The Different Types of Dog Grooming Scissors.

In the world of dog grooming scissors, there are different types of scissors available all designed to help create beautiful lines, shapes, and finishes depending on the different coat types the groomer is working with.

With many dog grooming shears available, it can feel like a daunting task to know which scissors to purchase. Below is a list of the various types of dog grooming scissors and their uses.

Straight Dog Grooming Scissors.

Whilst each dog groomer has their own preferences, straight shears are fantastic at creating shape and finishing off a groom and are typically the best all-around or the most versatile of the dog grooming scissors family you can own. For pet owners who only wish to invest in one style of dog grooming scissors, these scissors should be straight shears.

Why is the straight dog grooming scissor the most versatile of the dog grooming scissors?

A dog groomer can create a rounded line with a pair of straight scissors, which can be used on all areas of a dog's body. However, the thinning scissors, the blending scissors, chunkers and texturising scissors will not create a crisp straight line as they have more specific purposes.

Detailing Dog Grooming Scissors.

Detailing shears are the smallest of straight dog grooming scissors. These are straight scissors, with lengths ranging from 4" to 6" in length. These are perfect eye scissors and have been designed to be used for detailing work and a perfect for areas such as the dog's feet, ear edges and other areas that require tiny hairs to be removed.

For the full range of Straight Scissors, please click here 

Curved Dog Grooming Scissors.

What Are Curved Dog Grooming Scissors?

Curved dog grooming scissors are excellent tools for adding definition and angulation to areas of a dog's body, such as the head, ears, and feet whilst creating rounded shapes along the body.  These scissors, similar to straight shears, are suitable for most dog coat types. 

Curved scissors are designed for working on fine details, rather than preparation for grooming or 'rough trimming' a dog's coat. Due to this, it’s common for these scissors to have offset handles, so the dog groomer can exercise more control while cutting. 

Because the blades bend similar to the beak of a bird, curved scissors conform better to the curves of the dog's head and body, cutting exactly what is needed.

The Lengths of Curved Scissors.

As with the other different types of dog grooming scissors, curved scissors are available in various lengths. 

The smaller curved scissors are generally between 6" to 6.5" in length and are a great option for the more detailed areas of the dog's body such as the face, ears and feet. Small curved scissors do not tend to have too much of a 'bend' to their blades, with the exception of Asian Fusion Curved Dog Grooming scissors, where these types of scissors are designed with a more pronounced bend or curve to enable the dog groomer to create very rounded finishes within the least amount of time. See below

The medium-sized curved shears are generally between 7" to 7.5" in length and are a fantastic length for use on most small and medium-sized dog breeds. This length of scissors also makes for a great shear for a dog groomer to use on most areas of a dog's body. The bend in these lengths of curved scissors can vary from a shallow bend, which works great as a workhorse style scissor, to a very pronounced curve, to enable the dog groomer to create more angulation on the dog's coat. Curved shears with a more pronounced bend are very popular for dog groomers who love the art of Asian Fusion Dog Grooming. 

The length of the longer-bladed curved scissors tends to be 8" and above. These dog grooming scissors are a popular choice when a dog groomer is grooming a larger dog breed such as a Standard Poodle. The length of the longer curved scissors allows the dog groomer to scissor more surface area at once and complete the trim in less time compared with using a 7" or 7.5" for the same task. The bend on longer length curved shears, tends to be a shallow curve which allows these scissors to be used as a workhorse style dog grooming scissor. 

The Bends of Curved Dog Grooming Scissors.

The 'bend' of a curved scissor can vary and is measured as a degree of curvature or angle.

The majority of curved dog grooming scissors have between a 15 to 25-degree curve, which lends them to be excellent workhorse scissors and perfect for everyday use.

The ever-increasing popular dog grooming style, Asian Fusion has made for the super or extreme curved scissors. The degree of curvature is far more pronounced and sits between 30 to 40 degrees.

In addition to the arc shape of the curved scissors, they are generally made with blades with convex edges. Convex blades are used to avoid bending or snagging on hair strands, ensuring that the cut is precise and leaves a tidy finish.

When Should a Dog Groomer Use Curved Scissors?

What are curved dog grooming scissors used for? 

When a dog groomer is creating a trim on a dog, inevitably they will come across areas which require very careful blade work. The curved blade of a scissor can be a better tool for cutting when a dog groomer needs to be precise, and that’s simply because of the shape of a dog's body parts.

