Lesson 5 - Scissoring, How to Use Blades and Attachment Combs

• Scissoring
• Clipper Work
• +1
• Vocational Education

Lesson Outline

Theory

• Scissoring, How to use Blades and Attachment Combs

Practical

• Scissoring Practice - Cut Dust and Scissor Control

Models

• Dummy Cut Straight Lines/Rectangle (Feather Duster)

• Theory 1 Hour
  
• Quiz 15mins
  
• Break 15 mins
  
• Practical 2.5 hours
  

Lesson 5

Scissoring, How to use Blades and Attachment

Presented by:

Blades

Blade Lengths

• The smaller the number, the longer the hair left
  
• The bigger the number, the shorter the hair left
  

Short haircuts: #5, #7, #9, #10, #30, #40

Long haircuts: #5/8, #3, and #4

Comb attachments are longer than all the blades

In grooming equipment, blade numbers go backwards from what you would expect. That is, the smaller the number, the longer the hair will be, and the bigger the number, the shorter the hair will be.

Clipper blades are also made for a variety of purposes such as show edge, ultra edge and manufactured with different metals and coatings such as stainless steel, ceramic, with carbon and titanium coatings.

Blades

Types of Blades

Fine Tooth Blades vs Skip Tooth

Fine tooth blades give a finer finished look to the coat. These are best used on a fine and soft coat, for example any of the small fluffy breeds. The final clip will be very even looking and very smooth. 

A skip tooth blade helps feed the hair into the cutting blade more effectively plus it is good for a rough cut prior to washing the coat.

Types of Blades

Fine Tooth Blades vs Skip Tooth

Fine tooth blades are distinguished by the letter ‘F’ after the number, for example 4F, 7F, 10F. These blades will work beautifully for dogs whose coats are regularly clipped or brushed, however they will not work on a coat that is matted or very thick undercoat near the skin because the coat is just too thick for the blade to cut through.

We do not use skip tooth blades for cat grooming because the teeth are spaced a little too wide especially for cat grooming. The purpose of these blades is to cut through coats that may be matted, tangled, or very thick and is usually used for dog grooming.

Types of Blades

Clipper Blade Edgings

• Grooming clipper blades also come in a variety of ‘edgings’ designed for different outcomes.

• Ultra Edge Blades – are made of carbon-infused steel which offer harder cutting surfaces and helps extend the life of the blade.
• Ceramic Edge Blades – are made from high-grade ceramic. These are supposed to stay sharper for a lot longer than the steel edged blades and also are designed to resist heat so the blade remains cooler and is more comfortable for the pet.
• Show Edge Blades – these are designed to create the smoothest possible finish on the coat of the dog, leaving no tracks in the hair. These would be specifically used on dogs who are competing in the show ring.
  

We use Ceramic Edge blades for cat grooming to cater as much as possible to their comfort level.

Blades for Cat Grooming

• #30 and #10 blades have teeth that are very close together, which minimises the risk. 
  

• However, the #10 blade is a little bit safer than the #30 because there’s a bigger gap between the tip of the cutter teeth and the tip of the guide teeth.
  

• #10 (1.8mm) - Lion Cut, Dematting
  
• #30 / #40 (0.5mm) - Paw pads
  

Because of the nature of a cat’s skin, we only use a blade #10 for shaving anywhere on the body. For paw pads, we can use either a #30 or #40. 

Lengths

Blades

• Blade 40 - 0.25mm
  
• Blade 30 - 0.5mm
  
• Blade 10 - 1.5mm
  
• Blade 7FC - 3.2mm
  
• Blade 5FC - 6.3mm

Attachment Combs

• Red - 3mm
• Dark Purple - 6mm
• Dark Blue - 10mm
• Orange - 13mm
• Yellow - 16mm
• Light Purple - 19mm
• Green - 22mm
• Light Blue - 25mm

Shaving Techniques

• Keep the tip of the blade down against the skin and hold the back up at an angle. The shorter the blade, the bigger the angle. Do not allow the blade to skip along the skin. 
  

