Good clipper characteristics & general clipper questions
Motor Type - is universal rotary better than permanet magnetic rotary. Does one type need more maintenance than another? Strokes per Minute - Is a 2 speed clipper better than a 1 speed clippper? If I am doing a puppy cut - is there a minium strokes per minute I should be looking for? I am ordering from a PetEdge or similar - and am just reading the specifications so it is hard to tell one clipper from another. There are several that are all in the same $125 to $150 category and I am having a hard time deciding. Depending on sales or promotions one clipper may mean a better deal. For example PetEdge Oster PowerMax 2 speed @ $122.95 vs the Oster Turbor A5 single speed @ $139.99 - both of these have a promotion that includes a finisher clipper. That compared to the AGP 2 speed Andis @ $139.95 w/out any promotion. I know I have a nervous dog so I know I want quiet. I am looking at Oster & Andis but just saw an add for Geib. The Geib is supposed to be zero heat after 15-20 minutes of use. I happen to really like by Geib shears so I know I like some of their products. Miley is nervous so I think a quiter clipper will work better for her. Plus when my groomer has clipper her she tends to come back with clipper burn so the Geib was interesting - with the claim of zero heat. Which I am sure still means I will need an extra blade or coolant. One of the thing I have learned here is that it pays to invest in good grooming products. I am slowly builidng my supplies and this is the next one on the list. The other question I have is at a certain point these are all quality clippers and it comes down to personal perferance. Thanks again. |
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Most people think that the faster the strokes per minute (SPM) of a clipper the better. I was looking to get a new clipper for the Rescue (picture filthy, matted mops) and asked a professional groomer/sharpener what he would buy for this purpose. He suggested a Wahl KM2. It's a slow SPM clippers which = less heat buildup in the motor which in turn = less heat buildup in the blades. It's a powerful little clipper with two speeds and is quieter than my Oster A5 Turbo 2-Speed. It doesnt go that fast, it has torque, will go through any coat, doesnt get hot, will work with any blade out there, and the best thing is they cost $115 with a #10 blade. I got mine brand new on an on-line auction for less than $100. 
A lot of good things have been said about the Geib clippers but the "zero heat" is referring to the heat generated by the motor. The blades will get just as hot as they would on any other clipper because of friction. The best way to avoid blade burns is to buy two identical blades and swap them out during a shavedown, allowing them to cool between use and oil the blades frequently throughout the clip. Don't use spray "coolant" because it will gunk up the blades. If I had to choose between the Oster's mentioned and the Andis, I'd go with the Andis. The promotional deal is very appealing (I got a finishing clipper with my A5's and use them all the time) but don't care much for the big clippers.  |
| Nita - thanks for the heads up on the Wahl. I have an Oster A5 two speed and I don't know if it's me or what but I hate the darn thing.
I have a little kennel king Wahl (ancient!) someone gave me and it cuts through things that would make my Oster drop into a dead faint  I was wondering if the newer Wahls are as good.
Kristine |
| I also have the highly talked about Oster and hate it. I prefer my old Andis. |
| I used Oster for several decades before going with the Andis. Yes, I prefer the Andis but hate the heat build up in both. I agree with exchanging blades frequently. I'll try not using the spray coolant in favor of more dip cleaning and oiling to see if that helps.
