Whether you have just one dog or cat, or you're a professional dog groomer, you know how important it is to keep your pet clean and groomed. With the right grooming equipment , you can keep shedding under control, untangle hair, prevent and control skin conditions, and more.
When it comes to navigating the hair clipper blade size chart and selecting the appropriate dog clipper blade sizes can pose a challenge due to the intricate range of sizes involved.
Clipper Blade Size Chart
This clipper blade size chart will help you find the right sized pet grooming clipper blades to use for each breed.
BLADES
3 = 1/2" (Skip) 3F = 1/2" (Finish)
4 = 3/8" Skip) 4F = 3/8" (Finish)
5 = 1/4" (Skip) 5F = 1/4" (Finish)
7 = 1/8" (Skip) 7F = 1/8" (Finish)
9 = 5/64"
10 = 1/16"
15 = 3/64"
30 = 1/50"
GENERAL CLIPS
Sanitary & Sterile: 10 or
Feet & Pads: 15
Inside Ears & Tummy: 10
Teddy Bear (¾" long all over): 4
Cutting Length
It is the industry standard when clipping to go with the grain of coat as it leaves it one clipper blade longer. If you choose to go against the grain of coat it will leave it much shorter, so for instance, a #7 clipper blade leaves the coat approximately 1/8" hair but when going against the grain of the coat, it will leave it 1/4".
BREEDS
· Airedale Terrier
· Body & Tail - 7F, 5F, 4F, 3F
· Head & Neck - 7F
· Legs, Chest, Beard, & Eyebrows - 30 with ¾" or 1" Comb
· Ears, Cheeks, & Throat - 7F or 10
· American Cocker Spaniel
· Body, Sides, & Back Only - 7F, 5F, 4F
· Sides of Neck - 7F
· Face, Ears, & Throat - 10
· Bearded Collie
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Puppy Trim at 2" - 30 with 1¼" Comb
· Bedlington Terrier
· Body - 4 or 3
· Head, Ears, & Tail - 10 or 15
· Bichon Frise
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Show Trim at 1" - 30 & 1" Comb
· Pet Trim - 4 or 3
· Head - 30 with ¾", 1" or 1¼" Comb
· Bouvier Des Flandres
· Body - 3, 30 with ¾" or 1" Comb
· Legs - Scissors, 30 with 1" or 1¼" Comb
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Head - 4F
· Face - Scissors
· Ears - 10 or 15
· Briard Terrier
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Puppy Trim at 2" - 30 & 1¼" Comb
· Short Trim - 4F
· Face, Legs, & Undercarriage - Scissors
· Cairn Terrier
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Natural Look 2" - 30 & ¾" Comb
· Pet Trim, Shorter on Back - 4
· Head, Face, Legs, & Underbody - Scissors
· Ears - 10
· Chow Chow
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Natural Coat - Scissors
· Body - 7
· Puppy Trim - 30 with 1" Comb
· Short Trim - 3, 3F, 4, 4F
· Cocker Spaniel
· Body, Sides, & Back - 4F, 5F, 7F
· Neck - 9
· Face, Ears, & Throat - 10, 15
· Collie
· Body - 7F
· For More Length on Body - 4 or 3
· Short Trim - 3, 3F, 4, 4F
· Puppy Trim - 30 with 1" Comb
· Natural Coat - Scissors
· Dandie Dinmont
· Body, Sides, & Back Only - 5 or 4
· Head, Tail, Legs, & Under Belly - Scissors
· Legs & Undercarriage - Scissors
· Ears - 10 or 15
English Cocker Spaniel
· Body, Sides, & Back Only - 7F, 5F, 4F
· Front of Forearms - 7F
· Head, Neck, and Ears - 15
· English Setter
· Body, Sides, & Back Only - 7F, 5F, 4F
· Head, Neck, & Ears - 10
· Tail, Legs, Underbody - Scissors
· English Springer Spaniel
· Body, Sides, & Back Only - 7F, 5F, 4F
· Head, Neck, & Ears - 10
· Golden Retriever
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Body - 7F or 5F
· Legs, Tail, & Underbody - Scissors
· Great Pyrenees
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Puppy Trim - 30 with 1" Comb
· Long Body Trim - 4 or 3
· Irish Setter
· Body, Sides, & Back - 7F, 5F, 4F
· Head, Neck, & Ears - 7 or 10
· Tail, Legs, & Underbody - Scissors
· Irish Terrier
· Body, Sides, & Back - 7F, 5F, 5
· Head, Neck, & Ears - 10
· Tail, Legs, & Underbody - Scissors
· Keeshond
