Clipper lines an comb lines

[Jeanne]

I had three months of grooming training and the experienced groomers were able to hide the lines after clip combs or a shave but i still have trouble getting the coat smooth. Yesterday I used a 10 blade with a #2 comb and the finish was very choppy. I just ordered a pair of thining shears from geib, I was only able to afford the $12 pair from a local pet shop. Any advise on how to smooth out the coat without thining shears?

[Helly]

First, try using a 30 instead of a 10 if you have one. Make sure you've blown out or carded the undercoat well. You can sometimes eliminate tracking by taking a stripping knife or a Furminator over the coat after clipping. If you don't have a stripping knife or Furminator, hold a #40 in your hand and card. If you don't have a 40, a 30, 15, or 10 will work just about as well.

Another thought; are you pre-clipping before the bath? If you are, stop. Bathe, condition, blow dry, then clip.

Another way to eliminate tracking is to clip against the growth instead of with it. Clipping against the growth will be shorter, so make sure you use a longer blade size if you want to try this. For example, if you'd use a #2 comb with the growth, try a #1 or #0 against. Cipping against the growth almost always gives you a smoother finish than clipping with.

[OntheBRINKofDisaster]

Just to add to Helly-

A coat that is squeaky clean and properly fluffed out will also give a much better finish than one that is cage dried or not bathed/dried correctly. If you weren't trained how to do that properly it's going to be hard to get a good finished product.

[doggydivas]

Just to add to what was already said....

Fluff drying is sooooooo important!

[OntheBRINKofDisaster]

Also, another thing that hasn't been said yet that I remember-you can only go as quickly as your clippers allow. If you move faster than your clippers then they will leave track marks.

[Lucylove]

Also, some coats (very straight coats, for instance) are terrible about leaving chop marks, no matter if I brush out undercoat, fluff dry, and go slow with the comb over a #30.

I find that if you back brush after you do the comb cut, then whatever stands up uneven, I use the blending shears on the taller hairs, brush it back down and it looks nice and "unchoppy"...

If there is a secret to those certain types of choppy coats, I'd love to know, but I find I am reaching for the blending shears for those type to make them look as blended as possible. Especially on the feet.. otherwise I get those "pancake slippers", LOL.

Jessie

[Arrooh]

I found a trick

for those no matter what lined clips. I do use a TaxiVac so not sure how it would be without it.

I have one dog that will track no matter what. A Lhasa mix. Reverse with Vac still showed lines.

So somehow I found out that if I take a bit longer blade and reverse first, then go over it with the grain with a little bit shorter blade it comes out so smooth. Longer comb, then a bit shorter with. Short comb then # 4 with. Smooth velvety looking. I've since used that technique on the few other weird coats that show tracks or marks and have the same smoothness.

So for instance I take that little Lhasa mix, Murphy, and go reverse with vac on the back and a short comb. Lines show up expecially on the sides even though I slant the clipper to go against the growth. Then I take the #4 F going with the growth. Lines are gone. Pleases me tremendously to see that velvet look.

[OntheBRINKofDisaster]

That's funny, I thought I was the only person that did that! Gosh...or, sometimes I'll go over a dog with a wahl SS in, like, a #1 and then finish with a #3. (Or a #2 and finish with a #4, etc.) People that have seen me do it think I'm groomin the same dog twice but I like how it turns out and it's less scissoring for me. But I keep quiet about it because I didn't think it was very time saving or "correct". Haha. Thanks for speaking out!

[D'tails]

Also, make sure there is no hair clogging your blade teeth, make sure your blade drive does not need replaced, make sure the hair is clean and 100% brushed out so the clipper doesnt drag on it, and moving your clipper too fast over the coat can also cause it to track.