Clip On Clippers

[Helen]

As usual, I'm again pondering upgrading my clippers to some "real" ones instead of these generic ones I got at Petsmart years ago.  The more I work on Poco, the more I am eager to do! 

We've advanced to the point where I can shave his feeties almost perfectly!  I'm still astounded at the amount of hair that hides in those feet, but I'm getting better (and braver) at shaving it out with the corners of the clippers.  We're still working on his nails.. dremmelling them a little bit several times each week and slowly bring them back.  I'm still nervous about the quicks, so I just do a little each time.  When it finally gets to where I can SEE the quick beginning to appear, then I'll know how it looks and it won't be such a Process after that!  But it's nice to have them smooth now and getting shorter as we go along.

Anyhoo, I still go look at clippers online and try to decide what I want.  I think cordless ones would be great, although that's not the number one requirement.

What I DO want is to be able to change out the blades very quickly and easily.  Aren't there some that the blades just snap into place?  I hate fussing with the darned screws and find myself putting it off as long as possible. 

I also want quiet ones, and not too heavy.  I tend to fumble things and don't want to drop the clippers as I'm grooming.

This is so fun now.  Every night I brush parts of Poco as he lays next to me on the couch while we watch TV together.  My wrists are getting stronger (woohoo) and I'm able to brush him for longer periods of time.  I'm really starting to see myself as eventually being able to do ALL of his grooming myself! 

Helen

[zefi]

Helen, I only have some small rechargeable clippers with screw on blades. The others I've seen also have screw on blades but maybe someone else knows of rechargeables with clip ons?

I highly recommend the Wahl MkII clippers. They are corded (not cordless) but are quieter than some others, easy to hold and not heavy. They have a cute ergonomic shape and take the same blades as Osters that clip on and off. Wahl's also have a release button to help unlock the blades, unlike some brands where you have to wrench the blades off.

Congratulations on your acheivements girl!!! and dont worry so much about the quick on the nail... I'm sure Poco will pull away if you get too close!

[Lesly]

Hey Helen,  good for you!  I'm a self-taught groomer and have come to love doing it!  I first started doing FFT with a cordless Wahl Arco.  I love it - stays cool for slow beginners <grin> and light weight, easy to handle.  Then I went for it and bought my Andis UltraEdge 2 speed, so I could do the whole dog!  Having 2 Standard Poodles, it was spendy taking them to the groomer every 4 weeks. 

The cordless Arco ran about $118 through PetEdge and KvVet Supply online, and the Andis UltraEdge 2 speed were $124.  Well worth the investment when you consider it was costing me $180-200 every month!  Yikes!

Lesly

[Helen]

I wonder why this thing never told me you guys wrote back!  arghhhhh....

Thanks for taking the time!

I haven't bought them yet, but it's still uppermost in my mind.  I thought I had the money to spend, but then had to use it for something else.  So I'm still dreaming about getting new clippers.

I'm taking all your advice very much to heart.  I really appreciate it!   Everytime I tell my husband I'm going to buy new clippers and do the dogs completely myself, he schedules the groomer!  Methinks he doesn't trust me.      But I'm getting pretty frustrated.  Poco was AGAIN shaved practically bald even though I TOLD the lady to leave his legs fluffy.  I know he wasn't matted.  I've been very faithful about brushing him.  I don't know why she cut all his hair off.  He looks like a skinny deer. 

Helen

[zefi]

Helen, I havent been getting messages either. Must point it out to Michael to see whats been going on. I thought my own settings had been changed somehow but if its happening to you it means its more global.

[Neo]

i only use the oster's

the Oster Finisher is great! but you still have to screw the blades on, the A5 i just snap them innto place. (but its not a small machine)
I dont think the finisher gets as hot as the A5

[Helen]

oo.. I googled the finisher, Neo.  That looks cool!  So it's the A5 that snaps on?  That just seems so handy!  A barber friend was showing me how those kind of blades work. 

[Neo]

the oster is great! I would by them again

[Lesly]

But I'm getting pretty frustrated.  Poco was AGAIN shaved practically bald even though I TOLD the lady to leave his legs fluffy.  I know he wasn't matted.  I've been very faithful about brushing him.  I don't know why she cut all his hair off.  He looks like a skinny deer.

 

I had better luck when I told the groomer what blade to use on the body, and to scissor the legs (I started scissoring the legs myself, and told her to not touch the legs at all)!  They charge more for scissoring, too.  You could tell your groomer to just shave the feet, and clip the body, but to leave the leg hair.  If you scissor the legs, be sure to do it vertically . . .or it'll be horrible!   

Lesly



 

[Michael]

Anything that says it takes A5 blades will have snap-on blades. That type (A5 blades) have become pretty much the standard....Andis, Wahl, Oster, others in the pro field all use them. Some of the cordless, specialty clippers may not....so you have to poke around. I have two A5s, and without a poodle for months now, haven't been in the market for clippers, so not up the latest. The A5 style does require two hands.....there's a button you push to "release" the blade and then you can pull the one out, slide the new one in, and click it down. It sometimes helps to actually have the clippers running when you do this....because the blades may not be in sync with the motor bar when you slide the new one in and you may have to resnap the blade in again anyway. I usually shut mine off, swap blades, but turn the clipper back on before snapping the new one down....then it almost always catches nicely and I can get right back to work.

There are lots of choices out there for clippers these days, so it's not as easy to decide, but most hold their value pretty well...the pro ones at least....so even if you didn't like what you got and wanted something else, you could probably put it on ebay and get most your money back and buy what you then found you preferred. Roughly you could get a good set of clippers $100 to $150, and then buy the blades you want/need. You could probably get what you need for less than $200....maybe even $100 or less if you are a more diligent shopper! It's a great investment....and you'll have them from here on out. You've gotten your feet wet with the lower end clippers....so it sounds like you're more than ready for real good clippers now! Go for it....I gather you'll be glad you did. But feel free to keep asking any questions and we'll help as we can.