clipper blades

[sjones]

Its that time of year again to trim up the hair on my dogs so that they don't come in loaded with mud. I have an Oster Golden A5 two speed clippers. I have used it for many years to trim up my horses and now use it for the dogs. The blades I have are size 10mm which works great for bridle paths and other finishing work on horses but only does an ok job going through the fluffy bloomers of my dogs. I thought this year I would get a better blade, so went to Fleet Farm and asked what they would recommend. I came home with a 5mm blade. Yesterday I went over to my friends house to do some trim work on her dogs and tried the new blade. It worked like crap, so I took it back.

My question is what would be a good blade to recommend that would work with my clippers or do I need clippers specifically for clipping dogs? I've had these clippers for 18 years and I'd hate to have to go out and buy something different when mine run just fine. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them.

 

Thanks

 

Samantha

[terrecar]

I haven't groomed a Poodle in over 25 years, but I used a #15 on the feet, face & tail (for pet trims--you up it a couple of notches for show) and a #10 on the body for a strip down, and the #10 went through Poodle coat with no problem. I had an Oster A5 that was a dog clipper, sold at a dog grooming supply store. I'm not sure how yours would be different. I wouldn't think you would need new clippers if you have the right size blades though, because I use one now for Hannah's "sanitary clip" that was used for human hair. It has the same "feel". I don't see any difference between the two except it seems to be more cheaply made. I wouldn't try it on a matted Old English Sheepdog or anything.

 

Also, the lower the blade size, the more coat is left on the dog, so a #10 clips closer than a #5, but that is using the standard sizes for Oster: #5, #10, #15 et al. I use a #10 on Hannah (Border Collie x Aussie cross). That's a relatively close clip, but again I only do a sanitary clip on Hannah.

 

 

Here is the conversion in terms of mm: Blade Charts scroll down to about mid-page.

 

 

Come to think of it, the blades went through Poodle coat in general easier than say a Collie for example, because of the texture of the coat. If you're trying to skim over the britches with a blade sans snap-on comb in order to leave some coat, rather than holding the blade flat against the body, that is a whole other discussion.

 

Make sure the blades have been sharpened and oiled. Also, I used a spray to keep the clipper blades cool and lubricated. I don't remember what it was called, but it was specifically for that purpose.

 

ETA: The spray was Cool Lube

[sjones]

Thanks for the link to the blade chart, I will need to study it a bit more closely. Hopefully it will help me decide on a better blade to buy than the one I just returned.

 

I have used Cool Lube for years and after every use I clean my blades, send them in when they get dull.

 

Samantha

[BCjetta]

I actually use a 30 or 40 blade to trim between the toes. I use a 10 to trim up to the carpus and up to the hock. I use a 5 to trim off belly fur if I'm doing that, and I use thinning shears to shorten bum fluff and front leg feathering.

[teganandjessmom23]

I am a professional groomer. If you want the hair off but don't want your dog "naked" use a 4 or 5. I use andis agc 2 speed clippers and ultra edge blade. In the summer my borders get a 7 or even a 10 at times. A 10 on hygenic and butt. Then I always use a 40 on pads. I even shave my girls tails and leave the tip and shave the heads and trim ears. My girls are in the house but we live on a farm and they are always in the creek, rolling in poop of some sort or even dead animals. They always get burrs as well. In the winter I just use a 7 on hocks and pasterns 10 on hygenic 40 on pads then I thin out the coat and trim up the belly and britches. With a border anything is possible I have used just about every blade on mine. I play around with mine so when other borders come to my salon I can tel them what they will like. I groom many borders and aussies.