 – 3/16″
2 – 1/4″
3 – 3/8″
4 – 1/2″
5 – 5/8″
6 – 3/4″
7 – 7/8″
8 – 1″
10 – 1 1/4″

4. Speed-O-Guide (Red Guard) Guard Sizes

Check out the size chart below for Speed-O-Guide clipper guards used by many barbers:

Guard – Length:
000 – 1/32″
00 – 1/16″
0 – 3/16″
0A – 5/16″
1 – 7/16″
1A – 9/16″
2 – 11/16″