Still Sharpening! July 06 2017

Hi Groomers :-). It's your Friendly Neighbourhood Sharpener. Although there have been a few changes at Cutting Edge Grooming Supplies I'm still sharpening like crazy. We're still able to pick up and deliver sharpening in the Calgary area, otherwise just pop it in the mail and we'll send it back super quickly with no shipping cost to you. It's getting to be like Christmas every time we go to the Post Office!

Anyway....wow, what a heat wave!! I hope everyone is keeping cool at work! It's probably not easy considering you spend your day standing over a warm furry creature, holding a warm clipper with hot air dryers blasting all around you!

Thinners & Blenders January 11 2017

Hi Groomer's :-). I certainly hope everyone's new year is off to a great start!

Thinners and Blenders are invaluable tools for the professional groomer, but they are not without their quirks. Unlike conventional straight shears it seems relatively common for the straight edge to catch on the teeth of these shears. In extreme cases this can cause bent or missing teeth and deep nicks in the straight edge.
Here's a tip....at the first hint of "catching" you can close the shears by gently spreading the shear tips. Then apply finger pressure to the shear tips and slowly open the shears while applying gentle closure pressure to the tips. If you do this a few times it will usually smooth out any irregularities between the straight and toothed edges, and you should be able to continue to use the shears and not have to put them into the "needs sharpening" bin :-).
Please feel free to call me or text me at 587-832-5515 if you have any questions about this or any other sharpening, clipper or dryer questions.

Synchronized Team November 14 2016

Hi Groomers :-).

Well this is certainly something I don't see every day....a thinner and a straight shear so much in love that they have joined together forever. Committed to going through life together like a synchronized swim team :-).

I've always thought that grooming took a balance between patience, kindness and artistic talent, but I can't imagine the dexterity it takes to use this baby

Have a good week....Andy.

It's all in the name! July 18 2016

Hi Groomers :-).

There is no doubt that Groomers are very creative people...and one way that your creativity shines is in your choice of business names. I can't think of another industry where the business names have such flair!

Here are just a few that I can think of right now, but there are tons more....

Hollywoof. Muttley Crue. Atomic Dog. Itzaclip. Shampooches. Puppy in my Pocket. The Groom Room. Marvellous Muttz. Wagsmore Grooming. Posh Paws.
Wigglebums. Pawsitively Purrfect Pet Spa. Doggie Style. Four on the Floor. Twisted Whiskers. Dogtopia. Hair of the Dog. Pawsitively Pooched. Spoiled Rott'n. Paws 4 FX. Snippidy Do Dog. Ultimate Paw Spa. Canis fabularis. Round of Apaws. Raising Canine...

Beat the Heat! July 07 2016

Hi Groomers :-).

I just repaired a clipper and had it running with a blade attached for around 20 minutes. The clipper works great, but the blade was as hot as the safety briefing on a Caribbean cruise ship (long story).

There are two main factors that contribute to blade heating.....speed and friction. Clippers are getting faster and more powerful, so try clipping at the lowest speed setting that you can.

Surprise Visitor! June 28 2016

Hi everyone :-).

A beautiful new black and white kitty showed up recently. It gets along fine with Kitty Kitty, but is a bit shy. I think I need to bring it in for grooming because it looks kind of scruffy, and it smells a bit. Any volunteers???

Have a great day.....Andy :-)

Certified Shark Fin Sharpener! June 03 2016

Hi everyone :-).

The good folks at the Shark Fin Shear Company have just certified us to perform warranty approved sharpening on their grooming shears!

I have sharpened quite a few Shark Fin shears in the past, and our customers have reported being very happy with the results, but it is great to know that the manufacturer of these extremely high quality shears has inspected my work and also been pleased.

(Essentially they dropped a pair of shears down an elevator shaft and then ran over them with a truck and I had to repair and sharpen the shears to their exacting standards. Ok, I may be embellishing slightly...but you get the idea).

Big or small we sharpen them all! May 12 2016

"Lil' Nipper" gazed up in admiration at his big cousin, and hoped that one day he too would grow up and graduate from hamster grooming to the big leagues of professional dog grooming :-)

Or alternate caption...

Big or small, we sharpen them all!

Lots to do! May 09 2016

Hello Monday....it looks like I've got my work cut out for me! When we pick up sharpening it goes into blue bins, and when I get it completed it gets transferred into green bins ('cause green means go). I love a big pile of blue bins but "happiness = green bins".

