On Sun, 21 Jun 2020 20:57:04 +0100, Harry Bloomfield, Esq. wrote:

Lee Nowell used his keyboard to write :
Thanks all. So are the front edges of the 2 steel plates supposed to be
sharp? Mine are definitely blunt if that is the case.

They do not cut at the front, they only cut once hair gets between the
teeth. The very front the leading edge of the blades are supposed to be
blunt otherwise they would cut your skin.

The flat faces, where the teeth are, are the only bits which might need
sharpening and only after a lot of use. To some extent they will self
sharpen in use, but to sharpen they need to be rubbed on a fine flat
abrasive surface.

My best guess on what the lever on the side is for, is to leave the
hair cut longer or less close, when the blade is moved further back
with the lever.

Yup. I cut my hair with a No. 3 with the lever right back then do a taper
for about an inch in mid position then a smaller taper with right forward.
M Babyliss, about 12 years old, doesn't say which way does what - I tried on
my arm, as testing is destructive! Get it wrong and you can't put the hair
back.
Mine hasn't gone blunt at all and there was no oil supplied and no mention
of oil in the booklet.
For others that do need oil I use Johnsons Baby Oil (first pressing from the
babies). In Boots the 'proper' oil was expensive and the assistant said that
baby oil would be as good and it seems to be, compared with the oil that
came with a rotary cutter.
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway