# Seeking Velvety Finish for the body



## Moni (May 8, 2018)

So I have a Bravura - 5 in 1 fine blade - with both the plastic combs it comes with and a nice set of steel combs.
None of the settings gives me the velvety finish I am looking for for his body.
Doing some digging on here I found that what I might need for that is a #9 blade - but I am not sure.
The 5 in 1 gives me a naked chicken look on the coursest setting (he is sporting that right now in patches - don't even ask...) and the shortest comb (the red one) gives me too much hair. Since I have resigned to keeping him really short on the body I would like to achieve the velvety finish but can't seem to make that happen...Advice?
Do I just buy the #9 blade and switch on to the Bravura?


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I would use just the Bravura blade at its longest setting which is a 10. Make sure you do a good fluff dry and you will have velvet.


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## Moni (May 8, 2018)

Did that - used the Bravura on the longest setting but that gives me a bald look not velvety at all! So I stopped - he now looks partially bald. (argh!!) btw it upsets only me - nobody else seems to notice it. Weird! Granted his hair is really weird right now - everything I said about Poodle Hair being so care free I take it back!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Hmm I am not sure you can put a 9 blade on a Bravura. I also think the 10 setting leaves a decent amount of hair. If you have an Andis you could try a 9 or even a 7 perhaps. Hopefully one of the "real" groomers will weigh in.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I think the key to a beautiful velvet finish is perfectly blown dry hair. If the hair has any curl, especially when you clip or trim, you won’t get a smooth finish. Also sharp blades and the right blade. I have never had any success with the combs whether steel or metal but that could just be my lack of experience and technique. 

You can get a velvety finish at any length if you blow dry straight.

I too didn’t realize you could put other types of blades on the bravura, I thought you were limited to the multiblade. 

I’ve been using a 5 FC on Babykins using the Andis clipper. It’s short but has a little length so you don’t feel she’s bald on her body.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Skyar I agree with you about the importance of a good fluff dry. I meant to reemphasize that above.


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## Moni (May 8, 2018)

Skylar said:


> I think the key to a beautiful velvet finish is perfectly blown dry hair. If the hair has any curl, especially when you clip or trim, you won’t get a smooth finish. Also sharp blades and the right blade. I have never had any success with the combs whether steel or metal but that could just be my lack of experience and technique.
> 
> You can get a velvety finish at any length if you blow dry straight.
> 
> ...


He has very little to no curl on his body right now. I may be going crazy here but before coat change his hair was starting to curl - then the matts started so I went super short and now his coat has less curl. But it also changes between clipping - his texture is all over the place right now...generally quite soft so I thought the velvet finish was doable.


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## Raven's Mom (Mar 18, 2014)

I agree with Skylar, the 5f is good general length. Short but not bald looking. I also have a 3 3/4 which I use in the inter but it leaves enough hair to curl and doesn’t look as velvety. I use the 7f in the summer for her Miami and love that “crushed velvet” look.


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## Curlydogs (Jun 28, 2010)

I use a 5F or 7F for body and find that the finishing blades give the nice velvet look.


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## Asta's Mom (Aug 20, 2014)

I too, use a 5F most of the time -tho the last time I used a 7F - I am glad it has grown out a bit now. Can't help with the velvet finish - Asta always has that dense curly look.


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## Moni (May 8, 2018)

Raven's Mom said:


> I agree with Skylar, the 5f is good general length. Short but not bald looking. I also have a 3 3/4 which I use in the inter but it leaves enough hair to curl and doesn’t look as velvety. I use the 7f in the summer for her Miami and love that “crushed velvet” look.


Any idea what the 7F would be for a Bravura? Generally quite happy with then Bravura just think I need a new blade. What is the millimeter or inches length it leaves on the hair?


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I don't think you can get other blades for the Bravura, just the 5-in-1, which ranges from the equivalent of 10 to the equivalent of 40 - that seems to be the case in the UK, at least. The other sized blades are for Oster and Andis and similar clippers. You could try cutting him longer and scissoring, perhaps? Otherwise, if the combs don't give the effect you want, it looks as if you may need another clipper for his body, and reserve the Bravura for FFT.

eta - There is a course cut blade sold for trimming horses, with a maximum length of number 9/3mm, but I suspect a coarse cut would not give the velvet finish you want, even if 3mm were long enough.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

fjm you are right about the 5 in 1 being the only blade for the Bravura. that is true around the world! One thing I will say is I like the black diamond blade for its ability to stay nice and cool.


The other blades being discussed (3 3/4, 5 and 7) are not going to fit a Bravura, just something like a corded Andis.


Moni maybe you are still seeing coat change going on and that is why you feel like you aren't seeing the effect you want from clipping. Whether or not that is so shouldn't matter too much if you are doing a really good fluff dry to straighten Louie's coat.