• Shave in the direction of hair growth, do not go in the opposite direction
  

• Always pull skin taut to allow the blade to travel smoothly in whatever area you are working when shaving and never run it parallel to a fold or roll
  

• Shave outwards 
  

Areas to take to note of when shaving:

• Armpits
  
• Sanitary Area
  
• Tuck up
  
• Matted areas as the skin can sometimes be caught inside the matt
  

Cat’s skin is extremely thin, so the skin can easily roll in between the teeth and cause severe gashes which may result in the cat needing stitches. Do not shave if you are uncertain if the skin is taut and flat.

Clipper Safety

• Be sure your clipper blades are sharp. Dull clippers pull hair more.

• Always use clipper coolant on your blades to keep them from getting too warm and burning the cat. Frequently turn your clippers off and touch them to make sure they're not too hot. If they become too warm, simply spray on the coolant.

• Alternatively, switch blades and let the hot ones cool down.

• Turn off the clipper when not in use.

• Make sure that the clippers are working properly and that the blades are sharp.

Clipper blades can become extremely hot, especially when you use them for a long time and you may burn the skin. Make sure that you wipe off any excess lubricant, or you'll end up getting oil all over the clean coat.

Routinely touch the blade you are using to make sure that it is not too hot to the touch. A hot blade can and will blade burn and is very uncomfortable and hurts.

Never have your clipper motor running while you are putting a blade on or taking it off. Always make sure your clippers are switched off. Leaving the clippers running and putting the blades on or off will ruin the motor in your clippers. The blade should just slot on the end of the clip area and then snap into place. You will need to line up the space on the blade with the hook on the clippers so it snaps into place properly. If you have trouble you may just need to adjust the top slide of the blade until it lines up.

If the blades are blunt you will notice that they don’t cut through the fur. This is when they will need to be sharpened.

Blade Care

• It is important to regularly maintain the clipper blades and keep them clean

• If they are not cleaned regularly, the dirt and fur remains in them and if they are used again in that condition this will cause them to go blunt quicker. 

• Andis Blade Care Plus Dip Jar is formulated to cool, clean and lubricate plus prevents rust and decontaminates clipper blades. Just dip clipper blades into the jar to rinse away hair and other residue.
  

Clean blades will require less sharpening. The more sharpening that is done, the shorter life-span they have.

Clipper Combs / Blade Attachments

• Clipper combs are attachments and work in conjunction with a short blade to produce a longer coat length. We use a #30 before attaching the comb.

• Do note that these comb attachments do not work on a tangled or ungroomed coat with excessive undercoat trapped.
  

You will need to remember the colours and lengths of the attachments so that you can groom quickly and effectively.

You can also use a blade #10 before the attachments, but do note that the length of fur left will be slightly longer than using a blade #30.

Scissoring

It is of great importance that you take correct hand and body posture during the grooming. 

Take the scissors with thumb and ring finger and keep the wrist straight. The shears should lay gently in the hand and there should be no stress in the fingers. The fingers lie lightly around the scissors.

Scissoring

Scissoring

Scissoring Technique

• Don’t put your fingers very far into the holes. The pads of your fingers should be what’s touching the metal
  

•  Open and close them fully in order to use the full length of the shear and ensure a smoother cut

• Use the entire length of the shear, not just the tips
  

• Don’t pat or bounce. Stay level and straight as you move along
  

An important factor in correct ergonomics is how you hold your shears, which will also help your scissor work. It’s simple: stay relaxed. Hold your hand out as though you were going to shake someone’s hand, but with the fingers relaxed. Your wrist is straight, your thumb is naturally about opposite to your fingers and your wrist is not stiff

Correct Body Posture

• Not only is the posture of the hand and fingers essential, but also the body posture

• It is recommended not to bend the wrist too much and to keep the back as straight as possible. You can bend your knees a little bit and tilt the pelvis slightly

• If you hold the scissors correctly and provide a loose, straight wrist, the forearm and elbow will also be less stressed. The shoulders must be kept down and relaxed. This is the only way you will be able to continue practising the job for a long time without having injuries

Types of Scissors

• Straight
• Curve
• Short Curve 
• Straight Fishbone
• Curved Fishbone
• Straight Thinning
• Curved Thinning

Depending on the type of finish or shape that you would like to achieve, the type of scissors used will be different.