The dog's anatomy has a natural, flowing contour to them, and curved dog grooming scissors are designed to follow this outline so that the dog doesn’t have any rough or uneven edges like a polygon. 

Curved Dog Grooming scissors are excellent tools for adding definition to areas of a dog, such as the head, ears, and feet and creating rounded shapes along the body.  These scissors are suitable for most dog coat types. 

The Advantages And Benefits When Using Curved Dog Grooming Scissors.

It’s good to note these functional and ergonomic advantages that curved scissors have compared to straight scissors. 

• The dog's individual coat strands are less prone to slipping off the blade and are more likely to be cut at the level wanted by the dog groomer.
• It’s more precise when cutting near the ears, around the head, feet and on areas of the dog's body where angulation is required. 
• Compared to straight dog grooming scissors, curved scissors can help produce smoother edges that give off a more natural look to the dog. A good dog groomer will pay attention to how the coat should complement, rather than detract from, the dog's head, face shape and body shape.

In summary, curved dog grooming scissors do play a vital role whilst grooming a dog and it is highly recommended that a dog groomer should have at least one pair of curved shears in their grooming tool kit.

To view the entire range of Curved Dog Grooming Scissors by Abbfabb Grooming Scissors Ltd, please click here.

Blending and Thinning Dog Grooming Scissors.

Is there a difference between a thinning scissor and a blending scissor?

Thinning dog grooming scissors and blending scissors may look physically similar and appear to perform the same grooming tasks. However, these two types of grooming scissors can cause a little confusion and the main reason for this is the grooming technique the dog groomer will use during the grooming, is different for each scissor itself.

For the benefit of the dog groomers, there needs to be more understanding of the difference between a thinning scissor and a blending dog grooming scissor.

When choosing between these two types of dog grooming scissors, it is advised that a dog groomer should consider the coat type they will be working on and the finish they are looking to achieve. 

Thinning Scissors.

Thinning scissors for dog grooming are used to remove bulk or 'thin' a heavy dog coat by removing some of the density of the hair. 

The thinning dog grooming shears have a distinctive design where they have a smaller number of teeth compared to a blending dog grooming scissor. This gives the dog groomer the ability to cut off less coat per snip than they would ordinarily with straight or curved dog grooming scissors. 

There does, however, need to be more understanding of the difference between a thinning scissor and a blending dog grooming shear. These two types of grooming scissors can cause a little confusion and the main reason for this is the grooming technique the dog groomer will use during the groom, is different for each scissor itself. When considering whether to use a thinning scissor, remember that it is designed to lift, and hold the hair and only remove some of the dog's coat.

Types of Thinning Scissors.

Thinning dog grooming scissors can come in either the double teeth (both blades have teeth) or single teeth sided (one blade has teeth and one plain blade) versions and will have one of the three numbers of teeth, 40-46, 25-30 and 20-24. These dog grooming scissors are designed to 'thin' the coat as the teeth and space between each tooth is wider (compared to a blending scissor.) The number of teeth corresponds with the coat type, so fine, medium and coarse. 

• 40-46 Teeth- Fine Coat Type.

A thinning scissor with 46 teeth will remove more of the dog's coat compared to the 30 teeth and 24 teeth thinning shears. This scissor is suitable for fine silky dog coats such as the Beddlington Terrier's coat type. 

•  25-30 Teeth- Medium Coat Type.

A thinning scissor with 30 teeth is perfect for dog grooming beginners, as it helps prevent the dog grooming training student from removing too much of the dog's coat. This scissor is suitable for use on most dog coats and is the most widely used 'thinning scissor' by dog groomers. 

• 20-24 Teeth- Coarse coat Type.

A thinning scissor with between 20 and 24 teeth is designed to be used on heavy, dense or curly dog coats and remove a larger amount of hair compared to the 30 and 46 Teeth thinning scissors.

The Double-Sided Thinning Scissor.

This type of thinning scissor has been designed with teeth on both blades and is perfect for heavy-duty thinning on very coarse or thick coats. As the teeth work hard on coarse or thick coats, there is a higher possibility of the teeth blunting quicker compared to a normal thinning scissor or blending scissor.