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Natural Coat - Scissors
· Short Trim, Back & Sides - 4
· Head, Neck, & Ears - 10 or 9
· Body, Sides, & Tail - 30 with 1" Comb
· Kerry Blue Terrier
· Body & Tail - 4F or 3F
· Face - 10
· Ears, Cheeks, & Throat - 10
· Legs - 30 with ¾" or 1" Comb
· Lakeland Terrier
· Body & Tail - 7F, 5F, 4F, 3F
· Head, Neck, & Ears - 10
· Legs, Chest, Beard, & Eyebrows - 30 with ¾" or 1" Comb
· Lhasa Apso
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Puppy Trim - 30 with 1" Comb
· Short Trim - 3F or 4F
· Head, Face, Tail, & Underbody - Scissors
· Maltese
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Puppy Trim - 30 with 1" Comb
· Short Trim - 4
· Head - 4F, 3F, 30 with ¾" or 1" Comb
· Face & Tail - Scissors
· Newfoundland
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Natural Coat - Scissors
· Short Coat - 4 or 3
· Old English Sheepdog
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Short Coat - 3, 3F, 4, 4F
· Puppy Trim - 30 with 1¼" Comb
· Head & Face - Scissors
· Pekingese
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Short Coat - 4 or 4F
· Poodles - Kennel Trim
· Matted Coat - 7F
· Face, Feet, & Base of Tail - 10 or 15
· Body & Legs - 5, 4, 3
· Top Knot & Tailpiece - Scissors
· Poodles - Lamb Trim
· Face, Feet, & Base of Tail - 10 or 15
· Body - 5, 4, 3
· Legs - 30 with ¾" or 1" Comb
· Top Knot & Tailpiece - Scissors
· Poodles - Summer Trim - Bikini Trim
· Face, Feet, & Base of Tail - 10 or 15
· Body & Legs - 7F or 5F
· Pom-poms, Top Knot & Tail Pom - Scissors
· Stomach - 10
How a Hair Clipper Blade Cuts?
There are two surfaces that make up the cutting edge, the front, and the back rail. These two rails are the points that are hollow ground to produce a new sharp edge. As the blade is used these edges start to wear and will eventually "round off", and it is at this point when your blade causes you snagging and dragging within the coat, your blade will need re-sharpening.
If you leave a build-up of hair in between the two rails, this can cause a further "rounding" off the cutting rails. So, it is essential that every 5 minutes, you stop clipping and brush off any excess hair from your clipper blade.
There is a spring that holds the top cutter and sole plate together. The function of the spring is to apply adequate tension to allow the clipper blade to cut smoothly. If that spring is too tight, the top cutter will not move from side to side easily. To test your clipper blades: with the clipper blade in your hand, try to move the top cutter from side to side. In the case of the top cutter not moving properly, the tension could be too tight and will need to be adjusted.
How to adjust the hair clipper blade tension?
To achieve correct hair clipper blade tensioning you will need a flat head screwdriver. Place the screwdriver into the side of the spring and gently lever-up to release the tension. Spray your clipper blade with oil, and check and test again. If the tension is too light, or too loose, this will result in a non-cutting blade.
How to tell when your hair clipper blade has expired?
Most hair clipper blades can be resharpened, but eventually they reach a point where they will not take a sharp edge and further sharpening is impossible. Any dull blades should be resharpened as a set; replacing only one blade or swopping a top cutter from one blade to another set will not work. If you are finding the clipper blade is snagging and tugging at the coat, it is time for it to be re-sharpened. A rule of thumb, if you clean and oil your clipper blades daily, then a blade will last between 10-12 weeks based on clipping 5 dogs per day.
Summing Up
We hope you have found this article helpful. If you have any questions about your hair clipper blades, just drop a comment in the comments box and we will answer all of them.