Straight and curved scissors are good for:

Snipping excess hair that you want to get rid off swiftly

Trimming paws round without too much handling of the paws, as compared to blending scissors

Blenders are good for:

Modifying any holes unexpectedly taken out with your other scissors or blades.

Limiting the inevitable missing mass of hair on a fidgety cat.

Trimming areas, such as the face, wherein you’re not sure exactly how much hair you really want to take out.

Creating and giving a natural, blended look

Types of Scissors

Depending on the type of finish or shape that you would like to achieve, the type of scissors used will be different.

Straight and curved scissors are good for:

Snipping excess hair that you want to get rid off swiftly

Trimming paws round without too much handling of the paws, as compared to blending scissors

Blenders are good for:

Modifying any holes unexpectedly taken out with your other scissors or blades.

Limiting the inevitable missing mass of hair on a fidgety cat.

Trimming areas, such as the face, wherein you’re not sure exactly how much hair you really want to take out.

Creating and giving a natural, blended look

Types of Scissors

Depending on the type of finish or shape that you would like to achieve, the type of scissors used will be different.

Straight and curved scissors are good for:

Snipping excess hair that you want to get rid off swiftly

Trimming paws round without too much handling of the paws, as compared to blending scissors

Blenders are good for:

Modifying any holes unexpectedly taken out with your other scissors or blades.

Limiting the inevitable missing mass of hair on a fidgety cat.

Trimming areas, such as the face, wherein you’re not sure exactly how much hair you really want to take out.

Creating and giving a natural, blended look

Hand Scissoring vs Clippers

The Hand Scissoring technique is the most preferred method by our groomers even though it is more time-consuming. It gives a much nicer and smoother finish compared to using ordinary clipper work giving us an opportunity to customise the style according to client requirements as we are doing it manually.

Using clippers is quick in cutting the bulk of the hair off. It’s effective in achieving a blended and smooth finish if used on a well-prepared coat.

The hand scissoring method gives better control to style the coat, do corrections and balancing the cut. The trim will also last much longer if you master the art of hand scissoring.

Some cats are very sensitive to the sound of the clipper so being able to gauge when to use clippers and scissoring is important.

Taking Care of Your Scissors

A groomer is only as good as their skills, and ensuring that your scissoring technique is up to par will prove instrumental in your success as a groomer. 

Scissor work also engages the creative part of our craft and improves our skills. The two most important factors in perfecting scissor work are knowing the correct technique and having good tools.

• Good Scisoring Habits
  
• Selecting the right tools
  
• Don’t lend them out
  

Using good scissoring habits will also extend the lifespan of the shears. For example, using too much pressure can quickly dull fine blades, as well as put unnecessary stress on one’s hands. If your shears are cutting a little dull, send them to be sharpened sooner rather than later.

Selecting good tools has to be less about price and more about personal preference. Pick the right shears for you. Everyone’s hands are different, and using shears you are comfortable with is crucial in improving your scissor work.

To extend the life of your good scissors, don’t lend them out. Everyone holds the scissors differently and they will vary in the pressure they use, causing the shear to wear quicker and may feel different when you get them back.

What are the 3 types of blade edgings?

State the blade no. used for a sanitary trim and its length

When you should you check if a blade gets to hot?

What should you do if the blade gets too hot?

What blade should you use with an attachment comb?

Which scissors should you use to blend out a harsh line during the haircut?

How often should you care for your blades and scissors and how do you do so?

What are you not supposed to use to clean your metal tools?