Skip Tooth Blades

[lisa]

Hi everyone, I am still new, been grooming for a year now. I was wondering if people are using skip tooth blades with their everyday grooms at all and what is the correct way to be using these. I was trained at a petsomething where all you are allowed to use is finish blades. Can you use these on a thick coated shave down and then follow with a finish blade? I'm not sure I have the right concept or not. I am no longer working for a petsomething and am in an independent shop on my own so I am now trying to learn all these things that I wasn't taught before. I also just want to thank all of you who post in these forums. I have already learned so much from all of you.

[furrybestjob]

I don't use them alot, but really like the outcome of using them when I do. I really like using them on schauzers, cockers and westies to give a more natural look. I only use them on broad areas, and wouldn't use them anywhere in tight spaces or around delicate areas. I know alot of people use them on badly matted dogs because they feed the hair through much easier, and then they use a finish blade after. I've personally never used them for dematting.

[Chicken]

I use them for getting thru really thick cocker fur, or some of those really thick spring shave down dogs. I like them a lot, you obviously just need to be more careful around the bony parts, and I don't use them on the belly.

[sheilabgroomer]

I also like mine to clip through the OAY dogs who are heavily coated and/or badly matted and on those who like to leave a little wave or natural look. Just be extra cautious w/them until you get used to them. I NEVER use mine on thin skinned dogs, that would be asking for trouble. I will also switch blades when I go down the hocks and on the throat area and the other "danger" spots. Don't be afraid to experiment w/them as they can be a valuable tool. They just need a litlle more caution when using them!

[Helly]

The one you have to be most careful with is the 7 skip. The teeth are short enough to make catching skin much more easy. Only use them on flat areas, like the back and sides and down the outer thigh and keep the skin pulled tight. And I'd never use them for a reverse trim.

You can skim down the flank, but be sure you're going straight down. Don't use them in the arm pit area at all, and don't use them on the belly. You could easily catch a nipple.

I mostly use them on terriers and cockers.

[Shei77]

OOoo I admit I use them just about anywhere I use a full tooth The only one I own is a #7 skip. I have used it to blend skirts, preclip the M.M. I borrow the others for a wavy look in shi's and lasa's and yorkies. Be careful be careful be careful. Like it has been mentioned before theas blades can cut the heck out of a dog. I have run them down a belly w/o incident.

[KarlaSnyder]

Back in the day, that was all we had to use. Did many shave downs with 7s back then. Now I just use the 5 and 4 to add a bit more length, and natural look. I like the 4 on cocker legs before the bath, and then i hand scissor afterwards. Don't think I would want to use these blades with a vac system, tho.

[luckystar]

Skip tooth blade use from a newbie

Hi Lisa. I had similar training as you so I had a fear of skip-tooth blades. But I fortunately worked for 6 weeks with an exerienced groomer who told me to use a light touch when blending skirts on terriers and sporting dogs...you're doing flat areas there. The skip-tooths are definitely easier/faster than using thinning shears! I mostly use a 7 skip. I have a 9 skip but rarely use it. The key is a light touch and flat surfaces when you're starting out to use these as the other groomers mentioned previously. As you gain more confidence, then try the other areas that the other groomers mentioned. Let us know if you try it.

Good luck!