I am certainly doing my best to tackle the incoming stacks of blue bins so that I can get fully caught up before I get "drunk on a plane" and go "somewhere on a beach" in a couple of weeks (I love country music....it's so relatable).

I hope you all have a good week in spite of the trying times that we are currently experiencing. Take care.....Andy :-)

Happy Easter! March 27 2016

Feast your eyes on these yummy new Andis blades!

Happy Easter everyone :-).

Give us a try! March 19 2016

Hi Groomers :-)

Whew! I just finished conquering a massive mountain of blades for a brand new customer.

They wanted to try us out...and gave us 71 blades! Yikes! thanks for the trust, you won't be disappointed :-)

Blade Care February 28 2016

Hi Groomer's :-).

I'm working on (a seemingly never ending pile of) blades today, and it occurred to me that I sure seem to encounter a lot of blades that are corroded and pitted with rust. Sometimes the cutter and comb blades are actually rusted together....it's probably no surprise that they don't perform well in that condition.

There are a number of quality blade coolants, cleaners and lubricants on the market, such as Andis Blade Care, Wahl Blade Ice or Oster Kool Lube, and these products can be used throughout your grooming day.

What are carbon brushes February 03 2016

Hi Groomers. I guess we must have been running low on words when these things were named, because they look nothing like what we all think of when we hear the word "brush". Come on people in charge of naming things...you should have called them a "glorper" or a "zelzeroid" or something to avoid confusion!!

Anyway, these little beauties are called carbon brushes, and they are a vital component of most dryers and even some clippers (the tiny ones are used in Oster clippers).

What are blade drives good for? February 02 2016

Hi Groomer's. What the heck are these things? If you answered "assorted blade drives for commonly available clippers", you are SUPER SMART. 

The fact is that blade drives are often an underappreciated and sometimes overlooked part of your clipper. Your clipper is only as good as the blade drive, and it can take a seemingly small amount of wear to prevent your clipper from working it's best.

Admittedly it is sometimes difficult to determine it cutting problems should be blamed on the blade or the clipper, but if you are starting to experience vibration and poor performance from many of your blades, the culprit is very likely the blade drive.

(if I ever think I'm "losing my touch" when it comes to blade sharpening, I replace the blade drive tip on my Wahl clipper...it's amazing the difference that is made to blade performance).

What to do if blades don't fit on the clipper February 01 2016

Hi Groomer's. Oh oh....confession time. 

I've been contacted by a few valued clients who reported that several newly sharpened blades are not fitting onto their clippers. 

This seemed odd to me because all blades fit well on the clipper that I use for testing the blades after I sharpen them....but I believe I've solved the problem.

How to tell blades that are not usable anymore January 29 2016

Hi Groomers. All good things must come to an end, and that unfortunately includes your blades.
In general, a blade has come to the end of its useful life when there is not enough metal remaining to effectively sharpen.

The top blade in the first picture is still in great shape, and there is plenty of sharpenable material. However, the bottom blade is fully worn out, and the raised rails that the cutter blade would normally travel on have been worn smooth.

Missing teeth and extreme corrosion can also signal the end of the road for a blade. The blade in the second picture looks like it was recovered from the Titanic!

How to prep new shears for their first use January 28 2016

Hi Groomers. Well...you finally splurged and bought a shiny new pair of shears, and you can't wait to use them. Sloooow down turbo!

It may seem a bit counterintuitive, but new shears do not always work perfectly right out of the package. Many manufacturers package their shears with excessive closure tension, and the packaging and shipping process can sometimes negatively affect the set of the shears.

Before you use your new shears it is important to clean any shipping grease from the shears, and to check and adjust the closure tension and set. This will help to prevent premature wear or possible damage to the shear.

How to fix blades that rattle January 27 2016

Hello to all you "Canine Coiffurist's" out there. Everyone seems to be getting quite busy, and hopefully all of your grooming is going smoothly. 

I know that blades can sometimes "rattle your nerves" when they get excessively loud and rattley...it must be hard to concentrate on creating the perfect cut when your clipper is driving you crazy!

Luckily there is usually an easy fix for this problem. On the back of every blade is a component called the socket. This part has two little tabs that engage with the hinge assembly on your clipper, and if these tabs spread apart enough it will create free play, and a lot of noise.

I have a tool that creates the perfect gap, but you can try slightly crimping these tabs with pliers to close the gap as indicated in the picture. Crimp just a bit, and then test on the clipper until the blade fits snuggly on your clipper and does not rattle. Be careful not to bend these tabs too much though, or you won't be able to get the blade onto the clipper.

