first time grooming/cutting hair, help needed
http://www.amazon.com/Andis-22360-2-Spe ... roduct_top I also read up on the blade sizes, however I figured I'd post a picture of our dog's last haircut and see if anyone could be able to tell the sizes that were used by his groomer.  Thanks for your help. |
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| I have 2 pair of Andis Clippers. I've had them for years. And I do mean years....like since 1997 when I bought my 1st show dog. I'm not sure if your groomer scissored your boy but what I would suggest is getting an additional blade (a number 3-3/4 finish blade). The clippers should come with a #10 which is good for doing private parts & inbetween the pads of the feet but too close for a body clip. If your boy is mat free, a 3-3/4 finish blade will give you a nice even cut leaving about 3/4" of hair. Within a month they have the cutest puppy cut. The trick to getting them nice & smooth looking is 4 steps. Shave, bathe, dry & shave again. They end up with the look of velveteen. The 2nd shave gets all the stray hairs that were missed the 1st time around. Bathing & drying brings them up. |
| I love our Andis clipper! Listen to Marilyn... she's great at what she does. Vance |
| CHSheepdogs, Thanks. We too are not sure if our groomer scissored our dog this last time. Do you recommend these clippers from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Andis-22360-2-Spe ... roduct_top Where would you recommend purchasing a 3-3/4 finish blade? So the blades we would need would be the #10 it comes with, and the 3-3/4? Thank you. |
| These are the Andis I have. They come with an #10 blade & it appears that there is an offer for free #7 blade with this purchase (great for getting under any mats). You can purchase the #3-3/4 blade from the same company (petedge). Just browse thru their site. I recommend getting the stainless steel blades. I have both stainelss steel & ceramic & although the ceramic are not supposed to heat up as fast, I think the stainless hold an edge longer. Important thing is to oil the blades properly, clean the blades properly after using & to brush stray hairs out of the clipper head before storing. You can have the blades sharpened when needed. I am still using some of my original stainless steel blades from 1997. http://www.petedge.com/product/Andis-AG ... /43015.uts |
| Thanks for all of your help Marilyn. Just to clarify, you are suggesting a 3-3/4th blade for his body. A #10 blade for private parts/under paws. How about the belly area? I assume we should scissor cut his head/under chin? |
Guest wrote: Thanks for all of your help Marilyn. Just to clarify, you are suggesting a 3-3/4th blade for his body. A #10 blade for private parts/under paws. How about the belly area? I assume we should scissor cut his head/under chin? Belly area you can use the 3-3/4 blade or the #7 blade (cuts a bit closer but not as close as the #10). 3-3/4 blade on the body. #10 for the private areas (and I don't necessarily use it that close on those areas) & in between the pads on the under side of his feet. I use the 3-3/4 blade on the entire head/ears too. May be a bit shorter than you are used to seeing his head but it all grow out even then. Be VERY careful scissoring under his chin to get the final strays that the clippers didn't get after both shaves. The dogs are notroious for sticking their toingue out & a little snip happens very easily. I usually put my hand all the way around the muzzle to hold it shut & trim a little here & there. Here's Mariah after I finished shaving her with the 3-3/4 blade.  And here is Isaac about 5 weeks after being shaved with a 3-3/4 blade.  |
| I'm in the middle of a 2 day process of Angus' haircut. The mats had invaded the body!!!! I had given my Oster clipper and blades to the humane society after we said goodbye to Pooh Bear. I couldn't bear to have the clippers around and needed them to go somewhere where I knew they could be put to good use. When we adopted Angus I needed a new clipper and my rescue contact recommended the Andis and finally invested in one. She advised me to get ceramic blades since she said they didn't get as hot when you clipped the dog. (she has had OES's for 30 years and has 3 now) I did get a 5 and a 7 size in the ceramic. I was afraid of how Angus would react to his haircut and he didn't do tooo bad (thank goodness my husband was on hand to help!) He looks like a schnauzer right now and need to do some more clipping tomorrow. I used to do the haircut in one day, but now stretch it over 2 days. I remember the first time we clipped down Pooh Bear and he wouldn't look us in the eye for a week....I am convinced he felt naked and was embarrassed!!!! Angus is as happy as can be!!! I always manage to cut myself in the process sometime and did that today! |
