Do Stripping Knives actually cut?

[Crystal]

I have done a few jobs where I "think" I successfully hand stripped. First I used a little ear powder on the saddle area and then plucked by hand. Then I used a strip knife to take more. I am not sure that is the correct procedure, but my customers were very happy. I used the furminator tool, and also a shedding blade. Then I hand scissored the furnishings.

They just didn't want any clipper cutting done at all. The one was a westie and the other a terrier mix.

It seemed when I used the stripping knife that some of the hair was plucked out and some was actually cut in the middle of the hair shaft. Something I observed by looking at the hair as it was pulled out. Is that the correct way, or no?

[Poodlefluff]

http://www.harborside.com/~laurelt/handstrip.htm

here is a link that was posted in the other thread , Ifound it to have really great info. It says that if the knife is sharp it can cut the hair. Or if you pull in the wrong direction.

[anner]

Ahhh very exciting, first time posting on new board...

Anyway, Crystal I have been stripping pets and dogs for the show ring for quite a while. But when you first start stripping I would often recommend that you pluck. It is very easy to cut that precious topcoat with a knife when you are just getting your technique right. Obviously this is not that big a deal for pets but its still important to get the technique right.
Plucking using a latex surgical glove is probably the easiest. For a lot of stripped pets that I do I will first use the FURminator to card them or 'muck them out' so all the dead undercoat is removed. For most of the pets I just pluck the jacket (trunk of the body/saddle area) and the tail. I will sometimes use a fine knife on the sides of the shoulders and neck. (for long-legged terrier pattern).
Mostly I will clip the head and then scissor the legs and beard and eyebrows.

If you are using a knife pull the skin taught in the opposite direction to the direction you are pulling. This helps to get the topcoat hairs to stand up a little. Use your lightly and only take coat that is blown - it will come away easily.
As well as the risks to hair when it comes to using a knife it is also pretty easy to pinch and catch the skin with your knife.

In conclusion (!) plucking with a latex glove is really fast and easy - you are also less likely to cut good hair.

[furrybestjob]

I just started grooming a 6 year old cairn terrier who has never had a hair cut. The woman likes the shaggy look and the coat is about 5 inches long all over. There is a lighter undercoat. I know that you are suppose to pluck the longest hairs, but they are so long, how do I know where to begin.

[petstylist]

Also make sure NOT to twist your wrist when stripping with a knife, twisting your wrist causes the knife to cut the hairs instead of just pulling them out.

Tammy

[anner]

Oh yeah, don't twist your wrist for body stripping. You do however use a different kind of technique when doing ears or some finer detailing - then you do use slight wrist movements. But otherwise your stripping from your arm and shoulder.
If you have a real shaggy dog like that Cairn furrybestjob, probably your jsut going to be doing a roughing out job. Card him first and if you want to get started you could use a coarse Coat King - but be aware this will cut hair as well as strip.
I would just pluck blown hair, that is hair that comes away real easily. Its judgement after that. Find out what sort of length the owner wants. Cairns shouuld be about 2 inches all over for the show ring (well over here anyway) so she prob wants somewhere between that and the length he is now.
If you get him roughed out you can schedule him for a sequence of appointments to roll his coat and then get him into a regular stripping routine.

As well as that if he has not been groomed before he may not be too impressed with having to cooperate while you work on finer more detailed stripping.

[Kim in SD]

Thats a great link! Everything you want to know about hand stripping. What else can I say or anyone really that isn't covered on that site. Thanks for posting it.