# Thinning shears- double or single sided



## jmc

What is the difference between double and single sided thinning shears? Does one give a better finish than the other? Which will thin undercoat faster?


----------



## JDandBigAm

Personally, I have Roseline single sided thinning shears and love them. This is my first grooming adventure but I've gotten comfortable with the single sided shears and would be intimidated with the double sided shears. It is always better to take out too little hair than too much. Deb Oster has a great grooming video that has helped me quite a bit. You can look her up on the internet and order the DVD. I think most Golden people use single sided shears. Double sided shears will thin the hair but at a much quicker and larger quantiity of hair.


----------



## HiTideGoldens

Are you just looking to thin undercoat? I'm certainly not a grooming expert, but I don't think thinning shears are the tool for that. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.) Perhaps a better tool would be coat king type stripper? Thinning shears will cut whatever hair is in their reach and is not limited to undercoat. 

As for the quality of the shears, I've heard that single sided 46 tooth are supposed to be the best since it will not cut as aggressively and blend better than a pair with less teeth.


----------



## jmc

I'm looking to thin the undercoat around the neck and shoulder area. I have one boy with a very very thick and dense coat and it is very tedious using my current 44 tooth single sided thinners. I also have the Mars coat kings but I think they cut the hair, and I'm not happy with the finish. 

I can't seem to find straight answers on a google search. I realise that more teeth = less hair is taken out; less teeth = more hair...but how does double and single sided affect the amount of hair taken out?


----------



## RedDogs

Unless you're more experienced....go with single sided, less teeth. Like said above, you'll be less likely to make a mistake... investing in a more $ pair will also produce better results...


----------



## chipstone

I suggest sticking to the coat king. Are you stripping the coat while damp? That is the only way to get good results.


----------



## JDandBigAm

Hmmm, I learned to strip with a dry coat. When you strip with your coat king, are you making a kind of backwards "C" and following the shoulder? It can take alot of strokes to get the look you want if your dog has lots of undercoat. The experienced groomers can chime in but I've only seen a stripper used. Perhaps get a stripper that can take a bit more undercoat with each stroke?


----------



## jmc

Oh dear I've been using the coat kings on a dry coat. Silly me i do spray a conditioner when I brush him but not when I use the coat king. I'll try a no.8 coat king, I'm using a no.12 now. Thanks.


----------



## jmc

Why a backwards c?


----------



## sterregold

I was taught to use a stipping knife to do that job in a show dog. My young male has such thick hair on his neck that it actually create an illusion that he is stuffy necked, when he is not! So this is a job with which I am familiar!

Anytime you use scissors to thin the furnishings you can end up with "holes" when it begins to grow out, and the surrounding hair sheds. lifting the hair with one and and using the stripping knife with the other gets great results--tedious, but great! Check out Erik Strickland's grooming video he demonstrates the technique well.

In areas where I do use thinning shears (like on the ears) I also use a single sided 46 tooth. The results are just far more precise and clean.


----------



## annef

We trim the neck and shoulders far more in the UK and I use double sided thinners, use them upwards to thin and downwards to blend the coat in I think they take less out than single sided and I can see cut marks when using single sided (but that is probably my incompetance rather than anything else) I know a lot of people use single sided over here but I never get such a natural look with them. Annef


----------



## jtom

Hi all,

I am a hair stylist of 25 years. I personally like the single sided thinning shears they grip and cut better. I would also recommend the coat king for stripping out under coat not thinning shears. 

The reason is that a coat that has been cut, as it is growing back will actually make the coat look thicker. The cut coat will push out the uncut coat as it grows back. We actually will use thinning shears on fine hair to make it look fuller. 

anyway just my opinion


----------



## JDandBigAm

jmc said:


> Why a backwards c?


To show the neck flowing into the shoulder and then following the angle of the shoulder.


----------



## jmc

sterregold said:


> I was taught to use a stipping knife to do that job in a show dog. My young male has such thick hair on his neck that it actually create an illusion that he is stuffy necked, when he is not! So this is a job with which I am familiar!
> 
> Anytime you use scissors to thin the furnishings you can end up with "holes" when it begins to grow out, and the surrounding hair sheds. lifting the hair with one and and using the stripping knife with the other gets great results--tedious, but great! Check out Erik Strickland's grooming video he demonstrates the technique well.


Thanks for all the advice! Sterregold, I have the same problem with my young male...I've also been using stripping knives but like you say, it is very tedious and a strain on the arm but I guess I should not be so lazy : I love my erik strickand video too


----------



## hvgoldens4

Stripping a dog who is in heavy coat isn't something that can be done one time and it is finished. You need to keep working at it and if the dog is in heavy coat, a Mars coat king, a furminator or a mat breaker will take the hair out better if the dog is wet.

You do not want to use thinning shears to "strip coat". When the hair starts to grow back in, it will stand straight out and it will make the situation worse than what you have now.

Many of our dogs have heavy coats and I strip them over days or weeks to get them ready for a show. Trying to do it all at one time will not only look bad(you will most likely wind up with chunks missing) it is tedious for the dog and it is also hard on your arm.


----------