| Great looking dogs Marilyn! I think the 3-3/4th may be too short for what we are looking for? What could be a little step up--- 5 blade? |
Guest wrote: Great looking dogs Marilyn! I think the 3-3/4th may be too short for what we are looking for? What could be a little step up--- 5 blade? No, you want to go down. The higher the number the closer the cut. |
| Okay, I understand. Again, thanks for your help ! |
| I need to order blades too and I own a Oster Turbo A5 Single speed. Do I buy a clip on attachment to go with my clipper or the actual blades? It cam with a 10 blade I'm confused. What is the longest you can buy? I'd like to trim to the longest possible. Suggestions? I am determined to take over the grooming of my 3rd sheepie, (About time don't you think) ;o) A friend told me I should get a 30 bade with the longest clip on possible?? |
Lisa&Brian wrote: I need to order blades too and I own a Oster Turbo A5 Single speed. Do I buy a clip on attachment to go with my clipper or the actual blades? It cam with a 10 blade I'm confused. What is the longest you can buy? I'd like to trim to the longest possible. Suggestions? I am determined to take over the grooming of my 3rd sheepie, (About time don't you think) ;o) A friend told me I should get a 30 bade with the longest clip on possible?? Blades are what do the cutting. Most are clip on or should I say snap on. I don't know much about Oster. And I know nothing about the attachments. I have no need for them so I have never bought them. If I want or need something longer than my blades provide, I use scissors & that is a whole 'nother story. All I do know is that I have always been told & it is my experience that the higher the number on the blade, the closer it shaves to the skin. You could call Petdege's support line & ask them. They maybe able to help you. Or if there is a dog show not too far from you there may be a sharpening booth there & they can advise you on blades & attachments according to breeds. |
In my limited shaving experience (I mostly scissors my dogs), we found that those clip on guards do not work on an OES coat. They just jam into the coat and get stuck.  |
I definitely prefer just a blade but have used combs... the dog needs to free of all mats or the combs catch on them. Once in a while I'll use a comb on the legs... I did with Bumble before his last surgery. The combs I like best are the metal ones. And yup, use a #30 with a comb attachment though I've also used a #10 before too and nothing bad happened.  http://untilyoufindme.com/Shaving-An-Ol ... -Blade.htm#3, #4, #5, #6 and #7 blades are my favorites... lower numbers in the winter, higher in the summer. I just shaved 2 down with a #4, one with a #5. But I use a #3 on the lower chest to help prevent pink skin from showing through. I prefer to leave the leg and head hair longer so I scissor. And ALL of my OESs have big heads because I LIKE it.   PetEdge just ended a sale on shorter blades. It was buy one get one free... I picked up a couple more #7s. I like to use this length on bellies and even for sanitary clips. It leaves the hair a little longer to prevent irritation from too close a clip. If you've ever clipped too short near the butt, you'll understand what I'm saying. I spoke with a man that repairs clippers... I was trying to see whether an Oster clipper that I loved could be repaired or if it was a throw away... it was a throw away. Probably the next best person to talk with about the best clipper to purchase (after a groomer) would be the repairman. He/she knows which clippers have the most problems. The one I corresponded with at that time recommended an Andis UltraEdge Special Edition. It wasn't as streamlined as the Oster... took me a bit to get used to a it but it's been a very good choice... I have 6 that I shave with it. The one I have and the one you're looking at both have 3,400/4,400 strokes per minute. Not sure what the differences are... I think there's a cord length comparison typo on PetEdge. I sometimes will go to high speed when trimming the back of the neck... the hair seems to be densest there. But otherwise, I'm always using low speed. The blades don't heat as fast. If someone has a dog that has problems standing for long periods of time, you can still scissor legs. Just use your fingers as a gauge for length. With the dog lying on it's side, scissor the "up side" of all 4 legs including fronts and backs, have the dog turn over on it's other side and repeat. Have the dog stand to do some touch up trimming. http://untilyoufindme.com/Scissor-Trimming-Legs-2.htm |
| Jaci - I'm guessing you have a shorter coat going into the shave (with comb attachments) than me. |