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## Moni (May 8, 2018)

Definitely still fighting with coat change and he has it bad! Coupled with my grooming inadequacy it is just a perfect storm. However I look on the bright side and think once we are through this I will have seen any kind of matt and faced any kind of grooming challenge. Back to the Bravura - so there are fixed blades for it - several actually - fixed as in not 5 in 1. So what I am looking for is which size fixed blade would give me the finished hair length of a 7? Maybe there is such a thing. Right now combs leave him to long and widest comb setting on the 5 in 1 leaves him too naked.. 
This is the fixed blade I mean: https://www.amazon.com/Wahl-Profess...&qid=1550099813&sr=8-7&keywords=bravura+blade


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Moni said:


> Definitely still fighting with coat change and he has it bad! Coupled with my grooming inadequacy it is just a perfect storm. However I look on the bright side and think once we are through this I will have seen any kind of matt and faced any kind of grooming challenge. Back to the Bravura - so there are fixed blades for it - several actually - fixed as in not 5 in 1. So what I am looking for is which size fixed blade would give me the finished hair length of a 7? Maybe there is such a thing. Right now combs leave him to long and widest comb setting on the 5 in 1 leaves him too naked..
> This is the fixed blade I mean: https://www.amazon.com/Wahl-Profess...&qid=1550099813&sr=8-7&keywords=bravura+blade


i didn’t know they made a non adjustable fixed blade for the bravura. I went to wahl’s website as well as looked over amazon and it seems they only make a 10 which is not what you want for a velvet finish. 

I use a heavy duty corded Andis which has many blade choices. The bravura can’t get through my dog’s coat so i only use mine for face and sanitary.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Actually the 5in1 blade's settings, reading from the very far left are 9, 10, 15, 30, 40. 
Like mentioned earlier, the key to using combs for a longer clip is in the ability to blow out the curls with an high velocity dryer........the coat needs to be really straight. There are a few Utube videos on how to clip with comb attachments.....Here's one:
https://youtu.be/mj2Y6OeczaU


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

MollyMuiMa is exactly correct on the blade lengths for the Bravura. The only fixed, non-adjustable blade for that clipper is a 10 blade, which is one of the lengths already on your adjustable blade. She is also correct about needing really straight hair to get correct finish on the hair with your clipper.

If you don't use a high velocity dryer to dry your kiddo I recommend the Shelandy dryer from Amazon. It's inexpensive but really does a great job! It makes a huge difference on the coat finish. I get Poppy mostly dry with the dryer and use a slicker brush as I finish drying. This gets the coat really straight before clipping.

Coat change is miserable. The clippers with the combs on them can get all jammed up in the hair while clipping, even if you have thoroughly dried,brushed and combed out the hair. When the coat change is over then it is easier to get a good finish without hair jamming up in the clipper.

I am going through a second, adult coat change with Poppy and she is nearly 3 yrs old, so I know what you are going through, although she is a standard so we have more body size to deal with. 

This is unusual for a poodle to have a second complete coat change, but she is changing from black to blue so here we are again with the miserable hair cutting. You are right. . . A 10 or 9 blade will give you an extremely short cut. 

Most of the time I cut her down to 1/4", the purple metal comb, as I like that length for summer. I use the tan comb, 1/2", for her legs to make them a bit more fluffy and less skinny looking.

In the winter I do her body and legs with the tan metal comb for 1/2". 

For doing feet I use the #30 setting on the adjustable blade and for the face I use the #10 setting.

Be patient on the coat change and try an hv dryer if you don't already use one.


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## Moni (May 8, 2018)

"Coat change is miserable. The clippers with the combs on them can get all jammed up in the hair while clipping, even if you have thoroughly dried,brushed and combed out the hair. When the coat change is over then it is easier to get a good finish without hair jamming up in the clipper."
VikingQueen This exactly what I am going through! And I have been so confused because I thought it may be my brushing that is at fault, but quite frankly there is no way I could brush him any more diligently or gently. With a comb and a slicker. Also the need to keep him short leads to him in coats more often than I would like, with our Polar winter here in NY - so that again promotes matting. 
The fixed blades I found for the Bravura are in a #10 and a #45 - those seem to be both wrong for what I want to accomplish...I don't have HV dryer so that may be a part of the problem. I have a nice handheld and I get him almost completely dry before clipping but it was my understanding, maybe completely wrong here, that you want a tiny bit of wet for the clipper to work better? Don't know where I picked that up. So not sopping wet but dry mostly and sightly damp to the touch for clipping? Maybe that is part of the problem as well. I am getting quite comfortable with scissoring - so the head and legs are not even such a challenge for me. It is funny as can be that he falls asleep the moment I start scissoring - he leans over like the tower of Pisa. Would shoot a video if I had a spare arm..


