Ive been told ive got to get some decent thinning scissors for my boys - apparantly my cheapo plastic handle ones arent up to the job :p

Ive decided to go the whole hog and get some straight scissors too (but will probably change my mind when I see the price :D :D )

Would it be best to wait until 3 counties next week or is there somewhere on line which will give me a good deal ?

Claire :)

Hi Claire, I think it's best to buy them at a show, so that you can handle them and get a feel for what is comfortable.  Good luck for the show.

Dawn R. :)

Thats a good thought thanks, what is a reasonable price to pay for them?

Got to say that the more you pay generally the better the finish.  I think I have a roseline pair of thinners and straighters.  You can pay anything from £20 to £50 for a decent pair.  Make sure you try them out as some are definatlely more comfortable.  I like the ones which make a scrunchie noise when they cut they seem to do it best!

lol

I listen for the noise too :D I got new straight scissors from Salon Services about a month ago, I think they cost about 35 quid. I'm currently on the hunt for a new pair of thinners as mine have seen better days. I bought them 3 years ago for 28 quid, so they have absoloutely nothing to be ashamed of. Now that the girls have that wee bit extra coat and with the up and coming monsters. I have asked my Carpenter Brother in Law to design and make me a grooming table and intend to refresh my grooming kit. I will say that my new scissors give a much better finish than the cheapo ones from ASDA :D :D :D  My Breeder was disgusted when she saw what I was using :D :D  just as well we get on really well lol. I looked at Roseline ones last weekend at Southern Counties and they seemed quite nice. I want a really light pair as when I have 5 to trim and groom I want to make it as easy as possible. So Claire are you doing your dogs grooming yourself?

hiya
my fav pairs of scissors and thinners i have are the japanise ones, the thinners are japan jn350 and the scissors are suntachi japan stainless they give a very nice finnish to the coat.But i have a nice pair of jaguar solinger germany curved scissors i love.I just got a pair of wolff industries usa scissors which are good as they have shape on the handles for your 2 fingers. My first pair which are rose line cr800 which are wearing well, now i would recomend these thinners they are fairly cheep rose line 82551 and are very good.

the quieter the noise the better the scissor/ thinner i think anyway!

like dawn said i would look around at 3 counies and try some out dont rush into the first pair you see eather
oh what breed are your boys??
fiona

>Claire are you doing your dogs grooming yourself?

well ............. I have a go, Fagan is my guniea pig ( :( :D ) and I do all of him, although I did get his breeder to do his neck at our club fun day because I never seem to do that right.  I do Alfies feet myself and the tops of his ears but tend to leave the main bulk of his to his co-owner (Fagans breeder) because i scared of messing something up I am learning though and will one day do him myself.

Do you think a grooming table will make life easier ?  My parents have one from the Afghans, I was thinking of stealing it from them seeing as they dont use it anymore, it doesnt have a bar to tie them to but im sure I could pick one of those up.

Fiona, they are Irish Setters :)

Hi Claire
we all have to start somewhere we all have to learn to groom somehow lol im sure you will be fine i think a grooming table would help you, your breeder may help you find some nice scissors and thinners

Fiona

I like the noise the thinners make!! :D (Fiona I still need new ones!!!!! HELP) 

On the grooming table...Well I love mine.  I got one at crufts after begging my parents, they got me one and life is sooo much easier with it.  I'm sure I have halved the time I groom the dogs now.  Feet are within reach.  however to do necks they are still done with teh dog on the floor.  My other bonus with teh table is I don't need someone else to help me, meaning I can get it done on my own! Bliss! :)

My grooming arm was £30 from simpsons, saw them cheeper but liikes size fo this one (heavy duty?!) and felt much seardier.

I have red and white setters so I't all similar grooming :)

I just bought, this afternoon, a pair of thinning sisors and straight sissors from boots, they were £7. Havn't tried them yet but they look pretty good.
Amos

Do they have blue and black plastic handles ? these are the ones I got from boots that I have been told are pants :(  They maybe ok for the job you want them for though, I personally didnt have a problem with them but then ive never used any expensive ones :p

No they haven't got plastic handles they are stainless steel all the way through, I used them today and they seem pretty good to me. £7 something for each pair
Amos

I think I paid £7 for both of mine together - that be where the difference lies :o

I borrowed the table from my ringcraft when the stud dog owner came up to see Maddies pups and I put my oldest girl on the table to see if it would help my back. The difference was quite amazing, not only did I groom her but I did the other two as well in record time. They all stood on the table quite happily. I don't need a grooming arm as they all seem quite happy to be up there :D :D

You can economise and not buy a grooming table if you have a piece of kitchen worktop (or similar) and can fix it at the right height - depending on your height and the breed that you are grooming - in a shed or garage or utility room.  The top of a chest freezer can be OK for some - just put a piece of carpet (rubber backed is perfect!) on top to stop the dog slipping.  A BIG hook on the wall is all that's required instead of a grooming arm, with a fabric 'show type' lead twisted over the hook, and you'll have two hands to groom with! ;)  Two hooks allows you to use a belly strap if you have a dog that keeps sitting down!
This is what's used in many grooming parlours and it works just fine!
Put the money saved towards a dog dryer, which when used cold or cool will part the hair for you and reduce grooming time by half, without even considering time saved when bathing!

Hi
i have just thought ask your breeder how many teeth the thinners should have and how fine they should be its makes all the diffrence

fiona

I think I will drag her round 3 counties with me :D :D

its the best thing to do i got a good friend of the plush puppy stand a few years ago to help me i have never looked back !!!

fiona