This tip is probably more helpful for new groomers.
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Have you ever been clipping a dog and suddenly you are getting an uneven clip, or your blade stops cutting?
More than likely your blades teeth are clogged up with hair.
Even this little bit of hair will cause the blade not to give a nice smooth cut.
For a quick clean up of your blade, have a tooth brush handy.
The brush that I have pictured is a denture tooth brush that I got at the dollar store.
I like it for the large and smaller pointy brush.
That little rubber pick on the bottom comes in handy too sometimes.
Make sure that you only brush the hair out of the teeth in one direction...away from the cutting teeth under the guide teeth.
If you brush the other direction, the bristles on the brush will get caught up in the cutting teeth and could cause the cutting blade to dull.
Make sure that the blade is not running while you are cleaning the hair out of the teeth.
Cutting the bristles on the brush WILL dull your blade.
I once had a blade sharpener tell me this, and I looked at him as if he was crazy thinking he had to tell me that, but he told me that I would be surprised at how many groomers try to clean out their blades while they are still running.
So I thought I would mention it. :/
The smaller, pointy brush is a little firmer, and great for getting stubborn clumps of hair out.
It is also great for the blades with very long teeth like the 3¾ blade or longer.
A tooth brush is also great for cleaning out the back of 5in1 blades.
A toothbrush is an inexpensive, handy tool to help keep your blades and your clipper cleaned out quickly between more through cleanings.
I know that I haven't been blogging a lot lately.
There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day.
Lately I have been doing some crafting.
I will be posting in the next couple of days to show you what I have been doing in my spare time.
Here is a little tease.
(Flowers 70% off at JoAnn's Fabric.)
Guess what I am doing with all of these?
I'll show you over the next couple of days.
Guess what I am doing with this?
I'll show you step by step.
Stay tuned! ☺
✂ Happy Grooming, MFF ✂
I feel like an idiot for not having thought of this myself sooner. Thanks for sharing. I have spent a fortune on blade sharpening-most come back to me only sharper than when I sent them out. I have been struggling with having sharp blades on hand lately. I think its almost easier just to buy new ones. I will try the toothbrush and see if this helps. Thanks for the blog!
ReplyDeleteHi Kristin,
DeleteDo you clip dogs before or after the bath. I almost never clip a dirty dog. (other than feet and face) I only use my blades on clean hair. I clean them out with the brush between each groom. I also clean them out with Cool Lube and dry them thoroughly. My blades only need sharpening 2 to 3 times a year. When I used to clip dirty dogs, I was always sharpening my blades.
Lisa, MFF
I always clip before and after the bath-unless they are so dirty that I can't clip them first. I actually had a dog show up covered and dripping Oil! This dog decided to go swimming in an Oil holding pit! I spent the day outside washing that dog in Dawn dish soap repeatedly before attempting to clip it. It still ruined my blades! I do the rough cut first before the bath, dry it, and then the final cut. I find it easier to get them dry when there isn't so much matted hair to deal with-that was actually the way I was taught to groom. I never considered that cutting dirty dogs was ruining my blades.
DeleteHi Kristin,
DeleteI was taught the same way. Clipped each dog twice (rough cut then finish cut) for years. Fourteen years ago, when I was Mobile, I needed to groom faster. Every dog went straight into the tub. I have not turned back since. Can't stand to clip a dirty dog.
Drying time may have been a few minutes longer, but I was not wasting time with the rough clip, so it all evened out.
Try it for a week. (Once or twice is not enough to test) If you don't get used to it, or like it, you can always go back. As for matted dogs....I HV from the skin out, so I don't worry if the mats are still damp. I will be cutting them off. The only hair that I need dry is the hair between the skin and mat. I did a video on HV drying if you would like to check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s73k77AVMcg
Lisa, MFF
I love this trick. I also had a grooming friend tell me to use my HV blower to blow the hair out of my blades. I just use the low setting on my blower and hold on real tight so I don't drop my blade but I am amazed at how much hair came out the first time and still does every time.
ReplyDeleteThanks, that is a good tip too!
Delete