About Me:

I am a professional Pet Groomer. I have been grooming for 28 years. This Blog is a kind of diary of my work. I wish I had started years ago, writing some of the experiences I have had while grooming. Most days are fun, some can be sad, some can be just down right crazy. If you are a pet owner and come across this blog, I hope it helps you understand how your pet is groomed. If you are a Pet Groomer, I hope you can relate to some of the stories. Maybe even learn a grooming tip or can leave a friendly grooming tip for me. There is always something to learn, no matter how long you have been grooming.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Embarrassing Moment

At least that is what I am going to call it, because it makes me feel better than calling it one of the stupidest moments of my grooming career.

I could blame it on a brain fart....but it wasn't a sudden thing.

I could blame it on old age....but I am really not THAT old yet.

I could blame it on the fact that I don't always read directions....that sounds good...only this one could fall under the common sense category.

I like to think that I have a pretty good amount of common sense, but sometimes stupidity takes over.

Okay, enough of that.
I'll call it what it is...stupid...stupid....dumb....stupid.

What the heck am I rambling on about?

Do I really have to tell you?
(head hitting the top of the desk)

Okay, I will tell you, just on the off chance that there is a groomer out there as clueless as me.

I am really hoping that there is at least one.

It would make me feel so much better.

Bare with me a minute.
Maybe if I explain from the beginning, I won't sound so stupid...maybe....



 I discovered this clipper about 10 or so years ago.

I don't really remember how I found out about it.

I think I saw it talked about on a groomers forum that I was reading at the time.

I loved this clipper from the first time that I ever used it.

I loved it for shaving faces, feet, tummy's and pads of feet.

It was also great to use around puppy's, because it was so quite.

I also loved that it had two batteries, so I always had a battery ready and charged to use.



 When my first Wahl Arco Cordless clipper died...

...truth be told, it hit the floor one too many times, and blew up.

Anyway, my next Cordless clipper was a Wahl Chromado.
I loved this clipper too.

Actually I liked it more, because I felt that it was a better made clipper.

The only thing that I didn't like was that there were no batteries to swap out. 
Once the charge ran out, it would take about 20 - 30 minutes to get a full charge.


Okay, wait a minute.
I can already hear some of you yelling at me.
Some of you may have already figured out what my stupid moment was.


I have been using the Wahl Chromado for about 8 years or more now.
I have worn about three of them out.
I use this clipper just as much as my corded clipper.

About 6 months ago my latest Chromado started dying.
So I bought another cordless.
Only I didn't buy another Chromado, or a Bravura. (which I had been reading a lot of good things about)

I went back to the Arco SE.
I liked that it had two batteries.
The problem was that I forgot why I didn't buy another one before.

I remembered real quick.



 They just don't hold up as well as the Chromado does.

The one pictured is my newest one.

It is only six months old.

I had to tape it up because it started to come apart at the seams.

The batteries are already starting to hold less and less charge.

I will continue to use it until it totally dies.

But, I needed a new cordless clipper.




I waited till I went to Groom Expo.
I wanted to hold and feel the Bravura, and decide whether I wanted to buy another Chromado, or try the Bravura.


I went to the Wahl Booth to check out the Bravura.
As I was holding it to feel how it felt in my hand, and turning it on to see how quite it was, a Wahl Representative came up to ask if I had any questions.

Here is where the embarrassing moment comes in.

I was talking to him about how much I liked the Chromado over the Arco, but I didn't like having to wait for it to recharge.

(Now, I have to stop and take a moment to say that that representative was very nice, and in no way tried to make me feel as stupid as I was about to feel.)

He asked me why I waited for the clipper to charge, and why didn't I just plug the cord into it.

(Boy, this is harder to write than I thought it would be....stupid..stupid)

Guess what came out of my mouth after he asked me that question.

"There is a cord to plug into the clipper?"
"I don't remember an extra cord coming with the clipper."

The representative open his mouth to answer me, and in that second....before he uttered a word...

...Ping!

Somewhere in my brain the answer popped into my head.







The cord from the charger... 











..can also be plugged into the bottom of the cordless clipper...










....and can be used while the clipper is charging!!











BANG!  BANG!!  BANG!!

Sorry, that was my head banging against my desk top.

10 years!!

Ten years I have been using these clippers and it NEVER dawned on me that the stupid cord that went into the charger could be plugged into the clipper so that you could continue using it while it is charging.

Please, please, please tell me that I am not the only one.

Anyone???


No????


Just me, right?

Of course, if I had taken the time to at least skim the directions that come with the clipper, maybe I would have known this a long time ago.