The double-sided thinning scissor is a workhorse type of scissor and as such, it will leave a very natural look to the coat. For adding a softer and tidier finish to the coat, it is advised to use an alternative scissor such as a blending scissor.

The Piano Tooth Thinning Scissor or the “Fluffer."

There is, however, a new design of thinning dog grooming scissor, which is an incredible exception to the rule when it comes to the world of thinning scissors.

This uniquely designed thinning scissor is the new 'hybrid' dog grooming scissor which sits between a texturising scissor and a blending scissor. Each of the teeth is rectangular and resembles a piano key. The tooth itself is wider than a thinning or blending scissor tooth but not as wide as a texturising scissor's tooth. The gap between each tooth is much narrower compared to a blending scissor.

This scissor is designed to remove bulk quickly due to the broader teeth, like a texturising scissor and then creates a natural yet soft finish, similar to that of a blending scissor. It is a perfect dog grooming scissor for the new Poodle Mixed breeds such as Cockapoos and Labradoodles and is suitable to use on most dog coat types, making it very versatile and an amazing addition to a dog groomer's scissor collection.

What are Blending Dog Grooming Scissors or Blenders?

In comparison to a thinning scissor, a blender or blending dog grooming scissor, is designed for blending work over the dog's coat and helps create soft and tidy finishes to the dog's trim.

A blending scissor will generally have between 50 and 60 Teeth and both the teeth and the space between each tooth are narrower, compared to a thinning scissor. 

Below is a list of common uses for blending dog grooming scissors;

• Making seamless transitions between two or more coat lengths.
• A perfect finishing scissor that helps to create a soft, blended, natural look.
• Trimming the feathers on medium-length, double-coated dogs, like Golden Retrievers and Pomeranians, to look more natural instead of blunt.
• Blending and softening a dog's skirt line.
• The additional feature of the micro-serrated teeth is perfect for coat types such as Bedlington Terriers.

 To view the full range of Blending scissors, Thinning Scissors and Fluffers, please click here.

Texturising Dog Grooming Scissors.

Texturising shears otherwise referred to as ‘Chunkers', are just as their name suggests; these dog grooming scissors are designed to help give a soft and creamy textured finish.

The blades of a Texturising scissor will vary in length from 7' to 10", and the number of teeth from 20 to 30.

A Texturising shear is more versatile than a Chunker, as it can help remove unwanted bulk and will help leave a soft finish to a coat which gives a different appearance to the sharp tailored finish achieved with a straight or curved blade scissor.

To view Abbfabb's full range of Texturising Dog Grooming Scissors, please click here.

Chunkers.

A traditional chunker is typically between 5’ and 6.5’ in length, with 10 and 18 large teeth with a wider gap between each tooth.

These scissors are designed to create a chunky, very natural appearance. For example, a West Highland White or Cairn Terrier head, used with extreme caution, will add a choppy or chunky finish. At this point, preparation is as essential as the scissor.

To view the full range of Abbfabb Chunkers, please click here.

Is there a difference between Chunkers and Texturising Dog Grooming Scissors?

Simply the answer to this frequently asked question, is yes, there is a difference between the Chunker and the Texturising Scissor.

The terms used for these two different types of dog grooming scissors tend to be confused and used incorrectly and to understand the difference between a Chunker and a Texturising Dog Grooming Scissor, it is important to discuss each shear type and the finish they will help to produce on a dog’s coat.

How many dog grooming scissors should a dog groomer have?

How many grooming shears a dog groomer needs, will depend on the dog and the coat type they will be working on.

It is highly recommended that a dog groomer should have the minimum of the 'Four Essential' scissors in their collection in order to make sure that they have the shears available to work on the different coat types in their salon; the straight scissor, the curved scissor, the blending scissor and the texturising scissor. 

As a trainee dog groomer or a beginner, it is advised to start off with a pair of straight scissors and a pair of thinning scissors. By using these two dog grooming scissors, the student will learn the basic scissoring techniques as well as learning how to hold the scissor correctly and how to work with the different dog breeds and coat types. Once the basics of dog grooming scissors have been learnt, a beginner will be able to move on to using a curved scissor and a texturising scissor. 

To view all Abbfabb's Beginner Dog Grooming Scissors, please click here.

At Abbfabb, we also offer a very generous student discount to all those who are training or an apprentice dog groomer. For more information on how to apply for the discount, click here.