How to Repair a Jammed Blade Shaft in a Hand Blender

A hand blender head.
  • 1-2 hours
  • Beginner
  • 0-30
What You'll Need
Vegetable oil
Two pliers or wrenches
Paper towels or cloth
What You'll Need
Vegetable oil
Two pliers or wrenches
Paper towels or cloth

A jammed blade shaft is not a very hard problem to fix. It only requires a few tools and some patience. Hand blenders usually have a detachable shaft assembly that needs to be assembled prior to use. If the assembling process is not done correctly, problems like jamming usually occur. Here are some steps to follow if the blade shaft gets stuck.

Step 1 - Be Familiar with the Shaft Assembly

Refer to the product manual and make sure to study the structure of the shaft carefully. After careful study of the shaft assembly, prepare a soft cloth or paper towels and two pliers or wrenches.

Step 2 - Prepare the Shaft and Main Body for Clamping

Wrap an area on the shaft with a thick layer of paper towel or cloth. The area should be as near to the point where the shaft connects to the main body as much as possible. The whole concept of doing this is to protect the hand blender housing from the damaging teeth of the pliers or wrenches. Wrap the main body as well with a paper towel or cloth at an area near the point of attachment to the shaft.

Step 3 - Remove the Shaft from Main Body

Clamp the jammed blade shaft with one of the pliers, but be careful not to exert too much pressure. Clamp the main housing as well with the other pliers. While holding firm on the pliers clamping the main body, rotate the shaft either in a counterclockwise or clockwise direction to loosen it from the main body. Refer to the manual to check for the correct direction when loosening the stuck parts.

Take note that some hand blenders may have a release button that needs to be pressed before the shaft can come loose. In this case, instead of using the pliers to hold the main body, grip it instead with one hand firmly while pressing the release button. Remember to exert only the right amount of pressure that will not damage the hand blender housing. As soon as the jammed shaft comes loose, remove the pliers and the material wrapped around them.

Step 4 - Clean the Joints

Inspect the joints on the shaft and the main body to check what caused the jam. Sometimes, food and debris may get stuck in between the joints and tighten the connection too much. In other instances, the joint may just be too rough. Clean the entire joint with a clean napkin to remove any dirt or debris.

Step 5 - Lubricate the Joint

Apply a small amount of vegetable oil on the joints to lubricate it. Insert the blade shaft back to the main body and test if it does not get stuck easily. Sometimes, it may be best to disassemble the shaft and reassemble it again to make sure all parts are aligned properly.