Plus I'll look into the Wahl. |
| I just purchased an Andis AGC Super 2 speed (Blue) and love it. Check it out on the Internet, (I don't know if I am allowed to give the name of the on-line store, but if I am, it is "Revivalanimal.com) mine came with a #10 blade and a free #40 blade. Cost was $134.99 plus shipping. The #10 blade gave Bailee a short cut and it is a little tough to shave a moving target, but, I know after a couple more trims things will get better. I also purchased a 3 - 3/4 (Ceranic) blade from another vender which did not seem to cut as well. Maybe it was just a "Rookie" mistake on my part. |
Maggie McGee IV wrote: Most people think that the faster the strokes per minute (SPM) of a clipper the better. I was looking to get a new clipper for the Rescue (picture filthy, matted mops) and asked a professional groomer/sharpener what he would buy for this purpose. He suggested a Wahl KM2. It's a slow SPM clippers which = less heat buildup in the motor which in turn = less heat buildup in the blades. It's a powerful little clipper with two speeds and is quieter than my Oster A5 Turbo 2-Speed. It doesnt go that fast, it has torque, will go through any coat, doesnt get hot, will work with any blade out there, and the best thing is they cost $115 with a #10 blade. I got mine brand new on an on-line auction for less than $100.
A lot of good things have been said about the Geib clippers but the "zero heat" is referring to the heat generated by the motor. The blades will get just as hot as they would on any other clipper because of friction. The best way to avoid blade burns is to buy two identical blades and swap them out during a shavedown, allowing them to cool between use and oil the blades frequently throughout the clip. Don't use spray "coolant" because it will gunk up the blades. If I had to choose between the Oster's mentioned and the Andis, I'd go with the Andis. The promotional deal is very appealing (I got a finishing clipper with my A5's and use them all the time) but don't care much for the big clippers. Nita, you're a serious clipper professional. I never knew the coolant gunked the blades up. The can led me to believe that it lubricated as well as cooled but I believe you more than the can! |
ButtersStotch wrote: Nita, you're a serious clipper professional. I never knew the coolant gunked the blades up. The can led me to believe that it lubricated as well as cooled but I believe you more than the can!
I'm learning. Now, if I could only get my scissoring technique down pat. 
Most of the grooming I do is shaving down rescue dogs and you've seen some pics of them. Being on a budget with Rescue and wanting to extend the life of clippers, blades, shears, etc., is really important. I also have a couple friends who make a living from grooming and sharpening blades so I've learned a lot from them. 
Applying "coolant" to the blades is a lot like spraying cooking spray to a hot skillet. The heat will cause them to get sticky. Most spray coolants/lubes contain lots of alcohol and it will actually suck the oil out of the plastic blade guide. Put more spray on and it dissolves the gunk to some extent and the blades will work better for a short time. When they get hot, they gum up again. If you've used a lot of spray coolant/lube and your blades seem dull, clean them off well with blade wash before sending them in for sharpening. They may just have lots of spray coolant residue on them. All I use now is lots of clipper oil, a good blade wash and have a couple duplicate blades to swap out during a shavedown. Cheaper, environmentally safer than the sprays and keeps the blades in good shape longer. |
Maggie McGee IV wrote: I'm learning. Now, if I could only get my scissoring technique down pat. Don't worry...............it takes years! Look at me! 12-1/2 years in show dogs & I still would drive my dogs to Michigan for a good trim job!  |
Maggie McGee IV wrote: I use now is lots of clipper oil, a good blade wash and have a couple duplicate blades to swap out during a shavedown. Cheaper, environmentally safer than the sprays and keeps the blades in good shape longer.
Magie, You make me so proud!! Blade cool spray is NOT what it is hyped up to be. The biggest problem I come across is groomers are spraying blade cool on their blades while the clipper is still running. This will cause the blade cool spray to be pulled into the clipper, causing it to not work properly. There are 3 things that cause your blades to get hot. 1) Lack of clipper blade oil. Blades should be oiled roughly every 10 minutes of clipping. 2) Powerful clippers. The faster the clipper, the better the chance of your blades heating up. This is especially true with the high end Laube clippers. 3) Impropper sharpening. The sharpener set the tension of the spring on the clipper blade to high. The best solution to hot blades is to have an extra blade handy. When the blade you are using gets hot, pop it off and put a cool blade on. I recommend putting the hot blade on a ceramic floor tile. The tile will pull the heat out of the blade very quickly. I hope this help everyone out a little. Richard Southern Sharpeners |
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