# Which knife to buy?



## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

I lost my stripping knife, which is a bummer because it took months for it to break in and get dull enough where it wasn't cutting guard hairs (not a groomer so I learn by trial and error). Anyways, I'm looking for a new knife to get undercoat out. 

I'm looking at a greyhound carding knife:
http://greyhoundcomb.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=169

Or a coat king:
http://www.amazon.com/Mars-Stainless-10-Blade-Stripper-Wooden/dp/B00061MPL0

Now I know that anything from a furminator to a dull stripping knife, will cut coat if used improperly, excessively, or on the wrong coat... But I've heard worse things about the coat king in that regard. Any suggestions on which to get? Which SIZE (coarse to extra fine) for knives? Or something different entirely? Or a website that sells these for cheaper? 

Oh, and Soro's a lab mix. His coat's not quite as harsh and dense as a lab's... I would describe it being more shepherd-ish but at lab length. He has a bit of a ruff around his neck.


----------



## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

I know spaniel people who swear by the mars coat king, and I know groomers who swear that it's evil and cuts the hair. So I err on the side of not having one. It might be worth trying, but I know they're not super cheap.

I got my knives on Amazon - just standard cheap ones, like the ones by Master Grooming:
https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemai...177A466FB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US

I have a coarse and fine. I find the coarse doesn't get out enough and the fine cuts a little too much (sometimes I do want to cut guard hairs, usually I don't). I think I need a medium. Coarse will probably be fine for you, since Soro's hair is probably thicker than Watson's.


----------



## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Darn, more stripping knives to dull 
I was hoping to get a carding knife because I heard they come pre-dulled? The coarse will probably work for my purposes... Though would it be harmful to get the medium if I'm concerned about not getting enough undercoat out or can I just use the coarse for longer periods and get the same effect? Or maybe ere on the side of caution since I imagine if I took a fine knife to a coarse coat, even if used properly it would cut...


----------



## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

I thought a carding knife was a stripping knife? Or at least the type of grooming spaniel people do is carding, not really stripping like a terrier, though you still use a stripping knife. Do you you have a link? Sounds like it might work for my dog.

I do find that using too fine of a knife will cut coat. I use the fine on Watson's neck and shoulders, because I actually do want to cut the long hairs that stick out and look messy. I use the coarse on his back where I just want to remove undercoat. I think I need a medium too at some point. 

I find that the knife only gets out what it's going to get out for its size. For example, I use them on my bunnies, who have very fine fur. The coarse doesn't take out any coat at all, no matter how long I use it. The fine takes out tons of coat and works really well. So I don't think you can just use a wider knife for longer and get the same effect - IME you need to use the right sized knife on the right coat. 

Personally, I don't think a medium would be terrible and cut tons of coat. I would just avoid anything called "fine" or "detailing". 

I also didn't spend much effort dulling my knives. The coarse one doesn't seem to cut coat ever unless I really try. The finer the knife, the more careful I have to be.

ETA: Forgot to mention a grooming stone. I love mine! At first I totally didn't think it would work, but it's great and really cheap.


----------



## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Thanks! I'll probably get the coarse or medium then. And looking up grooming stones now...


----------



## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Sorry, just need to vent.... I ended up buying a new one around the time of this original post. And guess what... I LOST IT!
I have no idea how, since I have been living in the same house and grooming Soro in the same spot, and all the grooming supplies go in and out at the same time. It figures I would lose my most expensive and high maintenance (it takes months to wear the edges down to the point where you don't cut coat so easily) brush TWICE while I still have the same stupid pin brush (held together by tape) and rusty nail clipper for over 9 years.

That is all. Blarghghghhgh


----------



## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

That sucks! Losing things is the worst. I get so upset when I lose even stupid little things.

I just got a magnet stripper and I love it. It's more of a detail knife though. I don't really understand how it's different from the other ones I use, but it definitely works a bit differently.
http://www.groomersmall.com/acc_knives.htm#magnetstyle

I also branched out into a Coat King. I do really like it, though I see it take out some top coat too. My dogs don't shed much so I use it minimally, and mostly in places where I want to thin out coat anyway (like neck/shoulder region).


----------



## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

How do these things even work? I've never had a double coated dog before and Panzer sheds like crazy. I brush him, but there is still fur everywhere.


----------



## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

jade5280 said:


> How do these things even work? I've never had a double coated dog before and Panzer sheds like crazy. I brush him, but there is still fur everywhere.


If it's dull, it kind of rakes out the undercoat. If it's sharp it can cut coat, which you may or may not want depending on the dog and the coat. In Panzer's case you wouldn't. 

I would dry out a coarse and/or medium stripping knife and see what you think. Dull it down a bit first. They are pretty cheap too.

ETA: It's not always easy to find info online because "stripping" a terrier is a whole different thing. It's usually called "carding" for sporting dogs like spaniels and setters.


----------



## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

elrohwen said:


> If it's dull, it kind of rakes out the undercoat. If it's sharp it can cut coat, which you may or may not want depending on the dog and the coat. In Panzer's case you wouldn't.
> 
> I would dry out a coarse and/or medium stripping knife and see what you think. Dull it down a bit first. They are pretty cheap too.
> 
> ETA: It's not always easy to find info online because "stripping" a terrier is a whole different thing. It's usually called "carding" for sporting dogs like spaniels and setters.


How do you dull it?


----------



## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

jade5280 said:


> How do you dull it?


You can cut through cardboard. Leave it in a bag of sand. Rub it on concrete. I think those are some of the ones people have recommended to me. I just use it on a dirty coat which will dull it down eventually. Some, like the magnet type, come pre-dulled. Though that's more of a finishing knife and I wouldn't use it on the body coat.


----------



## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

I think carding would work on Panzer! Definitely take your time. You need to get it at a certain angle or else it just cuts straight through. But even out of the package you can start using it. It is easier to cut coat but if you are careful it is fine. I have not found a tool that is better for taking out undercoat than a stripping knife. I could buy a new one. But ARGH, the one I bought in May was so nice and dulled...


----------



## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

Have you tried using an under coat rake and line brushing?


----------



## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Just wanted to let y'all know that I ended up finding my knife when the snow thawed! And a few months in harsh weather did wonders for dulling the edge too


----------



## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Canyx said:


> Just wanted to let y'all know that I ended up finding my knife when the snow thawed! And a few months in harsh weather did wonders for dulling the edge too


Haha, glad you found it!

Since this thread I think I found a new favorite knife - a magnet stripper. I really like how it works on the dog's heads and ears, and a little bit on their backs. And I got a Coat King which I like, though I do use it very sparingly and only for certain things.


----------