Have fun out there.....Andy.

How to refurbish the 5in1 blade January 26 2016

Howdy Groomers. I have noticed how popular the 5in1 blades are in the grooming world, and I can see why. When these blades are working well they work REALLY well, and are a pleasure to use. I've heard that some folks consider these blades to be somewhat disposable, but in reality these blades can usually be "brought back to life ".

One common issue with this blade is that if it is ever dropped, there is a high likelihood of breaking off one or more of the plastic retention tabs on the black backing of the blade. This part of the blade is called the chassis, and there are 3 plastic tabs that must be in place in order for the blade to secure to the clipper (see the photo). If you find that your 5in1 blade is missing tabs, and not staying on the clipper, it is not necessary to discard the blade. We can replace the chassis with a new unit for a fraction of the price of a new blade.

Also, we can fully refurbish these blades by sharpening the comb blade and replacing the cutter blade. This brings the 5in1 blade back to "as new" condition. 

How to adjust spring tension January 25 2016

Hi Groomers. I talked last time about the importance of tension between the cutter and comb blades.

Even freshly sharpened blades will not cut properly unless there is sufficient blade tension. As I mentioned, the spring should be applying enough tension on the cutter blade that it will take 3-4 lbs of pressure to move the cutter blade. 

If you suspect that a blade isn't working due to inadequate spring tension, the following technique may help make the blade usable again.

1)First Picture: very carefully push the cutter blade out of the blade assembly.
2)Second and Third Pictures: using locking pliers to ensure that both sides are even, gently bend the spring to increase downwards pressure. Press down in the area indicated in the pictures...crimping in the wrong area can actually loosen the blade or destroy the spring.
3)Fourth Picture: using a flat blade screwdriver, gently lift up in the centre of the spring to provide enough of a gap to re-insert the cutter blade.

How to check cutter blade tension January 22 2016

Hello to all of you hard working professional Groomers out there. It's your smokey neighbourhood sharpener again. Are you all tired of the smoke? It's been like living beside a campfire for the last few days in the Calgary area , and it would sure be nice to be able to see the horizon again.

Oh well, things will get better soon, there's no point getting tense about it. It's a good practise to try to avoid tension, but in the sharpening world tension is very important (whew-that was a bit of a long winded segue :-)). 

Last time I talked about shear closure tension, and cutter blade tension is equally important. In fact, a perfectly sharpened blade will not cut at all if the spring is not applying enough tension to the cutter blade. 

I use a small kitchen scale, and press the cutter blade into the blade as indicated in the picture. I aim for 3-4 lbs of pressure. Too little pressure and the blade won't cut properly, and too much pressure and the blade will heat up during use. It takes a bit of practice to get a feel for the proper pressure, but it should take some effort to move the cutter blade on your blades. A poorly functioning blade can simply be a matter of inadequate spring tension. I'll talk about adjusting spring tension next time.

Spring tension is just one of the factors that contribute to the effectiveness of your blades. In fact, the difference between a blade that works perfectly, and one that doesn't work at all can be somewhat mystifying at times. There are a variety of factors that must be perfect, and I will admit to spending a heck of a lot of time on a single blade trying to "unlock the mystery". 

Anyway, all for now. I have a bunch of blades that need sharpening, and hopefully I have no tension related tension...Andy.

How to drop check shears January 21 2016

Hi Groomers, it's your friendly neighbourhood sharpener again. I'm just finishing up some shears as the snow falls...weird Southern Alberta weather for sure.

My very last step in the sharpening process is to adjust the closure tension of the shears. Correct tension is quite important to the proper functioning of shears, and I have noticed that many of the shears that come to me are either very loose or too tight.

It is a good idea to periodically check shear closure tension. I do what is called a drop test (I know, you all try very hard to not "drop test" your shears...this is different. :-)).

What I do is hold the shears in one hand with the blade that I am holding facing straight up, and the free blade is then lifted up, and dropped.

The shears should close as shown in the second picture, with the shear tips closed only to approximately 80% of the length of the shear. If the shears close all the way to the tips they are too loose, and if they stop lower then the shears are too tight. Adjust the set screw as required.

Take care, and I hope it's not snowing wherever you are....Andy.

Another "selfie train" submission! July 22 2015

Woohoo Jeanette from A Royal Touch Pooch Parlour in Calgary joined the fun too! Check them out if you're near Tuxedo Park, Jeanette's website is www.aroyaltouch.com

Cutting Edge Grooming Supplies Selfie train July 20 2015