# What blade size for face and feet



## gwtwmum2

Personally, I like a good clean shave - so #30 or so. I have had it done with a #10 but with my spoos it just doesn't give them a clean look for very long at all. I'm not sure about the minis or toy poodles.


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## highhorse

I use a 40s blade on Inca and Coco. Inca looks bald for a day but by day 2, she is back to being black but with a very close shave and a lovely neat face. Coco, I do with the same blade as if I leave her longer, she looks like a little old woman. 40 also gets rid of any eye stains.


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## WonderPup

Unless you've shaved a face before you don't need to be using anything other than a 10 blade maybe a #15. Save the 30's and 40's for when you know what you're doing. I saw a lovely little poodle today who's mother had butchered with a 40 blade at the advice from somebody on a FORUM! She figured that because she's groomed her shihtzu mix she could probably handle the blade and clippers well enough to use to 40 blade when it was suggested. I was sooo angry I could hardly speak, ended up sending her to the vet. You can do some serious damage with any blade but a 10 is a good learning blade. 

If you have shaved faces before then great, use a 10 or shorter. One of my girls cannot tolerate a 40 on the face, horrid clipper burn every time so I do a #15. On my darker girl Saleen I've been using a #30 with little trouble. I've read that a lot of lighter colored dogs can't take some of the shorter blades so I guess Jazz is normal. I do usualy do them every week though. It seems that with the shorter blades the longer you wait between clipping the higher the risk of irritation, just a personal observation.


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## Mandycasey'smom

I use a 10 on both my guys but for some reason a 30 was on my clippers and I looked to see it was the short one but not that it was a 10 or 30 Mandy's neck is sore now and I have been putting bag balm on it. I am going out Sat with them so I rebathed her then wrapped her neck so she is not scratching it and will NEVER use a 30 again. I bought it to use with a guide comb not to do their faces


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## Aidan

I agree use a 10 blade while you are learning how to do it properly and maybe even have a groomer show you with a 40 blade first as far as how to hold the blade so that you don't hurt your dog. When you have a blade that close to eyes, mouth, nose, etc... being careful is more important than getting that perfect look.

I was terrified to doing face/feet with anything other than a 10 and I worked in a grooming shop for awhile before grooming.

I am still cautious about doing it on clients dogs but I do a 40 blade on my own. I sometimes do a 30 on Dodger's face because she jerks randomly while being shaved and Im afraid about nicking her.


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## jester's mom

I also concur completely that a #10 till you are used to doing the clipping would be best. I used a #30 for the first time today and used clippers with a #10 when I showed Britany's before, and have been using the clippers for months now in grooming our poodles. We just brought Billy to a show today and this is the first time I used the #30 and I can tell you, I was very careful as I have seen the damage it can do to the poor dog if used wrong. The #30 & #40 are referred to as surgical blades because vets use them to clip areas for surgery.


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## Myleen

WonderPup said:


> Unless you've shaved a face before you don't need to be using anything other than a 10 blade maybe a #15. Save the 30's and 40's for when you know what you're doing. I saw a lovely little poodle today who's mother had butchered with a 40 blade at the advice from somebody on a FORUM! She figured that because she's groomed her shihtzu mix she could probably handle the blade and clippers well enough to use to 40 blade when it was suggested. I was sooo angry I could hardly speak, ended up sending her to the vet. You can do some serious damage with any blade but a 10 is a good learning blade.
> 
> If you have shaved faces before then great, use a 10 or shorter. One of my girls cannot tolerate a 40 on the face, horrid clipper burn every time so I do a #15. On my darker girl Saleen I've been using a #30 with little trouble. I've read that a lot of lighter colored dogs can't take some of the shorter blades so I guess Jazz is normal. I do usually do them every week though. It seems that with the shorter blades the longer you wait between clipping the higher the risk of irritation, just a personal observation.


Thank you very much!


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## Quossum

I use a 30 on the feet and a 15 on the face. 

A 30 can be used on the face, too, but you need to be proficient with the blade and the dog needs to get their skin "toughened up" if you will to that close a shave. For me (competent home groomer, dog with black face / head), the 15 is plenty close enough for the face.

--Q


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## lily cd re

I do a 30 for face and feet.


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## Myleen

Quossum said:


> I use a 30 on the feet and a 15 on the face.
> 
> A 30 can be used on the face, too, but you need to be proficient with the blade and the dog needs to get their skin "toughened up" if you will to that close a shave. For me (competent home groomer, dog with black face / head), the 15 is plenty close enough for the face.
> 
> --Q


Thank you ... I have YET to do my _first_ trial run at it. :scared: Novice, newbie here. I'm sure it will take a couple years before I am ok at it.


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## Tiny Poodles

I never will understand why people are afraid of the higher numbers. It is the lower numbers that have the teeth further apart and are more likely to catch the skin. As long as you make sure a 30-40 stays cool, glide over the skin with a swift, smooth movement ( no pressing down, no going over and over the same spot), it is the safest thing that you can use on your poodle.


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## shellbeme

I have a 10 but I'm not happy with the results. Due to the suggestions on here I think I am going to try to invest in a 30.


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## itzmeigh

While I am my sister's (Quossum) clone in every way, we disagree about shaving faces and poodle beards! Hehe

I like a 30 on the face and feet. I'm not afraid of the 40 for either.

I'm sorta like Toy Poodle. The 30 blade really isn't that much more "dangerous" than the lower numbers. You just have to be sure you aren't letting it get too hot. 

But for someone just starting out who's going to working a bit slower and less confident it really is best to get comfortable with the 10 or 15 blade first (no way could I shave Hazel's face with a 10! It would look like I never shave her! Personally I would bother with a 10 on the face. Go with at least a 15, otherwise you might not be able to tell you shaved it.)

I sometimes I like to break Hazel's grooming into 2 sessions so I try to go as short as I can so the trim lasts longer. I'll shave her face and feet at one bath and then in 2 weeks at the next bath I shave her body. With a 30 on "Face Day" when we get to "body day" her face is grown out to about what a 15 blade would look like and still looks nice. 

Another tip is to start with the face. It is the most sensitive area and the clippers will be their coolest. Shave the face and then move on to the less sensitive areas. I always shave her face first. 

I also like to keep cooling spray on hand. And remember to keep your blades well oiled and clean. Clean well lubricanted clippers won't heat up as fast. 

Use the inside of your wrist to test the heat of the blade. Watch your pup, if the blade is getting beyond what they are comfortable with they will become squirmy or will pull their feet away. If they have been being still and start pulling away it is a good sign to check and see hot hot your blade is. 


Way way back when I had my toy poodle he did have very sensitive cheeks and I had to be very careful not to burn him so I learned to really pay attention to what I was doing.


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## Malasarus

Tiny Poodles said:


> I never will understand why people are afraid of the higher numbers. It is the lower numbers that have the teeth further apart and are more likely to catch the skin. As long as you make sure a 30-40 stays cool, glide over the skin with a swift, smooth movement ( no pressing down, no going over and over the same spot), it is the safest thing that you can use on your poodle.


Quite true. I generally recommend people use the highest number their dog's face can tolerate. If it's a dog who hasn't been shaved before, use a #10. Then gradually bump it up until you're using a #30 or #40. Black dogs tend to take high numbers easier/faster than white dogs. But the high numbers are the safest blades out there, by far, as long as the dog's skin has had time to adjust to it.


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## Kassie

This is great info. Thank you!


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