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

Moni said:


> "Coat change is miserable. The clippers with the combs on them can get all jammed up in the hair while clipping, even if you have thoroughly dried,brushed and combed out the hair. When the coat change is over then it is easier to get a good finish without hair jamming up in the clipper."
> VikingQueen This exactly what I am going through! And I have been so confused because I thought it may be my brushing that is at fault, but quite frankly there is no way I could brush him any more diligently or gently. With a comb and a slicker. Also the need to keep him short leads to him in coats more often than I would like, with our Polar winter here in NY - so that again promotes matting.
> The fixed blades I found for the Bravura are in a #10 and a #45 - those seem to be both wrong for what I want to accomplish...I don't have HV dryer so that may be a part of the problem. I have a nice handheld and I get him almost completely dry before clipping but it was my understanding, maybe completely wrong here, that you want a tiny bit of wet for the clipper to work better? Don't know where I picked that up. So not sopping wet but dry mostly and sightly damp to the touch for clipping? Maybe that is part of the problem as well. I am getting quite comfortable with scissoring - so the head and legs are not even such a challenge for me. It is funny as can be that he falls asleep the moment I start scissoring - he leans over like the tower of Pisa. Would shoot a video if I had a spare arm..


Well, I do understand your frustrations. Have had some of those myslf.
The coat needs to be completely dry and straight for the clippers to work properly. Also, make sure you are properly oiling and cleaning out your blade and clippers, especially since you have used it on damp hair. Don't want the blades rusting and they work better when properly oiled and all the hair gets cleaned out. I went many many years without an hv dryer, mostly believing I needed an expensive one for it to work right.....WRONG. The Shelandy dryer from Amazon was a game changer and it's $70, such a bargain. Use it with or without heat and has a variable speed for the velocity. I only ever use it on the lowest setting. I can wash and completely dry Poppy, a standard, in an hour. I use the slicker brush as I dry to help straighten the hair for proper clipping. I usually wash and dry her one evening and clip her the next morning as I get too tired and sore doing it all at once. 

Here is a screen shot of the dryer, if you are considering one.


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## Moni (May 8, 2018)

Definitely will acquire one of these dryers! Especially since my husband stole the Poodle's special hand held dryer when he realized it is the best dryer in the house. ;-)


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## Moni (May 8, 2018)

Success success success! All of you who took the time to answer me - big hug and thank you so much for your recommendations. I bought the dryer (thank you Viking Queen) it cuts my drying time into a third (if that!!) How did I ever live without it! And I took the plunge and bought a corded Andis - WOW what a difference. So impressions. I love both Bravuras for light shaping and doing feet and face! I love that I learned my moves on the Bravura - the cordless part and weight are awesome when you don't know what you are doing. The Andis is a whole different league of finish. I realize now that even though your Poodle is small they can still have a heavy coat! The texture I got yesterday just about blew me away. I agree with everyone who said the magic is in the drying even more than the clipping. One very happy Poodle home groomer here. I feel like the dryer and new clipper were my graduation present to myself for 1 year of brave home grooming and learning. Louie on the hand did not care for either of the new tools. Remember he is the guy who is so chill about grooming he falls asleep - but yesterday he was majorly worried about both appliances. I acknowledged his fears but I didn't give in and used it as an exercise to withstand a little discomfort. Obviously neither of the two things hurt him he was just expressing discomfort about new sounds, smells etc and I figured he could deal with it. The training we have been doing for a year now paid off. He made it through with minor protest and he looks awesome!


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## Newport (Jul 16, 2014)

Mono, thanks for sharing your journey. Just today i ordered the Shelandy dryer. I’m currently using an old Wahl clipper that may or may not be for pets. Who can remember after so many years. I’m seriously considering an Andis clipper. There are so many kinds, but I like the idea of having the blades I want to get the look I want. Which style of Andis did you get?


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## Moni (May 8, 2018)

Newport said:


> Mono, thanks for sharing your journey. Just today i ordered the Shelandy dryer. I’m currently using an old Wahl clipper that may or may not be for pets. Who can remember after so many years. I’m seriously considering an Andis clipper. There are so many kinds, but I like the idea of having the blades I want to get the look I want. Which style of Andis did you get?


I went with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018KVHBM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Andis ProClip 2-Speed Detachable Blade Clipper, Professional Animal Grooming, AGC2, Black 

I LOVE it! I don't know who said it is like the Andis is a clipper and the cordless ones are merely trimmers. That is exactly how it works. The body is done with the Andis - after the miraculous blow-dry with the Shelandy (I am still using it without the attachments so it is a little less frightening for Louie) It takes a tenth of the time than a blow dryer. I can't wait to take this outside to the patio (where it should be less loud) it just has been too cold in NY. I still like the Bravura for the feet and face (I have both sizes) and get ready the Andis is really heavy comparatively.


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## Newport (Jul 16, 2014)

Well I'm looking forward to some good results for a change. It's past time I conquered home grooming! Having a good dryer and clippers that can get through the coat is a good place to start. I've been scissoring most things, and it takes way too long. Thanks for the clipper tip, Moni.


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## Moni (May 8, 2018)

Newport said:


> Well I'm looking forward to some good results for a change. It's past time I conquered home grooming! Having a good dryer and clippers that can get through the coat is a good place to start. I've been scissoring most things, and it takes way too long. Thanks for the clipper tip, Moni.


Forgot to mention you will need an additional blade with the andis clipper (for the right length of coat on the body) since the one it comes with is a 40 I think. I bought the 5FC for an additional $25 at Amazon - SOOO worth it! 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002CNTM8O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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