Understanding Clipper Blades

"Snap-on" A5 type blades
This type is used by most professional dog groomers and some equine groomers and are known as A5 type Blades. Generally, snap-on blades are fitted to the smaller professional clippers, both corded and cordless. In a clipper fitted with this type of blade, the clipper head is at an angle of around 45 degrees to the body. This is found by many to be a very acceptable way of clipping, with many advantages over the traditional style parallel head. However, Laube produces a range of shears (parallel head Cowboy Clippers) which accept all the snap-on style blades. These shears come in corded or cordless versions, with the cordless version also having a mains option.
The Blade Set
The blade set is comprised of the lower comb and the upper cutter. The two parts of the blade are held in place by a tension spring with a socket, which connects to a hinge on the clipper or shear. The spring is factory-set to the correct tension and, to ease the smooth running of the cutter, the head of the spring is capped with a "nylon" sleeve. The tension spring is fixed to the bottom blade/comb by two screws, which should not be loosened.
Advantages of Snap-on Blades
The principal advantage of this type of blade for the user is that they eliminate the need to screw on and align the comb with the cutter and also remove the need for constantly tensioning blades whilst clipping. "Snap-on" or detachable type blades are not designed to be taken apart, nor is it recommended, as once unscrewed, you end up with a collection of "parts" which initially you may find a little challenging to re-assemble! Whilst it may be necessary to remove the cutter blade to clean both blades and remove trapped hairs, it is not necessary to take the whole blade set apart!
Blade Widths
There are two widths of detachable blades: the wide blade (the type regularly fitted to clippers used for full-body horse clipping or large breed dogs); and the narrow blade (the traditional style of blade used for cat and dog grooming, as well as many veterinary tasks).
Perfectly sharp blades can refuse to cut!
Three main things can cause this:
- Improper adjustment of the blade-set
- Incorrect blade spring tension
- Dirty blades.
It is therefore important to keep your blades in good order. At Technogroom, we not only stock and sell all blades sizes, we stock all the parts for the blades. We are also the only UK company to offer a "tune-up kit" for your blades "and replacement ceramic cutters which can revitalise your dull, blunt blade instantly.
Be very careful who you use to sharpen your blades. Although we have the facilities and equipment to sharpen blades, we do not do this as a customer service. We would recommend Anglia Clipper Service. Click here for more information on blade sharpening.
Our Blade Help Guide is now available to download