cobalt & indigo

(Pardon the wrinkled sheet in the picture – I spread out my tools on top of an old fitted sheet which I use to protect the couch from fur)

I have tried tons of different scissors over the years.  The scissors pictured here are all winners.  At far left is a pair of  large shears.  I use these for clipping through matts I have already separated from the body enough to be confident there’s no skin pulled in (it can happen – ouch!).   The next two pairs are the same general type – spring loaded sharp tipped trimmers.  They work well for carefully snipping around the head and shoulders, and can be great for clipping the main body if I decide to scissor instead of using the electric trimmers.  Next are my tiny scissors that I use for clipping between the ears and close to the skin, followed by another pair of regular non-spring scissors.  I have found that titanium bonded scissors stay sharp much longer and are a better investment, although the high quality steel in the green and yellow spring scissors has held up much better than most.  You wouldn’t think angora rabbit fur would dull scissors, but most scissors work only for a shearing or two before they lose their edge.

The other implements shown are a pair of nail clippers and my two favorite grooming combs.  Nothing too special about either of these, but they’re essential pieces of my kit.  Back in the days of the ceramics studio, I also used an air gun (set on low PSI) to ‘blow out’ the bunnies’ coats in our spray booth.  It was the best way to do maintenance grooming that I’ve ever tried, and the bunnies really didn’t seem to mind it at all.  We don’t have that set up here, so I’ve been sticking to my combs and a couple of slicker brushes (not pictured).

Here are my pretty pink clippers.  I got them for a song when a local farm supply store decided to phase out this model, and I’m so glad I jumped on that deal.  I used to have a pair of Oster A5 Turbo clippers but they were so much bigger and bulkier and noisier.  The Laube Mini-Micro is adjustable speed (see the rotary dial on the bottom?), lightweight, quiet, and powerful.  I have absolutely no affiliation with the company, just a satisified customer.  The adjustable speed is perfect for me, since I can keep the clipper blades running slower and cooler when I’m trimming the nicely groomed fur but still be able to turn up the power when I need to trim through tough stuff like matts or webbing.

I have an assortment of blades that I use with the clippers.  I have two of the general purpose size 10 blades (one is on the clippers).  This allows me to swap them out when one gets hot.  I also have a size 10 wide (in black) that I picked up on clearance that works well for covering wide areas of well groomed fur.  The size 3 and 7 blades tooth leave the fur longer – I used to use them in the winter when the bunnies were living outside and I didn’t want to leave them naked.  The size 40 and 50 blades are used for trimming tight matts.  They don’t leave much fur at all, but are the only blades that can fit in the tight space between the skin and the matted fur.  I also keep clipper blade oil, neosporin in case of any accidental nicks, and a styptic pencil in case I over trim a nail.

I store all of my grooming tools in an old plastic toolbox, repurposed from my days as an art student when it was filled with pencils, charcoal and other drawing implements.

If I am trimming to save the fur, I have four half-gallon plastic buckets that I sort the fiber into as I go.  One of them is reserved for prime fiber – the long beautiful fibers with zero to few second cuts.  Another gets the seconds – the stuff that is almost prime but perhaps needs to have the second cuts sorted out or is just a bit shorter.  The thirds are where all of the untangled but not quite as pretty stuff goes; most of the stuff from around the neck, chest and hindquarters goes here.  And finally the fourth bucket is used for matts, short little pieces and other stuff that’s probably not usable.  After I’m finished with a haircut I try to move the fiber into paper bags that are then stored in plastic storage containers.  I’ve found that storing it in plastic leads to felting, especially if the fiber is compressed.

On days like today, however, as I clip the fur goes into a paper grocery bag, unsorted, which I then offer to the outside birds for a day or two before taking it out to the trash.  I know it might sound criminal to toss such fluffy goodness, but at this point in time I am clipping before the fiber reaches its longest length just to keep the bunnies comfortable, so there’s not much prime fiber there, and  I already have several bags of less than prime fiber that I keep around for blending and felting.

Gus approves.  He’s a lot happier with less of a fur coat, but he really likes to get the grooming over with as quickly as possible.

What grooming tools do you use, if you have angoras?