Brushes, Combs and Shears: The Stars of Grooming

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BY JENNIFER HIGGINS

There are plenty of clips and snips that go on in the average grooming salon these days, and no salon can function without these three stars: combs, brushes and shears.

Andis recently introduced its newest technology in the fight against shedding.

“The Fine Tooth Deshedding Rake features a unique tooth pattern that is designed to safely remove loose hair, reducing shedding up to 90 percent and is equipped with an anti-slip ergonomic handle for comfortable, all day use,” said Danielle Gallo, senior manager of product marketing for Andis. “Andis certifies that only the highest quality materials are used in our grooming products and aim to ensure that our grooming tools are both durable and comfortable, therefore making the groomer’s job easier.

“Having product videos available onsite at the store, as well as sample products on display that customers can physically hold, will make a big difference,” she added. “It also always helps to promote, advertise and merchandise grooming products to ‘pet parents’ because they are a necessary part of pet ownership.”

When asked about her experience with Andis de-shedding combs, Tina Meyers, owner of Totally Mutts Dog Grooming in Lake Isabela, California, had good things to say.

“I just bought the Andis de-shedding tool at SuperZoo this year, and it’s the most amazing de-shedding tool I have ever used,” she said. “It’s lower cost, safer and does a better job. I have already recommended it to my groomer friends.”

Bring on the Brushes

When it comes to brushes for pet grooming, Bass Brushes came to the grooming table approximately 12 years ago with the best of the best brush technology from the human grooming and hair care world. Bass Brushes VP of Sales and Marketing Joel Weinstein found that groomers and consumers alike desired a higher quality brush—a “human grade” brush—for their furry family members. After going back to the drawing board to make a few adjustments, The Hybrid Groomer was born. Made of natural and sustainable materials (eco-friendly bamboo handle and natural bristles), The Hybrid Groomer exemplifies craftsmanship, is durable and affordable.

Weinstein notes that the brush has the ability to perform two basic, primary brush functions from just one side of the brush. Natural, black, boar bristles are surrounded by alloy pins. The alloy pins penetrate the depth of the coat, separating strands as they pass through, while the shorter, black bristles pass over the strands to polish the fur. This technologically advanced configuration gave way to Bass Brushes’ tag line for The Hybrid Groomer: “Detangle and Shine at the Same Time.”

Jessica Lanfair, store manager of Chasing Our Tails, Inc., gives the testimonial: “Adding Bass Brushes to our grooming section was an easy decision because of the quality of their products. Bass Brushes are new to the Chasing Our Tails line up, but already the feedback from customers has been very positive! The one thing we keep hearing is, ‘These look like human brushes!’ We make sure to let our customers know that these brushes are high quality. They’re not only made for people, but our pets as well!”

Shed Happens

According to Chuck Simons, inventor of Groomers Helper, ActiVet “is arguably the highest quality brush system on the market.” Designed by groomers who know how difficult it can be to tackle mats and who understand the tasks of undercoating and finishing, the ActiVet brush system was created with a brush face specifically for each job.

Fur mats, in particular, can be formidable opponents, as they are a dense cluster of micro-knots that have woven themselves into a mass.

“[The brush uses] milled German stainless steel in a pattern where more tips of the tines embed themselves in the micro-knots at different angles… so when you ‘Tap and Pull’ with the brush, you explode more of those micro-knots each time, effectively unraveling the mat,” Simons explained.

ActiVet brushes then become the preferred alternative to shaving mats away. However, the brush face “business end” of these brushes isn’t the only attractive technology they possess; ActiVet brushes were designed with the brush operator in mind as well. The two different flexibility options of the head of these brushes (soft or firm) means a groomer can enjoy reduced strain, as it is the flex of the head that offers relief to groomers’ wrists and forearms.

“The durable pads that the tines are attached to can be ‘opened’ from the top so you can get behind the pad to clean and sanitize it,” Simons said. “The tines on all of the brush faces are not actually ‘pins’—they are designed in long, U-shaped staples which can be pulled out from the back of the pad, straightened out with needle nosed pliers or a hemostat, and put back in. It is the only professional grooming brush that you can actually repair yourself.”

In the Palm of Your Hand

HandsOn grooming gloves are, according to Jay Michaelson, founder and CEO of HandsOn, the patented, all-inone shedding/bathing/grooming gloves that massage out only the ready-to-shed hair and don’t rip and cut out the live hair.

“Because of the flexibility of your hands and your fingers in the action, this allows you to finally get all the way down to the skin and massage out the dirt and dander while massaging the natural oils through the entire coat,” Michaelson said.

What’s more, HandsOn gloves facilitate and promote the human-animal bond that is an important part of human and animal physical and mental/ emotional well-being.

Similar to a grooming glove in function but not necessarily in form is Bump It Off, a reusable silicone sleeve designed to perform a variety of [household] tasks efficiently and effectively.

“[Bump It Off] is an eco-friendly and versatile tool that features gentle bristles on one side and smooth bumps on the other,” said Lisa Ximenez, inventor of Bump It Off. “[It] fits comfortably in your hand in multiple positions, allowing you to concentrate scrubbing power in the palm of your hand or on your fingertips.”

Bump It Off can be used to keep furniture and clothing fur-free, but it also makes a great grooming tool and your companion will love the massage, according to Ximenez.

Shear Perfection

There exists a cornucopia of clippers from which groomers and pet owners can choose, but not all fur or hair maintenance requires clippers. There are times when only specialized scissors—shears to be exact—can get the job done.

In the early 1990s, Precision Sharp introduced Precise Cut shears to address a need in the grooming industry for quality shears at affordable prices.

“What makes Precise Cut different is our ability to customize shears to individual customer needs… which includes bending handles, curving blades, and moving finger and thumb rings to specific positions and sizing finger rings to properly fit each customer need,” said Randy Lowe, owner of Precision Sharp. “We pioneered super curved and custom curved shears as well as curved thinning shears and curved chunkers. Precision Sharp will soon be releasing The Phoenix shear, designed for the competitive and high-end groomer looking for that ultra-smooth feel and cut.”

“I was and continue to be impressed at the inventory that’s available. I’ve never seen a wider variety of shears, and they are all sharp, balanced and smooth,” said Melissa Jepson, owner of Pupscale Pet Salon in Montclair, California. “In my arsenal of over 30 pairs of shears, at least half are Precise Cut, and it’s what I chose to get for my staff to use as well. They all comment on how easy and intuitive they are to use. Most of my grooms are scissor trims, and my clients notice the difference.”