# LowDown on Clippers?



## Kaiser (Jan 12, 2016)

So, I am a complete newbie when it comes to clippers. The breeder recommended the Wahl Bravura clippers... anyone have experience with these?

Also, are the numbers for the blades of different clippers standardized? For instance, will a #10 blade with a Wahl clipper give me the same length as a #10 with an Andis blade? I've heard people say to use a 10 on the face, and I've heard people say to use a 30 on the face, both saying you will get a close shave. I'm thoroughly confused :hmmmm2: 

What's the purpose of guards if there are different sized clippers? 

Roughly how much hair will each size blade leave? If you have pics and what size you used, that's Awesome!


Oh wise hand-crafting artisan groomers, share thy knowledge with us whose clipper smarts amount to almost zero :adore:


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I have Wahl Bravura and like them very much. Generally the lower the number the longer the coat will be and the higher the number the closer to the skin you will be with the blade. Combs are used when you want to skim out a coat longer than there is a blade for (pretty much anything longer than 1/4 to 1/2 and inch).

In terms of some of your other questions you can do a search here and there are plenty of descriptions on techniques and also YouTube has lots of videos.

Make sure you don't stress your dog out and it will all be good even if you don't like your first few attempts. It is hair and it will grow faster than you can imagine.


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## Caddy (Nov 23, 2014)

I second wahl bravura, they are great clippers. I first bought an andis and then went to the wahl, love them. I'm just a home groomer, no where near professional so the closet shave I'm comfortable with on the face is a fifteen blade and drop to 9 or 10 around her eyes. There are some really good videos here, I've watched them over and over.


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## Kaiser (Jan 12, 2016)

Thank you Lily, that comb comment was helpful. I've watched a bunch of youtube videos and it seems like the more I watch, the more questions I have lol 

So comb attachments go on the lowest number blades then, gotcha. 


I believe that this is a poodle forum member's lovely dog:









What size blade would be needed to achieve this?


And what about ear hair, does that _have_ to be plucked or can that be clipped too? I've heard it both ways, but idk which is best.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I use a comb with the blade set at a 30 to cut close.

I can't say for sure about how that dog was done, hopefully someone else will be able to comment.

As far as ear hair goes, I pluck and can't imagine how you could clip it. Use powder so you can get a decent hold of a little bit at a time.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Love my Bravuras, love them even more with the stainless steel combs attached . Here's a blade height chart that might be of interest (opens a pdf):
http://groomwise.typepad.com/northern_tails_sharpening/Clipper Blade Cutting Height.pdf .

Took me as a newbie forever to find out how to tell what blade setting I was using, so will share here what Wahl told me. People say left is x, right is y, but depending on how I'm using the clippers, left and right change . Wahl said the single notch is the 40 blade and the three notch setting is the 9.

I usually use the 30 or the 15 blade setting under my combs. Just wish Wahl offered one more comb leaving longer length than 1".


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## Kaiser (Jan 12, 2016)

That table was exactly what I needed  I've started shaving my husband's beard because he clips his with clippers. I figured this might give me a leg up because I had never held clippers before lol He's happy to sit still while I get the hang of things, unlike wiggly puppies


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

On ear hair, I do not often pluck my guy's, but have done so gently a couple times when it seemed too copious. More often blunt end scissors and gentle snipping. But he's a Toy, so for Standards I can see it being quite different.


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## Deblakeside (Oct 2, 2015)

*b*

Kaiser, I laughed so hard when you said you were practicing on your husband's beard! Too funny! I've been learning to clip my toy since I got him in June. He was one year old then. I'm no expert- but maybe I can help you from making some of the mistakes I've made. First, take these poster's advice on clippers. I bought cheaper Wahl clippers, and it seems like it takes forever to clip Billy - and he only weighs 5 lbs! It would never work on a mpoo or a spoo! I'm saving up now to replace it, probably with the Bravura. Second, and I did this because pf-ers recommended it- I groomed him once a week for a very short period of time. Started with ten minutes and worked my way up to 30 minutes. I got him used to the clippers by turning it on so he got used to the sound. I did this a few weeks in a row before I ever tried to clip him. Then I just did a little bit- like two front feet. I didn't do his face for months. I still haven't been able to do his whole face with clippers. Billy gets nervous and has even snapped at the clippers, at that point I finish with scissors. And, get yourself a decent set of scissors. I tried finishing with the safety round end scissors I bought to do around his face and gave myself a good blister!


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