Tyler

My boy Alex has been getting pretty wooly, and it's time for me to really shear his body for the first time.
So, I brushed him up (man, he got big!), and tried to use my new A5 clippers on him with a #3f blade. Nothing. The blade wouldn't even penetrate the fur. It just bound up before the clipper could cut it. I was afraid I'd really pull on him if I kept it up.
Now what?
Conditioning spray?

Help, it's getting warm, and the guy's looking like a ...
thanks,
Tyler

Pamela

wow! thats a hard one - hopefully you will hear from some groomers on here - I would be as perplexed as you! lol

roxy25

I wish i knew more about the blades but if I am not mistaken I think you might need to use a different blade?

I am not sure so you have to wait for wonderpup to the rescue ! for advice lol

creativeparti

would say you either need to bath him dry him and groom him out completely to make sure there is no knots and then try the blade 3f will cut though if the dog is prepped properley

if not then i would say you need to use a shorter blade try a 5f or a 4f

i have to say im not keep on 3fs on poodle coats it doent cut them down nicely i would use the blue stanless steal coab if i wanted that lenght

stoneymagoo

I would use a #5 blade on him, and if it really won't come off, a #7F. Cut off as much hair as you can, even if you have to use scissors. Then bath and fluff him dry, and when he is clean and totally brushed through, it will be easy to cut. If it has to go short, well, it'll grow back and it's getting really warm out. Dogs feel really good with short fur when it's warm out.

Tyler

I've got a 7f, a 3f and a 10. I've done the other dog wtih the 7f, and it's really short. I think the 3 will work well for Alex. What's a "blue stanless steal coab"?

bamsd619

I agree with the others. Make sure you bath him first as dirty hair won't cut and it will also dull the clipper blades quickly. Please ensure there are no mats. That should do the trick and also make sure the hair is dry not wet.

If there is little result with the 3, I would then switch to a 5. What type of "look" are you trying to achieve?

WonderPup

it's a snap on attachment that will leave the hair longer than a blade will. If a blade won't get throught he fur a snap on probably won't either. In any case, unless you have a 30blade you don't have the proper equipment to do a nice job with a gaurd comb. They are ment to be used over 30's or 40's .... though I have noticed that the stainless steel variety need to be used with #30's for reasons unknown. They damage #40 blades pretty frequently. The plastic snap ons though won't damage the 40's....

Ok a couple of questions;

Is he matt free? You said you brushed him out but are you sure that he is totaly dematted? The longer the blade the less able it is to get under matts and clip hair. Soo, with a blade as long as the one you are trying I would think he would need to be fairly tangle free. If a medium comb with go through the hair all the way down to the skin you should be ok to cut to any length you desire, though you may have to bath first.

Next, when was the last time your boy had a bath? An F blade is ment to go through clean (clean-ish) hair. The F stands for finish, it's a finishing blade. Most groomers I know, including myself, use nothing but F blades to be honest. I usualy perfer to work with clean hair though so especialy dirty dog or dogs with more oily coats get a bath..

I might bath and dry him before trying to clip the hair. That isn't the easiest way since it will take longer to bath and dry all that hair.. plus you're going to clip it off. Idealy you should be able to take the bulk of the hair off the body before the bath to save yourself on dry time. If you are in love with the length of the #3 blade then that it probably what you'll have to do though, otherwise take it shorter.

DON'T use scissors to try and take the coat down unless you are only going to take the ends off, which wouldn't do you much good. You're likely to end up with a choppy finish that you can't fix without shaving shorter than you wanted if you use the scissors. The blade will take the coat to a certain length, with scissors you can inadvertantly take it shorter than that length and end up with holes. It's hard to eyeball the length when you're just shearing away with scissors....
Another note is that dirty hair won't clip as short as clean hair will.... so even if you manage to rough him in with the #3 blade before the bath be prepared to see more hair come off after the bath.

The other thing that jumps to my mind is to ask if your baldes are sharp? The clippers you've said are new, what about the blades? They don't come super sharp right out of the package so even if they are brand new they may not be as sharp as they could be, though they should cut through the hair.

I'd put my money on dirty hair or possibly a little matting being the problem since that is a longer blade. If you used a 5 or a 7 I would guess it would go through the hair much easier.... a 7 almost certainly would.

I agree that a 3 blade isn't likely to give you as nice a finish. I might try the 5 if it were up to me, or if you can go and get a #4... I use a 4 on poodles that want short but still a little fuzz. It leaves a nice velvet like finish that doesn't require much care brushing wise.

It *could* be the clippers, but it isn't likely. Especialy if they are new, you said they were A5's are they two speeds or one? Did you buy them in a store or order them? Have you used them on your other dog already and they worked?

One more question... do you have coolant spray for the blades? That is really a must, it will also lubricate the blade and keep it working nicely throughout the groom. If you dont have any be sure to pick some up before you groom your boy. Even long blades can burn if you don't keep them cool.

Finghin

the blue comb is in the wahl set of steel guard combs. you would need that set and a #30 to use it, but it's also a #2 guard comb, about equivalent of a #3f.

Really the only reason for it to get caught up in the hair if it's a new blade is if the hair is too tangled or EXTRA dirty. If there's tangling you can't cut through it with a #3, you have to be able to get under it. i second(or 3rd or 4th?) the bathing and blow drying first. it'll make everything much easier.

WonderPup

Hahah, thanks Roxy...