| Oh yeah... I don't allow mine to get real long. By 2 1/2 to 3" I'm shaving them down because they need to be brushed too often. I've got a couple with a fine coat texture so they tangle/mat easily. Kobuck on the other hand has a real dense/crisp coat that's much easier to maintain. But there's actually a video of a groomer using a comb attachment on a longer coat.  So I guess there's proof people can get them to work. They're just not really for me. http://untilyoufindme.com/Old-English-S ... t-Care.htm |
| What's the difference between the 3-3/4 FC: http://www.petedge.com/product/Andis-Ul ... /43030.uts and the 3-3/4: http://www.petedge.com/product/Andis-Ul ... /43029.uts Thanks |
Guest wrote: What's the difference between the 3-3/4 FC: http://www.petedge.com/product/Andis-Ul ... /43030.uts and the 3-3/4: http://www.petedge.com/product/Andis-Ul ... /43029.uts Thanks FC stands for "finish cut". Will give an overall smoother, more finished look. |
| Thanks Marilyn. I will purchase that blade over the regular 3- 3/4 then. Can you recommend a scissor that I can purchase on Pet Edge for his head? |
Guest wrote: Thanks Marilyn. I will purchase that blade over the regular 3- 3/4 then. Can you recommend a scissor that I can purchase on Pet Edge for his head? You know what, scissors are really something you need to "try on" your hand. You need to see how they feel on you hand, how smooth they move when you open & shut them. If you can't get to a dog show where there is a vendor selling scissors, I would say the next best thing would be to maybe try Sally's (hair supply store). The clerks there aren't going to know very much about the scissors themselves but you might be able to try some out at least. The best thing to do is to go to a dog show & find an OES show person & ask them if they could help you out with selecting a good pair of scissors & what you want to do with them. There were forum members here who posted and asked what show people might be at their local dog show so they could meet up for some help in purchasing the right products. Most of us show people are glad to help if we know ahead of time & after we are done showing for that day. Personally, I use thinning shears that are called "blenders" to trim my dogs' heads when they are in full coat. One thing to remember, be prepared to spend some bucks for a good pair of scissors. Cheap ones lose their edge fast & you either end up doing a buthcher job when trimming or paying to have them sharpened ALL the time. Dawn.....maybe you want to chime in here when you have a minute too! |
| Sounds good. THANK YOU. |
| I love the shark fins. I've had shoulder surgery, and carpel tunnel surgery and they work the best for me, they have the swivel thumb. I'm still learning the technique. Takes practice. They are pricey.... |
| I've never seen any shears at Sally's that had long enough blades to do an OES. Maybe that's just me since I learned with 10" curved shears and have larger sized hands. I love Geib Gators and some of the other less-expensive Geib shears like Entree's, which PetEdge carries. You really do have to try them and feel how comfortable they are in your hands. You can put sizers in the finger holes if they're too large so don't reject them on that basis alone. Just don't buy the cheapest thing you can find because you really do get what you pay for when it comes to shears. As far as clipper combs, forget them. They don't work on most OES coats. Buy a nice selection of blades, like a #7, #5 and #3-3/4 in addition to the #10 that comes with most clippers. The #10 blade doesn't leave much hair but sure gets under severe matting. If you find a blade size that works best, buy an identical one so you can switch off as the blade heats up during use. I prefer steel blades to ceramic because they are sturdier and seem to stay sharp longer. By rotating the blades you don't burn the dog and always have a spare blade when you need to send one in for sharpening. |
I had a really nice pair that came up missing about a year ago. So I ended up getting a pair of Geib Gators (from Petedge) as a replacement. They work decently, although not as nice as my old pair  I was ordering a set as a Christmas gift for my daughter LeAnne (has Martha, Chewie's sister), so I got one for myself at the same time. I was still hoping I would find my original pair, but they never have surfaced. They are 8", and my old ones were a bit longer. Most of the time I miss the longer length, but in tight angles I do appreciate the shorter length. Might actually be good to have both... I'm also a straight scissor person , not curved, that's the way I learned. I also cut human hair previously (as more of a hobby, through college, etc), so I used straight ones then too. I also have a thinning shears, but I don't use it all the time. I use it for softer trim lines, but not really for thinning. I was taught to thin using a stripper, so I'm better at it that way. Just what you get used to and the look you want to get out of it. |
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