December 27, 2022

Everything You Need to Know About Grooming Blades and Combs

How to choose cutting blades and combs for your clipper!

Dog having ear fur trimmed with clippers

Here is an overview of which clippers you can use to trim your dog or cat. See also the guide further down the page.

If the prospect of having to choose the proper clipper blade for your clipper makes you want to hurry to the dog salon, you're not alone. There are so many to select from that it can be overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be that way once you understand the distinctions between them. You don't need to buy 5-7 different blades for your trimmer to achieve a good outcome; usually, 1 or 2 blades combined with the correct accessories, such as sharp scissors and, in some circumstances, spacer combs, would suffice. Going to competitions with your dog, on the other hand, can be a different story.

If you are in doubt about what you need, you are always welcome to contact us.

Cutting length	Fits these clippers	Blades	Suitable for these fur types
0.1 mm 0.25 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Oster blade 40	Suitable for dogs with very fine fur and thin hair around the paws, eyes, and ears. Also useful if you have troubles with stubborn knots in the fur and just have a small amount of fur left under them. It can also be useful when the fur needs to be shaved down, such as before surgery or to cure infections.
0.5 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Oster blade 30	It is appropriate for very fine smooth fur with thin hairs. Very close cut. Also useful for reaching under knots in the fur when there isn't much fur to trim. Can be used in conjunction with spacer combs.
0.8 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Oster blade 5/8	Ideal for use on the face or the paws. Because the cut is only 2 cm wide, it is much easier to cut beneath the paws, but also ears, near the eyes, and the pet's face.
1 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Moser blade 1 mm	Moser #30F cutter. Suitable for fine, smooth, and simple fur. Typically a nice cut for cotton dogs and the like, where the fur is dense but the hairs are very fine. Can be used in conjunction with distance combs. On the Moser Max50, this is a regular insert.
1.2 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Oster blade 15	The cut is ideal for finer fur around the eyes, ears, and paws, but it can even accommodate thinner fur on the body. Cotton dogs have dense, simple fur with very thin hair, thus this is a nice cut for them. Can be used in conjunction with distance combs.
1.6 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Oster blade 10	This is a cut that is commonly used on many breeds with finer coats, and it is also frequently recommended for cotton dogs that may have a bit of filter and are not fully smooth. This is the cut we most frequently recommend for dogs with fine coats. Can be used to trim the dog's hair, especially around the paws, eyes, and snout, although it cannot manage thicker hair. Can be used as cut number 2 on many breeds, where it can be used under the belly, on the face, and so on, while a coarser one is used on the dog's back, where the fur is thicker. Can be used in conjunction with distance combs.
3 mm	Moser 1230	H538A	Moser model 1230 rex standard blade. A cut that can handle most tasks but must give up exceptionally strong and knotted fur. This is the only insert that may be used in these machines. This insert can accommodate distance combs.
3 mm	Moser 1170 Moser 1400 10 watt (A-F) Moser 1420 (A-C)	TX2383-10	The standard blade for Moser model 1400. A blade that can handle many tasks where the coat is smooth and uncomplicated, but must give up strong and tangled fur. Standard blade, and the only blade that can be used on these clippers. Can be used with guidance combs.
3 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Skær 8.5F	Clippers that can handle the most common, but not heavy coats or thick hair. Excellent for routine studding, etc. If you purchase a Moser Max 45, this blade is included in the package. Can be used in conjunction with distance combs.
3.2 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i 2	Oster skær 7F	On furs that must be cut short, this fine polishing blade provides the fur an extra silky touch. This insert does not accept spacer combs. With the exception of very coarse fur, it can be used on most varieties of fur.
3.2 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i 2	Oster skær 7	For shortening many varieties of fur, except very fine furs with thin hairs. Instead, use fine sanding blade F. This insert does not accept spacer combs.
4 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Oster blade 1 ½	A nice cut that can be used on dogs with typical fur that has hairs that are not too fine. Breeds like the Cocker Spaniel, Labrador, and others benefit from it. This insert does not accept spacer combs.
6.3 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i 2	Oster blade 5	A cutting blade that can handle most jobs. Suitable for dogs with lighter, thicker coats and larger bodies, such as the Golden Retriever, Labrador, and Cocker Spaniel. This insert does not accept spacer combs.
7 mm		Oster blade 5F	A good all-purpose blade that may be used for a variety of tasks. Can be used as a finishing touch after using blade 5 on fine coatings as well as thick coats. This is suited for the same purposes as Oster blade 5 above, but it is for a perfectly smooth and dense finish if you want the perfect outcome or if you participate in dog shows, competitions, and the like. This insert does not accept spacer combs.
9 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Moser blade 9 mm	Good for matted or coarse coats. Since there is just 1 cm left, it is suitable for use on the body of many dog breeds whose fur has a somewhat rougher end. When distance combs cannot be used, many people are content with the length of their clipped fur. Suitable for dogs with rough hair, such as Labradors, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and others. On this insert, spacer combs cannot be used.
9.5 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Oster blade 4	Cutting that is coarse enough to handle practically all thick, sturdy, and knotted furs. Trim the fine hair at the paws, muzzle, and other areas by using a finer blade to cut longer at the base. This is for dogs with thick coats who need a body. Since there is just 1 cm left, it is suitable for use on the body of many dog breeds whose fur has a somewhat rougher end. When distance combs cannot be used, many people are content with the length of their clipped fur. Suitable for dogs with rough hair, such as Labradors, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and others. On this insert, spacer combs cannot be used.
9.5 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Oster blade 4F	Ideal if you want to cut straight through without using spacer combs on dogs with coats like Maltese and those with delicate, fine hair like cotton hounds. If the coat needs to be cut for competitions, dog shows, etc., it can also be used as a finishing blade to be used after the ordinary blade 4.
13 mm	All Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Oster blade 3	A very coarse blade that can handle practically all fur chores when used in conjunction with, for instance, the Moser Max45, Max50, Oster Pro3000i, or Oster Golden A5 2-speed. If you need to go further down, use a possibly finer cut, and trim fine hair at paws, etc. This is for dogs with thick hair and fur on their bodies.
13 mm	Moser Max50 Moser Max45 Moser 1225 Moser 1221 Oster Comfort A6 Oster pro 3000i	Oster blade 3F	Applied as a finishing touch for a blade 3 trimming that is especially smooth and precise, such as when competing in dog shows or another event. If you want to trim your dog's fur without using a distance comb, it is also excellent for dogs with soft or fine fur.

