Best haircuts ever!

And from Katy:

Hi Debby,
Thanks so much for all the good info regarding Apso grooming!
I got my Coat King, slicker brush and greyhound comb on Thursday, spent most of Friday (it seemed like!) working on Wyatt.
Sadie was easy and Zeke only needed a “once-through”.  Today they all got baths and finished up their haircuts.  They look soooo good!
Stripping out the undercoat, especially on Wyatt, made all the difference!  You can actually feel Wyatt’s ribs now!  Sadie’s hair is lying down and even parts down the middle!  Zeke is just gorgeous.  All three tools are just invaluable; it made the difference between being able to groom them successfully, and struggling all day.  I only needed the clippers to do their belly.  I’m very confident that I’ll be able to keep their hair longer, and them looking like the beautiful Apsos they are, now.  Thanks again!

Katy

Coat Kings..

Vickie has done a little Mars Coat King sleuthing…

This place has a good selection of the ‘Kings and at what appears to be a more reasonable price than PetEdge and Amazon.  I’m inquiring as to shipping charges at the moment.

Re: the 8-blade, it notes original and rosewood handled.  I’m advised that the “original” is a Mars and the “rosewood” a copy by another company but “works equally as well.”

V

A tale of three combs

From Susan:

So here is a picture of the three combs that I have been using over the past little while.

The one on top came from one of the local chain pet stores, although I have no idea which one, and all it says on it is “Made in China”.  It is by far the best of the three, and probably cost all of $12.00 or so.

The one in the middle comes from Chris Christensen.  (#011 Buttercomb 6″ NTS STAGGERED TOOTH BUTTERCOMB) It cost an embarrassing amount of money, weighs a ton, and I have no idea yet whether it’s going to be worth it. http://www.chrissystems.com/combs.htm

The bottom one came from PetEdge.  It is advertised as having rotating pins, and that seems to be true.  But after using it maybe twice already one of the pins at the coarse end has gone all wall-eyed on me.  Basic junk.

http://www.petedge.com/product/Grooming/Grooming-Tools/Combs/Master-Grooming-Tools-Rotating-Pin-Combs/pc/190/c/214/sc/479/55304.uts

Susan

I’d pitch two of the combs, possibly all three. My experience with rotating pins is dismal. The concept seems more a marketing strategy than good design. When I tried one years ago, the comb didn’t work any differently than my greyhound comb and – like Susan wrote – the pins bent almost immediately. The top comb appears to be a medium/fine combo. The pins are closer together on the right side of the comb. I prefer coarse/medium (which is demonstrated by the bottom comb).  I wouldn’t like the black ‘handle’ as my hand is comfortable using a traditional style greyhound comb.

From Cherrybrook:  You can pay more but you can’t buy better! This greyhound-style comb features rounded teeth, which glide through the coat, reducing drag and avoiding breaking the hair. Hand polished with a square back. 1-16 in. teeth are 1 1-8 in. long and spaced 12 per inch on one half and 7 per inch on the other.

The cost is mid-range – $16.99. I would spend the extra money rather than buying a similar comb for less. My combs last forever with…well, extreme use!

Looking at the product info on the staggered tooth comb, it’s purpose appears to be detangling. Susan I’m betting you’ll accomplish the same thing with the Mars Coat King, (8-blade coarse!!) followed by a quick slicker brush through, topped with a greyhound comb through. Let us know!