The bottom and invariability larger of the two is generally referred to as the “comb” but can also be called the “lower plate”. The other (the smaller of the two) is called the “cutter”, also known as the “upper plate” (basic stuff – but an awful lot of folk haven’t got the hang of what blades are individually called.) The cutter is the one, which cuts and therefore moves at very considerable speeds backward and forwards across the comb, which is stationary!

Due to the tremendous speed (up to 4000 stokes per minute on some machines) blades get hot – very hot! Therefore you should oil your blades regularly to help cool them. If you don’t, a chain of incidents can fairly quickly happen – blades overheat – blade go blunt – blades refuse to cut – clipper head overheats - machine malfunctions - animal complains about getting burnt! - operator gets stressed!

Blades should always be sharpened as a pair. If you break one and are able to get a replacement (not always possible) get them both re-sharpened together. Broken teeth in a blade will result in a cut leaving a groove of hair (referred to as a “tramline”) Try to always ensure blades do not become rusty (cleaning and oiling helps!) Rust pits the metal face of the teeth making it difficult to get a really sharp edge. Always store away at the end of the season oiled and suitably wrapped