Blade number:

The length of the fur left behind after you cut increases with the number of blades in the blade. While an Oster blade 3 is used for dogs with extremely thick fur and thick hair, an Oster blade 10 is suited for the body of many dog breeds with regular, straightforward fur and leaves 1.6 mm of hair behind. Distance combs, which lengthen the fur, can be fitted to a variety of clippers, including those that come standard like the Moser Max45 and Moser Max50, as well as inserts like the Moser 30F, 8.5F, and Oster inserts 10, 15, and 30.

Cut length in millimeters:

When you use this blade directly on the dog's fur, the length indicates how much fur is still on the animal. A 9 mm blade leaves 9 mm of fur on the dog after cutting. About twice as much fur is left behind when you trim the dog's coat in the same direction as the hairs as opposed to cutting against them.

Categories of inserts:

We provide two types of blades. F-blades and regular blades. For instance, an insert may be referred to as an Oster insert 7 or an Oster insert 7F. The F, which stands for "finishing," is typically used to complete the coat. If the dog's fur needs a very fine trim, you can first trim it with a conventional clipper, then bathe him. Once the dog is thoroughly dry, you can trim it again with a F clipper.

Additionally, it helps with transitions from a dog's longer haired parts to others that are shorter. You won't typically need the F blade for this unless you compete in dog shows or are extremely picky about every detail, but it does offer the dog, as it also describes, a nicer finish. F-cut can also be used to soft-coated canines like cotton dogs. You have two choices here. You can either use an F-blade and cut the desired length directly, or you can use a fine blade with spacer combs.

General information about blades:

You can use the same blades on any of our trimmers that allow you to swap out the blades for different types, including the Moser Max45, Moser Max50, Oster Golden A5, Oster Pro3000i, Andis AGR+, and Aesculap GT306. For example, all of these versions work with a Moser blade of 9 mm. For instance, an Oster blade 4 fits all of these models and is comparable.

Your pet's coat will be clipped more precisely and finer with a trimmer than it will with scissors. It just requires selecting the proper blade or distance comb, about which you may learn a bit more by glancing at this website. You can decide how far you want to cut the fur.

The finer the hair on your dog, the finer the cut should be. That is, cut with numbers on the longer end and then use a distance comb to get the fur to the desired length. For dogs with fine fur and soft hair, a F clipper can be used to cut directly without the use of distance combs. Although it is usually faster to trim directly with the blade, some people prefer their coat to be longer than what is achievable with a F blade.

The coarser, thicker, and stronger the fur's hairs, the coarser the blade that must be used. The coarser blades 3 and 4 should be used on the body, while the standard blade that is sometimes provided can be used on heads, paws, ears, and other areas where the fur is not as dense. If your dog has hard lumps that stretch all the way down to the skin, they must be removed before the rest of the hair is trimmed, or you can purchase an Oster clipper 40, which can get under the lumps and trim them off.