Oh come on...who reads the directions that come with their clipper?

Anyway, after my stupid moment, I bought a Bravura.
I really like it.
It is very quite.

There is only one problem....yes, of course I have a problem.








It is the on/off button.





It is RIGHT where I put my thumb when I am clipping.

It only takes a very light touch to turn the clipper on and off.

Want to guess how many times that I turn that sucker off while I am in the middle of clipping?



 I'll get over it.

I just have to train myself to hold the clipper a little differently.
I am already getting better...I only turn it off once or twice while clipping now. :/
I do like it, and I do recommend the Bravura to other groomers.

Okay, this post is done.
That was painfully embarrassing.
But, maybe there is a groomer out there like me and this post will help them.

What will this post do for the rest of the groomers who read it?
Maybe give them a good laugh...:)

Happy Grooming, MFF

13 comments:

  1. I may have realised that the cord plugged into the bravura, but ONLY because i had read a post similar to this somewhere else. So you are NOT the only one!

    Also, i agree about the on off button, when i first got mine i always turned it on and off...
    i only do it occasionally now

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  2. now I have to say, I used the cord on my bravura, and I have a tendency to twirl my clippers when I use them. and it twirled the cord, and finally the rubber cord right under the top of the cord (that plugs into the clipper)got twirled too much and split the rubber and wires inside.. there goes my cord to charge my clipper! just beware of that!!...... ALSO I just want to say, the Li Pro is fantastic! well worth the 250.. I have TWO of them! they can stay on the charger for however long you need and wont drain the battery like the bravura. they can last me 2/3s of my day! I love love love them!! My ONLY problem, they sure need a slip grip, those suckers will PerFectLy slide right through your grip the second your carpel tunnel kicks in and are not gripping them enough... Love your blog!!

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    Replies
    1. Hi,
      I have that cord problem with my regular clippers. I don't feel like I am twisting them, but there I am, at least twice a day, unwinding them.
      I'll have to check out those clippers. Maybe if you took a couple of thick rubber bands and twist them around your clipper, maybe in the middle and on the end, they would not slide out of your hand so easily. Just a thought. :) Oh, did you try to call Wahl and ask for a new cord?
      Lisa, MFF

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    2. no i didnt, i just bought a new bravura LOL! luckily it is the same cord to charge the chrome mini, which i have also, and is the same cord to charge the li pro!... thanks for the rubber band idea!!! yay.

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    3. I hope that you like the Bravura. I really like mine. You just gave me an idea...I think that I will save my charger cords from my old Chromados just in case I would ever have to replace one. :) I have a few if you think that you might need another one.
      Lisa, MFF

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  3. I call what happened to you as "auto-pilot" brain..you're just so used to your equipment that you don't even have to think twice about it's day to day operation. I did the exact same thing with my cordless Andis, because...I didn't read the instructions either. I just buy a new clipper, take out all the goodies in the box, throw them in the drawer with the rest of the clipper parts, and usually, throw the directions away. Who needs directions anyway??!! So you see, you really aren't alone. Karen in NJ

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Karen,
      That is exactly what I do. I have a drawer full of little extras from clippers. :)
      Lisa, MFF

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  4. Hey, on your Moser Arcos, does your blade head not make a lot of racket? I have one for my horse and the adjustable head makes one heck of a racket unless I hold it down with my hand. I've always just assumed it was because it was detachable, but maybe I just got a bad one?

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    Replies
    1. Hi MissMarie,
      Sorry to tell you this, but it sounds like you got a bad clipper. The Arco should run nice and quite. That is why I like using it for shaving faces on poodles and puppies. It could possibly just be a defective blade. If you get a new blade and it still makes a racket, I would either call Wahl to see if they would replace it for you, or invest in a Wahl Bravura or Chromado.
      Lisa, MFF

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  5. Aw, don't feel too bad, Lisa.. I agree with karen, auto-pilot all the way.
    I have a pair of the gold arco SE's like yours, and I loved them too, but the batteries bit the dust very quickly, and I have rubber bands holding it together too. I'm about to order the purple bravura, I'm glad you approve of it..I didn't know anyone that owned them, and that's a lot of $$..

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    Replies
    1. Hi Kat,
      My batteries went up really fast on my Arco too. I highly recommend either the Wahl Chromado or the Bravura. I really like both of them, and they certainly hold up better than the Arco.
      Lisa, MFF

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  6. Hi Lisa,

    Here Claudia from Holland and also after almost 10 years of chromano using for faces and all I found out on youtube just reasantly about the coard!

    Greetings!

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