Another what clippers question

[SEL]

My chunky Ardennes is in full double winter coat, itching himself to blood and generally unhappy. He is designed for a proper winter not a damp 10 degrees.

He is also terrified of clippers so its telling how uncomfortable he is that he let me gently clip away the hair around one of his scabby bits the other night with a pair of virtually silent battery powered dog clippers. I continued along his tummy (which is just fluffy undercoat) but there is no way my tiny clippers will do his proper coat let alone feathers.

I'd post a photo but I think you'd all judge me on my 'interesting' clip! And the poor boy doesn't need his humiliating haircut all over social media

Can anyone recommend a pair of very, very quiet battery operated clippers that can get through a polar bear coat and thick wiry feathers without dying? I think now he realises this is a Good Thing he might let me progress to big boy clippers.

 

[milliepops]

depends how "big boy" he can learn to cope with, but I am a big fan of the Liveryman Black Beauty - they have a power pack rather than built in battery which makes them fairly light to handle and last for ages. The best thing about them for nervous ones or tickley areas is you can change the speed they run at which obviously reduces vibration and also makes them quieter. they are still proper clippers so even with the speed turned down they clip well.

there may be other types that you can do the same thing with? i think for the job you're describing it's definitely a clipper job rather than trimmers.

 

[PapaverFollis]

We have Black Beautys as well. They are good. Seem to do the job. I've never had other clippers or a particularly sensitive horse (apart from when The Beast randomly decided she wasn't having any if it! That wasn't the noise thoughas she was still quite happy to be hogged... but not the neck apparently. OK Beast) so no idea how quiet they are comparatively. But we like them.

 

[SEL]

depends how "big boy" he can learn to cope with.

Hedgecutters might get through the feathers!

I shall go and look them up. Vet can always sedate if he does throw a tantrum, but he seems to be enjoying the sensation on his itchy tummy right now.

 

[chaps89]

I have lister liberty's. They're quiet compared to the mains clippers I've used in the past and cope ok with hairy cob/yak coat. (I do switch between 2 sets of blades as it can get a bit warm vs clipping finer coats where it has no trouble)
I don't think you're far away from me, you'd be welcome to borrow them for a while if you wanted to try, as they are definitley a step up from dog clippers!

 

[milliepops]

i was replacing Liveryman Mustangs when I bought my black beauties, they were super heavy duty and would clip a dirty mammoth twice over but they were noisy by comparison (plus the mega ventilation blew hair everywhere!)

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

For a coat like that I would suggest whatever clippers you do get/end up borrowing you use coarse blades first to take away a lot of the thick, double coat. They don't leave a clean clip which is fine if you aren't fussed and just want some hair off. If you want it neater by then end then go over with medium blades. I have always used Lister Laser clippers at work and they are very heavy duty and powerful but noisey and have quite a vibration on them. We also have a set of Masterclip - somethings - and they are ok but they wouldn't actually be my go to even if they did have the right blades on them.

 

[Sprig]

I have Liveryman Harmony Plus. They are v quiet. You need the big blades for a proper clip, not the trimmer blades.

 

[SEL]

I have lister liberty's. They're quiet compared to the mains clippers I've used in the past and cope ok with hairy cob/yak coat. (I do switch between 2 sets of blades as it can get a bit warm vs clipping finer coats where it has no trouble)
I don't think you're far away from me, you'd be welcome to borrow them for a while if you wanted to try, as they are definitley a step up from dog clippers!

Thanks Chaps that's a really kind offer. I'm going to wave a couple other liveries have got in his direction at the weekend to judge his reaction to the noise (Ardennes shaped hole in fence??).

 

[SEL]

For a coat like that I would suggest whatever clippers you do get/end up borrowing you use coarse blades first to take away a lot of the thick, double coat. They don't leave a clean clip which is fine if you aren't fussed and just want some hair off. If you want it neater by then end then go over with medium blades. I have always used Lister Laser clippers at work and they are very heavy duty and powerful but noisey and have quite a vibration on them.

Vibration is an issue because I've tried blocking his ears before. I've no idea how far I'll get with him - visions of a 1 sided trace clip before the clippers die or he does!!

One of the tabloids is promising a polar vortex so I'll probably clip him and beast from the east #2 will rock up